1. Betta Fish
The Betta is one of the most popular freshwater tropical fish and is very easy to care for because they do not require a lot of tank maintenance or a huge aquarium. If you are a busy fish keeper, then a betta fish tank is an excellent choice for you. There are multiple bettas to choose from: the Halfmoon Betta, Crowntail Betta, Plakat Betta, and many more. You could also do a sorority of female bettas. All Betta fish come in brightly colored shades and different markings with beautiful fins, making them a favorite of both beginning and advanced hobbyists.
Aquarium: You need at least a 5-gallon aquarium for a single male or female betta fish.
Decorating: The fun part is decorating your new fish tank! We do recommend adding some live plants to your Betta fish tank. Not only do live plants make your Betta happy, but they also help improve water quality and add a unique and natural look to your aquarium.
Water conditioners: It is crucial that your new aquarium is cycled and the water is dechlorinated before adding any fish. You will also need to add tap water conditioner every time you add new water to your aquarium. API Tap Water Conditioner instantly removes chlorine and detoxifies heavy metals in tap water. Microbe-Lift Special Blend helps cycle your aquarium by adding all of the beneficial bacteria your fish need to survive.
Filtration: We recommend having a filter to help keep your water clean and keep your betta fish happy and healthy. Bettas do not like much flow in their tank, so we recommend sponge filters. They are also a cheap and simple filtration solution.
Heater: Bettas are tropical fish and need warm water between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Food: Betta fish will eat flakes or pelleted food 1-2 times daily. Bettas are carnivores, so foods such as NorthFin Betta Bits, Freeze-Dried Blood Worms, and Betta Bio-Gold are an excellent choice.
Tank Mates: It is also important that you don't keep male bettas in the same fish tank. It is challenging, but you can keep male and female bettas together. You should have more females than males and keep them in a large aquarium for better success as long as your aquarium is large enough to house other tank mates.
2. Zebra Danios
Zebra danios are a favorite of freshwater fish hobbyists because they require simple care and are highly active. They can easily adjust to most environments because they can withstand a wide range of water temperatures and conditions. This makes them an excellent fit for just about any aquarist. Zebra Danios have a zebra-patterned body and are available in different varieties like albino, golden, veil-tailed, and long-finned. Fun fact unlike most fish species, they are loyal to their breeding partner and mate for life.
Aquarium: Anything larger than 10 gallons is a good choice for Zebra Danios. Of course, bigger is always better, especially if you want a large school.
Decorating: Have fun with it! Darker gravel and bright color decor can make the patterns on this freshwater fish pop!
Water conditioners: Just like we said before, It is crucial that your new aquarium is cycled and the water is dechlorinated before adding any fish.
Filtration: Aqua Clear hang on the back filters are an excellent choice for your danio tank. Just make sure that whatever filter you get is rated for the size tank you have.
Heater: Considered a cold water fish, They will generally do fine without a water heater as they are comfortable at temperatures down to the low 64 to 75 F range. If you are housing with other species, you must also meet the other species' water temperature needs.
Food: Zebra Danios are omnivores, so foods such as Xtreme Community PeeWee and Freeze-Dried Blood Worms are an excellent choice.
Tank Mates: Peaceful by nature, Zebra Danios will do great with most community fish. They are sometimes used as dither fish to promote more social behaviors out of other fish.
White Cloud Minnows are excellent beginner fish. They are small and colorful fish that are undemanding and can tolerate a wide range of temperature and water quality fluctuations. Their ease of care and peaceful personality is why they are so important to the fish keeping hobby.
Aquarium: The white cloud minnow will do well in a minimum of 10 gallons, but the larger the aquarium, the larger your school can be.
Decorating: Add some color to your tanks with bright-colored gravel and decor, or go for a more natural look with stone and plants. Plants have so many different befits while also adding a different look.
Water conditioners: Your tank should be cycled, and the water needs to be dechlorinated before adding any fish.
Filtration: Aqua Clear hang on the back filters are a great choice for your tank, or you can use a sponge filter for a cheap and easy solution. Just make sure that whatever filter you get is rated for the size tank you have.
Heater: White Cloud Minnows do not require a heater. They are comfortable at temperatures down to the low 64 to 72 F range. If you are housing with other species, you must also meet the other species' water temperature needs.
Food: They are not picky eaters and will eat flake, frozen or dry foods such as Northfin Community or Xtreme Krill Flake.
Tank Mates: The larger their school is, the less timid the fish will be, so it is best to keep white clouds in a large school. They are the perfect community fish and go with other small peaceful fish.
4. Oscars
A very popular tropical freshwater fish is the oscar. They come in many beautiful colors, have very playful behavior, and are hardy. Oscars are very intelligent and are known to interact with their owners. When they are kept in the right size tank, they are easy to care for, making them a good choice for the busy fish keeper.
Aquarium: The key to keeping Oscars is their tank size. For housing one oscar, a 55 gallon is the minimum but the larger the tank, the better. Because of their large size, it is important to have more than enough tank for your oscar to grow into.
Decorating: Because of their large size, it is easier to keep the decorations minimal to give them room to move around. Driftwood or stone as a centerpiece will make your tank look great.
Water conditioners: We are going to say this about every fish. Your tank should be cycled, and the water needs to be dechlorinated before adding any fish.
Filtration: They consume a lot of food and produce lots of waste, so a good filter is essential. Aqua Clear hang on the back filters are a great choice for your oscar tank. Just make sure that whatever filter you get is rated for the size tank you have.
Heater: You will need a heater for your Oscar. They should have temperatures around 75 and 80 degrees.
Food: Oscars are omnivores. They are not picky eaters and will eat flake, frozen, live, or dry foods. We recommend feeding foods with krill to enhance their color.
Tank Mates: It is important to choose tank mates carefully because Oscars are known to be aggressive. Other similar sizes cichlids such as convicts or severums are a good choice. Keep in mind the size of your tank when you start to add other fish to your aquarium.
The Electric Blue Acara is perfect if you are looking for a beautiful and easy fish. They are beginning to be more and more popular in aquarium hobby because of their stunning color mixed with their versatility and ease of care. One of the things we love about the electric blue acara is that even the small ones have the same beautiful color as the adults.
Aquarium: Electric Blue Acaras only get around 5-7", so they do not need a very large aquarium. We do recommend at least 40 gallons. As you start to add more acaras or other tank mates, keep in mind the size of your tank.
Decorating: You can have fun when setting up your acara tank. Their bright color already adds a pop of color into your tank, so you can start with a minimal look or add bright colors for more.
Water conditioners: Don't forget that you need to cycle your tank before adding any fish, and the water needs to be dechlorinated after adding new water.
Filtration: We recommend an aquaclear hang on the back filter for your acara tank.
Heater: You will need a heater in your tank for the acaras. They should have temperatures around 73 - 86 degrees.
Food: Electric Blue Acara are omnivores and will eat flakes, pellets, or frozen foods. At the shop we feed them Xtreme Cichlid PeeWee and Hikari Vibra Bites.
Tank Mates: Most cichlids are aggressive, but the Electric Blue Acara is much more well-behaved. The best way to describe an acara is mellow. They do well with a wide variety of tank mates such as geophagous, and some people put them with discus. The list of different fish you can keep with the electric blue acara is quite long because of how peaceful they are.
We hope this list helps give you some ideas for your aquarium, whether you are a busy fish keeper, new to the hobby, or just looking for some new inspiration. All of the Fish listed above we feel require the most basic care while still being beautiful to look at.
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