Hardy Freshwater Fish for Beginners

Keeping fish is a relaxing hobby even for the absolute beginner. With the sheer magnitude of fish choices available online and at the store, the beginners may have a hard time making choices. How big of a tank should I get? How many fish should I get? Which fish should I get?

If you are a beginner in fish hobby, one fish attributes that should to consider when evaluating fish as the good candidate to start out, is how hardy fish that you choose. The "hardy fish" means how some freshwater fish adapt better than other fish to variances in their environment. Here is a brief list of some other hardy fish for the beginner:

Guppy fish (Poecilia reticulate) is a species that has been domesticated for many decades by fish keepers and Guppies are a very hardy fish therefore well adapted to a life in aquariums and gives birth to live young every month. They are also quite inexpensive, have very sociable temperaments and are pretty. They are a somewhat schooling fish, and you will need to get a group of at least 4-6 guppies for them to do well. Don’t buy the most elaborate types of guppy since these are more sensitive than the more basic types.



Green Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii) are very handsome and are easy to recognize. The mail fish has a 'sword'; a long point at the very end of the tail fin. You can get Swordtails in a variety of colors, like vibrant orange and deep red. Swordtails can be slightly aggressive, and the males tend to fight each other for dominance. For this reason, you should purchase only one male and 2-3 females if you have a small aquarium. These fish breed every 28 days at 74°F. As with the Guppy, dense vegetation provides cover for developing fry. Another benefit of keeping this Green Swordtails is its tendency to consume algae.

Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) belong to the specific name are distant cousins of the Swordtails, but are not aggressive. They also come in a large variety of colors. As with most livebearers, many color varieties have been commercially bred for the home aquarium. Platy fish should always be kept in schools.



Molly can be jet black, marbled or pure white. Mollies are quite peaceful by nature and are therefore great aquarium fish for beginners. Some of the males can get aggressive towards each other. This species is another livebearer that is gentle and is basically a vegetable eater. Like the Swordtail, the Molly will consume aquarium algae, keeping it in check. This species is lively and prefers schooling in small groups of four to six members. Only keep Mollies if you keep an aquarium white a pH of above 7 and preferable some salt in the water.

The Barb fish are also favorites among beginners. Barbs get their name from the short threadlike barbels that act as sensory organs on either side of their mouths and sometimes on their lips. Their vigor and agility in the midwater of the tank are important to the vitality of your aquarium. Many barbs, however, can harm smaller fish with ornate, veil-like fins. The Rosy Barb (Puntius conchonius) is a very peaceful species that adapts well to other community fish. The Tiger Barb (Puntius tetrazona) has a bi wilder disposition if introduced singly or as a pair, but if kept in schools of 8 or more, they leave the other fish alone. This species prefers warmer water in the range of 68 to 79 ° F. They are fast swimming schooling fish that brings life to the aquarium. Barbs are very easy to feed.

The Danios is another fast swimming group of fish. They are very easy to keep, breed and feed and are therefore ideal for beginners. As the very active schooling fish, Danios should be kept in groups of at least 7 or 8. The White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes) is a very undemanding, active fish that should be kept in a group of 8 or more. These peaceful fish prefer cooler water and should only be kept in temperatures less than 72 degrees F.

There are of course numerous other "hardy fish" that would be equally great for the same and other beginners' requirements so do not stop with this simple list often. A good fish stores will look at his customers' wants and needs, and be ready to offer some solid suggestions on how to fill them.