10 Things To Consider When Choosing Freshwater Aquarium Fish

If you're getting your freshwater aquarium set up, then you must be thinking about what kind of fish should go in there. There's more to it that just getting pretty ones that match, and here, we will go through things that you should do as you select your freshwater aquarium fish so that you end up with an aquarium that's wholesome, fun and easy to maintain.

1. Determine the number of fish you want to keep. The temptation of course is to keep as many pretty ones as you can get in there, but you may squeeze them too much. An aquarium with too many fish means much more waste, which is not good for the fish and will force you to clean more often. When there are too many fish, there may also be a scramble for food so that there are some that are not fed enough. The rule of thumb is about 2 inches of fish for every gallon of water.

2. You need to choose your fish from a reputable dealer. This way, you are sure that you're getting healthy stock. It's not uncommon to set up an aquarium and a few days later the fish are dead - they were likely not healthy when they were bought. Look at the fish in the shop to start with; are the aquariums clean and do the fish look healthy? If you are impressed with the way the store is kept, you are more likely to get good, healthy fish. If the aquariums are dirty and the fish in them look dull, look for another supplier.

3. Learn as much as you can about freshwater aquarium fish that you may be considering. Do they have particular preferences? Do they prey on other fish? Do they require special kinds of substrate? What temperature do they best thrive in? You also need to know if they have special dietary requirements. Sometimes, this information may help you decide whether you can cope with your selection - some fish breeds are rather high maintenance. A tip here is to get school fish. There will be minimal compatibility issues and it's easier to tell when something is wrong in the fish tank because they will all behave oddly. There are some that come recommended: pearl and zebra danios are beautiful; neons and cardinal tetras too.

4. Try not to get one of everything that you like; they may all be school fish, but they still have different environments under which they thrive best. It's hard to simulate all these environments in a fish tank. 2 or 3 types are ok.

5. There will be algae, and it's always best, together with regular maintenance, to get a species of fish that feeds on it so you can control it naturally. A brittle nose, a clown plecostomus or otocinclus catfish are perfect fresh water aquarium fish for this.

6. Killifish, if you can get them, are an excellent way to start your aquarium. They are not so high maintenance, and by the time you get to add other fish species, you will have got the hang of it.

7. Think about compatibility. Most people will think about freshwater aquarium fish that prey on others here, but there are also some that grow so big in a short time that they start to squeeze out the others. Cichilds, for instance grow quite big. Angle fish can easily squeeze out smaller fish if they are in a fish tank smaller than 10 gallons. Some fish types are also rather messy, and the mess they leave behind may poison more sensitive breeds.

8. DON'T keep a piranha, unless all by themselves. They will eat your other fish. If you go for them, make sure to be ready for the expense that they bring. They need a lot more cleaning after, and they need to be fed much more to keep them from eating each other.

9. There are miniature sharks, like the Bala, that you can keep, but they still will grow rather big and you will need a bigger-than-standard fish tank.

10. Stay away from catfish. They will eat other fish in the fish tank and they never stop growing.

You are now armed with lots of information on choosing freshwater aquarium fish and choosing fish for your aquarium so follow this guidance and remember even one wrong fish in your fish tank can affect all the rest, so it's important to follow these tips.

8 Top Aquarium Fish Species for Starters

Here are in my opinion top 8 aquarium fish species that are recommended for starters. They won't cause you a lot of trouble if you provide them with a basic level of care and love.

Zebra Danio (Danio rerio)

Size: 1-1.3 inch (5cm)

Active in the middle and top area of the aquarium, likes to school. He can be kept in water with temperature between 64 - 73 F (18 - 25 C), your ph should be neutral (7)

Harlequin Rasbora(Rasbora Hetoromorpha)

Size: up to 1 inch (4.5 cm)

Need to be kept in group ( preferably 10 or more), temperature 24-30 C, range of ph 5,5-7. The tank need to be well planted. Very active fish.

White cloud mountain minnow (Tanichthys albonubes)

Size: about 3-4cm (1inch)

You don't need a heater to keep this fish, it can survive in water temperature of few degrees Celsius above zero. Recommended is 17-22 C ( 62-71 F).

Sumatra Barb (Puntius anchisporus)

Size: 1.5 inch ( 6cm)

Very active fish, require a large space to swim but the tank should also be well planted
Likes to school, shouldn't be together with fish that have long fins.
Requires: Temperature 23-26 C (73-79 F), ph 6-7.

Albino paleatus catfish (Corydoras paleatus)

Size: 1.8 inch max (7cm)

One of many members of corydoras family. Likes to search the surface of your aquarium for food so you shouldnt have sharp gravel. My advice is to have a group of 6 or more of these.
Temperature 18-24 (64-75 F) ph - 7

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

Size: male 1inch (4cm) female 1.5 inch (6cm)

Popular fish for beginners, can take a lot and reproduces easily
Preferred temperature is 22-27 degrees (71-80 F) ph-7.
There are many colour variants of this fish, generally males are characterised by colorful fin, females are olive-gray.

Rainbowfish family

Size: up to 3 inches (12cm)

Group of fish that are a little bigger than the ones presented above, but they are peaceful fellas. Optimal temperature varies between particular species but generally it is a range of 22- 27 C (71-80 F), ph 6.5-8.

Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)

Size: 0.25-1 inch (1-4cm)

This fish presents great in big shoal, minimum size of the group should be 10. In smaller ones neons become very shy. Water temp 22-25 (71-76 F),ph in range of 5-7.

Stay tune more on other aquarium fish species very very soon.

Albino Corydora Catfish

Belonging to the Catfish family, Albino Corydoras grow to about 2- inches in length, the female being a bit larger than the male. They are white to pink in color with pink eyes that appear to be looking directly at you. Surrounding their mouths are barbels with which they hunt for food. It is vital to have nothing in the aquarium with jagged edges as the barbels are quite delicate and even rough gravel can damage them. Check everything for roughness before putting it in the aquarium. These fish are non-aggressive in nature, yet are able to hold their own against a more aggressive fish due to their spined fins. Because they are schooling fish, Corydoras are happiest in a group of five or more of their own species. They are playful and love to chase each other, taking occasional breaks to swim to the surface for a gulp of air, sometimes making a good splash before swimming back to the bottom.

The Albino Corydoras are a fish that can thrive in the smaller aquarium. It is acceptable to house a group of 6 -- 8 in a 10- gallon tank. They are hardy enough to withstand most water conditions, with the exception of salted water. Keep the temperature ot the water between 72 -- 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Have for them plenty of plant life as they will rest under the plants to take refuge of the lights from time to time. These fish will eat flaked foods, but being bottom feeders they will wait until the flakes have made the journey to the floor of the aquarium. If you have other species in the aquarium who feed from the surface, consider giving sinking pellets to the Corydoras. They will welcome treats such as live worms and frozen brine shrimp too.

Breeding is no problem for the Albino Corydoras. After spawning, the mother carries the eggs with her ventral fins to deposit them onto plant life and aquarium decorations. If you wish to raise the fry, carefully remove a plant that she placed the eggs onto and put it into a separate tank. But you will have to act soon, as the adult fish will waste no time devouring the eggs. In the end, the mother will have scattered up to 200 eggs. After about one week the fry will hatch. Be sure to lower the setting of the air filter afore-hand because a powerful stream will injure the tiny fry. Feed microworms to them for the first week, after which you may slowly introduce them to flakes and pellets. When they reach about 3/4- inches in length they will be safe in the community tank. It's quite amusing to see the adult Albino Corydoras and the babies together, as the babies look like exact replicas of their parents, barbels and all. And with a little tender loving care, you can expect these babies to live approximately five years.