Popular Freshwater Fish (from the retail perspective)

In dealing with the public day in and day out at the pet store, I've picked up on the pattern of fish new aquarium owners tend to gravitate to.  Some are a wonderful choice, others should be less desirable.  Let's take a look:

1.) Bala Shark - Not a suitable beginner's fish! These guys grow to be 12-14" in length, requiring a 200-gallon tank to hold them as adults.  If kept, it's best that bala sharks be in groups of 4 or more to reduce their skittishness.  They also have a tendency to jump out of the water, so a fully-covered tank is needed.  Sadly, they're considered endangered.  Click here for more information on bala sharks.

2.) Tiger Barbs - Come in albino and green variations as well.  They are a very active tropical fish with a nasty reputation for nipping the fins of their tankmates. This aggressive behavior can be deterred by keeping tiger barbs in shoals of 6 or more and removing tankmates with long or flowing fins.  In other words, this species may not be the best option for the typical community tank.

3.) Mollies -  A wonderful beginner's fish!  They come in a variety of colors and body-types (balloon molly pictured above) and are well-known as a community tank staple.  Mollies are live-bearers, which is fascinating to behold, especially for children.  There needs to be a 2:1 (or more) ratio of females to males in order to maintain the peace.  Also, mollies prefer brackish water.

4.) Guppies - The males are most popular because of their coloring and fins.  They're livebearers and prolific breeders, requiring a 3:1 ratio of females to males in order to maintain peace.  If the added color is all you desire, just stick with a group of males only.  Guppies are a fun, peaceful fish that will do well in community tanks with other small fish.

5.) Plecostomus - Commonly referred to as "suckerfish," "sucker-catfish," "algae-eaters," and "plecos."  The common variety can grow up to 18" long and requires (minimally) a 55-gallon tank.  There are varieties that don't get as large, such as the Bristlenose and Clown Plecostomus which reach lengths of 5" and 8" as adults respectively.  The bigger issue for many aquarium owners is that as plecos grow, they create greater amounts of waste while their interest in eating algae wanes, the main reason they were purchased in the first place by most people!  Their diets must be supplemented with sinking algae wafers.  Other than that, they're a peaceful tank addition that can live happily even with most aggressive species.

6.) Angelfish - These fish are supposed to be relatively easy to keep, but few people that I know have had much success.  If you'd like to tackle the task of keeping angelfish, make sure you do your research.  They are considered a semi-aggressive species that shouldn't be included in the typical community setup.  Angelfish do need soft, acidic water so plan on purchasing water softening products and driftwood.

 

7.) Danios - An excellent option for new fishkeepers!  Commonly refered to as "zebra fish."  These fish come in many varieties, including zebra, leopard, long-finned, blue, gold, and of course, the famous glofish.  They're hardy, energetic, community fish best kept in groups of 6 or more.  Danios will eat just about anything offered to them and can adapt to a wide range of water parameters making them a simple fish to keep.

Photos borrowed courtesy of FishLore.com and its members.      

Comments

[makz]

I have a pair of angel fish like the one of the picture. After 6 years of keeping discus fish, those are a piece of cake.

[dsmfishgal]

Oh absolutely! I concur, I'd never recommend Discus for beginners. The fish listed are those that are commonly requested at the pet store, particularly by new fishkeepers who would do best with hardy, low maintenance species. ;)