Choosing beautiful fish for your aquarium can be an exciting but daunting task for any aquarist. With thousands of freshwater and saltwater fish species to choose from, how do you narrow down your options to find the most stunning fish that will complement your tank setup and water parameters? Here we’ll explore some of the most popular and eye-catching fish that make great additions to both beginner and experienced aquariums.
Popular Freshwater Fish
If you’re setting up a freshwater tank, there are lots of colorful freshwater fish that stand out for their ornate fins, bright colors, and graceful movements. Here are some top picks for freshwater aquarium fish with striking visual appeal:
- Guppies – These small, peaceful fish come in a variety of vibrant colors like red, yellow, blue, and purple. Males have large decorative tails. They’re very hardy and breed easily.
- Mollies – Available in solid, metallic and dalmatian color patterns, mollies have large dorsal fins and a robust body shape. They come in sailfin and balloon morphs with oversized fins.
- Platies – Similar to mollies, platies come in many bright colors like red, yellow, blue, and orange. Their compressed bodies and prominent dorsal fins give them a graceful, gliding look.
- Bettas – Known for their flamboyant fins and brilliant colors, bettas are a popular choice. Males in particular have long, flowing fins in vivid hues of red, blue, green and purple.
- Discus – These striking, flat-bodied cichlids come in vivid red, blue, and brown shades. Their graceful, circular shape makes them living works of art.
- Angelfish – Another disk-shaped fish, angelfish have bold black and white striping on long, flowing fins. A singled tall dorsal fin adds to their visual appeal.
- Rainbowfish – As their name suggests, these slim fish display all the colors of the rainbow. Blue, red, green, and yellow horizontal stripes are common.
Captivating Saltwater Species
Saltwater tanks offer the chance to keep even more dazzling tropical fish species. Here are some saltwater fish known for their ornate beauty:
- Clownfish – Made popular by Finding Nemo, clownfish have vivid orange and white stripes. They can also come in rarer colors like black or pink.
- Yellow tang – Bright yellow in color, the yellow tang has a semi-circular body shape and bold black trim on its fins. A vibrant blue line borders the eyes.
- Blue tang – As the name suggests, the royal blue tang has a stunning blue color that really pops in a saltwater tank. It has characteristic black markings on the fins.
- Banggai cardinalfish – This elegant fish has flowing dorsal fins and an elongated shape. Dramatic black and white banding contrasts with iridescent blue dots.
- Flame angelfish – No saltwater fish has more visual impact than the flame angelfish. Fiery red and orange markings contrast sharply with inky black.
- Moorish idol – From their bold black and white striping to their sweeping dorsal fin trailing filaments, moorish idols are a picturesque saltwater fish.
- Clown triggerfish – Whimsical bands of orange, white and black adorn the oval body of the clown triggerfish. Along with oversized dorsal and anal fins, they have lots of personality.
Most Popular Aquarium Fish
While stunning colors and fins are what first draw us to certain fish, water parameters, behavior, tank size and care requirements should also factor into selecting fish. Here are 10 of the overall most popular fish for home aquariums:
| Fish | Care Level | Environment |
|---|---|---|
| Guppies | Easy | Freshwater |
| Tetras | Easy | Freshwater |
| Mollies | Easy | Freshwater |
| Platies | Easy | Freshwater |
| Bettas | Intermediate | Freshwater |
| Goldfish | Intermediate | Freshwater |
| Clownfish | Intermediate | Saltwater |
| Angelfish | Intermediate | Freshwater |
| Rainbowfish | Intermediate | Freshwater |
| Yellow tang | Advanced | Saltwater |
Most Low Maintenance Fish
For beginner aquarists or busy fishkeepers, choosing fish that are hardy and don’t require elaborate care is key. Here are 10 low maintenance fish that even aquarium newbies can keep successfully:
| Fish | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Platies | – Peaceful |
| – Tolerant of wide range of water conditions | |
| – Omnivorous; not picky eaters | |
| Mollies | – Tolerant of water conditions |
| – Don’t require lots of swimming space | |
| – Peaceful | |
| Bettas | – Can be kept in small tanks/bowls |
| – Don’t require water heating | |
| – Carnivores but will eat flakes and pellets | |
| Guppies | – Extremely hardy |
| – Prolific breeders | |
| – Omnivorous; not fussy eaters | |
| Tetras | – Peaceful schooling fish |
| – Tolerate a range of conditions | |
| – Eat most prepared foods |
Fish for Small Aquariums
Limited on space? You can still keep visually striking fish with these species that thrive in 10 gallon tanks or smaller:
- Bettas – With proper filtration and heating, bettas do well in bowls, cylinders and tanks under 5 gallons.
- Guppies – Hardy and active, guppies only need at least 2.5 gallons provided other basic needs are met.
- Endler’s livebearers – Reaching just over 1 inch, these small colorful fish are well-suited to tanks under 10 gallons.
- White cloud mountain minnows – These cold-water natives don’t require a heater in tanks around 5 gallons.
- Scarlet badis – Less than an inch long, badis make a bold splash of color in nano tanks under 7 gallons.
- Pygmy corydoras – Reaching just over an inch, a small school of pygmies can liven up a 5 gallon planted tank.
- Ember tetras – A school of these tiny, brightly colored tetras can happily live in a heavily planted 10 gallon aquarium.
Planted Aquarium Fish
Live aquarium plants help recreate fish’s natural environments. Here are some top fish for planted freshwater tanks:
- Tetras – Neons, embers, and cardinals are small schooling fish that complement planted settings.
- Rasboras – Active nano fish like harlequin and lambchop rasboras add movement without disturbing plants.
- Guppies – Their vibrant colors pop against lush green plants.
- Platies – Peaceful fish that won’t uproot plants.
- Gouramis – Dwarf gouramis in particular display vibrant colors as they rest gracefully on plant leaves.
- Corydoras – Catfish that keep bottom substrate clean and aerated without damaging plant roots.
- Hatchetfish – These surface dwellers add activity at the top level of planted tanks.
Conclusion
With so many options, it can be hard to narrow down fish that will thrive in your particular tank setup. Focus first on species suited to your tank size, water parameters, and skill level. Once you’ve found some compatible options, you can zero in on fish with the visual appeal you find most captivating. Vibrant colors, flowing fins, and graceful movements all contribute to stunning aquarium fish that will bring joy as they glide through your underwater garden.
