Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Standard Goldfish
There are many varieties of goldfish, but beginners should start with long-body goldfish, including the comet, sarasa, and shubunkin varieties. Fancy goldfish with unusual body shapes are better for more intermediate fish-keepers. Comet goldfish can be white, orange, gold, or black, and although they start very small, can grow up to 14 inches or the size of a large dinner plate. Sarasa and shubunkin goldfish tend to stay smaller and can max out around 8 to 10 inches.
No matter which type of goldfish you choose, keep in mind that you will need 20 gallons of water per fish, just to start! As they get bigger, goldfish will need upgrades to a larger aquarium.
Species Overview
LENGTH: up to 8-14 inches
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Two sets of paired fins and three single fins, no scales on head, exceptionally large eyes, come in red, orange, blueish-grey, brown, yellow, white, and black colors
Betta Fish
Although they have the reputation as one of the easiest fish to keep, your betta will live a longer, happier life with a few upgrades from their sad, little fishbowl.
Bettas thrive in a five-gallon tank minimum, with a filter and heater. Being tropical fish, bettas should be kept at 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (26 to 28 degrees Celsius). The bigger the volume of water, the easier it is for your heater to keep a constant temperature. Make sure your aquarium has a thermometer and not those unreliable stick-on ones!
Species Overview
LENGTH: 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Long, elaborate fins and overlapping scales; come in vibrant colors like red, green, purple, and blue
Neon Tetras
They may seem small, but a school of these brightly colored fish can look great in an aquarium. Bright streaks of blue and red make these fish a colorful addition to a community freshwater aquarium. Neon tetras tend to be very easy going and their small size makes a minimal impact on water quality.
Neon Tetras can grow to one and a half inches long. They like to school together, so start with at least three to five individuals. They are the ideal occupants for a mellow, Zen-inspired planted aquarium.
Neon tetras are easily bred in captivity, so be on the lookout for signs of inbreeding, including missing an operculum (gill cover), asymmetrical mouths, or misshapen fins. Heavily planted aquariums are needed to allow baby fish to hide and survive.
There are pelleted diets available that are small enough for Neon Tetras, but flake foods can be used as well, especially for very small fish.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 1 and 1/2 inches (4 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Red, white, blue, silver, and black, usually with a turquoise blue line stretching between its eyes to its adipose fin, and a red stripe that runs from the middle of its body to the caudal fin
Mollies & Platys (Live bearers)
Many molly and platy owners start with only one or two fish. A few weeks later, they have many fish. Live-bearing fish have this reputation, as the fish you first adopted has a 50 percent chance of being a pregnant female. Since fertilization takes place internally, you never know from the outward appearance how many fish you may be adopting. And after a single mating, a female livebearer can have multiple batches of babies!
Mollies and platys are very easy fish to care for and come in many varieties and colors. They can be kept in schools and grow to about three inches in length. We recommend starting with a common variety that is widely available, such as a black molly or red platy. Some specialty breeds, specific to only one owner or shop, tend to have inbreeding issues and they do not make good beginner fish.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
As their name describes, these cute, tiny fish are distinctive with their zebra-like horizontal black and white stripes along their bodies. Another fish that likes to swim in a school, zebrafish make great beginner fish. Unlike other tropical fish, zebrafish don't require warm water temperatures. Zebrafish like cooler temperature water (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius), but you may still need a small heater to keep your aquarium from getting too cold in the winter.
Zebrafish also come in normal and longfin lengths. This species will top out at two inches long. They even come in special day-glow colors, thanks to a little genetic engineering with fluorescent jellyfish protein. These colors can be very pronounced under a blue LED light. When selecting specialized zebrafish varieties, look for individuals with straight spines and a full operculum covering their gills on both sides.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 2 inches (5 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Silver-gold body with distinctive blue-black horizontal stripes running from gill to tail, also come in albino, golden, veil-tailed, and long-finned varieties, as well as glo-fish colors
#fishes #fish #lowmaintenancefreshwaterfish
Standard Goldfish
There are many varieties of goldfish, but beginners should start with long-body goldfish, including the comet, sarasa, and shubunkin varieties. Fancy goldfish with unusual body shapes are better for more intermediate fish-keepers. Comet goldfish can be white, orange, gold, or black, and although they start very small, can grow up to 14 inches or the size of a large dinner plate. Sarasa and shubunkin goldfish tend to stay smaller and can max out around 8 to 10 inches.
No matter which type of goldfish you choose, keep in mind that you will need 20 gallons of water per fish, just to start! As they get bigger, goldfish will need upgrades to a larger aquarium.
Species Overview
LENGTH: up to 8-14 inches
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Two sets of paired fins and three single fins, no scales on head, exceptionally large eyes, come in red, orange, blueish-grey, brown, yellow, white, and black colors
Betta Fish
Although they have the reputation as one of the easiest fish to keep, your betta will live a longer, happier life with a few upgrades from their sad, little fishbowl.
Bettas thrive in a five-gallon tank minimum, with a filter and heater. Being tropical fish, bettas should be kept at 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (26 to 28 degrees Celsius). The bigger the volume of water, the easier it is for your heater to keep a constant temperature. Make sure your aquarium has a thermometer and not those unreliable stick-on ones!
Species Overview
LENGTH: 3-4 inches (7-10 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Long, elaborate fins and overlapping scales; come in vibrant colors like red, green, purple, and blue
Neon Tetras
They may seem small, but a school of these brightly colored fish can look great in an aquarium. Bright streaks of blue and red make these fish a colorful addition to a community freshwater aquarium. Neon tetras tend to be very easy going and their small size makes a minimal impact on water quality.
Neon Tetras can grow to one and a half inches long. They like to school together, so start with at least three to five individuals. They are the ideal occupants for a mellow, Zen-inspired planted aquarium.
Neon tetras are easily bred in captivity, so be on the lookout for signs of inbreeding, including missing an operculum (gill cover), asymmetrical mouths, or misshapen fins. Heavily planted aquariums are needed to allow baby fish to hide and survive.
There are pelleted diets available that are small enough for Neon Tetras, but flake foods can be used as well, especially for very small fish.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 1 and 1/2 inches (4 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Red, white, blue, silver, and black, usually with a turquoise blue line stretching between its eyes to its adipose fin, and a red stripe that runs from the middle of its body to the caudal fin
Mollies & Platys (Live bearers)
Many molly and platy owners start with only one or two fish. A few weeks later, they have many fish. Live-bearing fish have this reputation, as the fish you first adopted has a 50 percent chance of being a pregnant female. Since fertilization takes place internally, you never know from the outward appearance how many fish you may be adopting. And after a single mating, a female livebearer can have multiple batches of babies!
Mollies and platys are very easy fish to care for and come in many varieties and colors. They can be kept in schools and grow to about three inches in length. We recommend starting with a common variety that is widely available, such as a black molly or red platy. Some specialty breeds, specific to only one owner or shop, tend to have inbreeding issues and they do not make good beginner fish.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
As their name describes, these cute, tiny fish are distinctive with their zebra-like horizontal black and white stripes along their bodies. Another fish that likes to swim in a school, zebrafish make great beginner fish. Unlike other tropical fish, zebrafish don't require warm water temperatures. Zebrafish like cooler temperature water (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius), but you may still need a small heater to keep your aquarium from getting too cold in the winter.
Zebrafish also come in normal and longfin lengths. This species will top out at two inches long. They even come in special day-glow colors, thanks to a little genetic engineering with fluorescent jellyfish protein. These colors can be very pronounced under a blue LED light. When selecting specialized zebrafish varieties, look for individuals with straight spines and a full operculum covering their gills on both sides.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 2 inches (5 centimeters)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Silver-gold body with distinctive blue-black horizontal stripes running from gill to tail, also come in albino, golden, veil-tailed, and long-finned varieties, as well as glo-fish colors
#fishes #fish #lowmaintenancefreshwaterfish
