Are you new to the world of pet fish keeping? With so many different varieties to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming. Here are a few types of freshwater fish that make excellent pets for the beginner as well as the advanced aquarist (fish keeper).
Betas
Pet
Betas are the beautiful fish you see displayed in small bowls at your local pet store. They have long flowing fins of red, purple or blue and are extremely easy to care for. The only drawback of Betta fish is that they must be kept alone -- the males will fight each other to the death, and females are rarely available in pet shops. They don't do very well with other pet fish species either, because other fish like to nibble on their long fins.
Goldfish
Goldfish are a relatively easy pet fish to care for if you provide them with the right size tank. They won't survive long in a goldfish bowl or small aquarium of less than 10 gallons because they produce a lot of waste. And waste cuts down on the available oxygen in the water. A good rule of thumb is to keep no more than 1 or 2 goldfish for each 10 gallons of well--filtered aquarium water.
Zebra Danios
Zebra Danios are extremely hardy pet fish that will do well in any size aquarium. They're tropical fish -- so you'll need to place a heater in their tank to maintain a water temperature of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Don't just buy one Zebra Danio -- they're more fun to watch in schools of 5 or more. You'll find them in most pet stores and they're compatible with just about any variety of peaceful, tropical fish.
Platys and Swordtails
Platys and Swordtails are lumped into the same category because they're similar in appearance and pretty much identical in their requirements.
These tropical pet fish can be found in most pet stores in striking shades of orange and red. They are easy to care for when placed in a 72 degree Fahrenheit aquarium of at least 10 gallons. And they get along just fine with any other variety of peaceful tropical fish.
Platys and Swordtails mate and reproduce quite often in the home aquarium. They are livebearers -- which means their babies (fry) start swimming as soon as they're born.
Corydoras
Corydoras are another easy to care for and hardy variety of pet fish. They're a very active type of catfish and spend most of their time swimming along the bottom of the tank eating up any leftover food.
They are tropical fish, so they'll do best in a heated aquarium of at least 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You can put them in aquariums with just about any other variety of tropical fish and they seem to enjoy being kept in schools of 3 or more.
Which Pet Fish Are Best For Beginners?
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