There are literally hundreds of types of freshwater aquarium fish one can choose from for their aquarium. Just visit any of the local fish shop and you will be thrilled and amazed by the number of varieties available. Some are rounded while others are elongated, certain fish can be very big, each fish have their unique appearances and the most exciting part is that there are many colors which one can choose from. Compared to their cousins found in the wild, domesticated aquarium fish are very colorful and attractive as a result of selective breeding done by aquarists.
Basically fresh water aquarium fish are grouped into either livebearers or egg-layers. Examples of livebearers include guppy and swordtail while the egg-layers are like neon tetra and goldfish. Let's discuss some of the most common freshwater aquarium fish here and whether they are suitable for either experienced or novice fishkeeper.
Goldfish
Goldfish is perhaps the most popular among freshwater aquarium fish. It is believed to have originated from China and later introduced to the other parts of the world. It is one of the most colorful and beautiful fish ever known. There are also many varieties of goldfish to choose from, ranging from the exotic types like the pearlscale, oranda and ranchu, to the more common ones like common goldfish, fantail, veiltail and black moor. There are even fancy varieties like the celestial with its upturn telescope eyes and pom pom with its fleshy outgrowth that resembles well, a pom pom. Goldfish however, can grow to relatively large size and they are known to produce a lot of waste.
Neon Tetra
Neons are best known as community fish. They are schooling fish which means they will normally form groups and move around. As their name implies, their green color neon scales will actually glow if the tank is properly lit. However, due to their small size, the neon tetra should only be kept with other similar size non-aggressive fish or else they will end up getting harassed or eaten.
Guppies
All beginners to freshwater aquarium fish hobby should consider to start off with rearing guppies. Male guppies are more fancy and colorful while the females are generally dull and unattractive. They are a very hardy fish and will tolerate medium to moderate changes in water condition. If properly kept and taken care off, guppies will breed and could easily cause overcrowding in a tank.
Swordtail
Similar like guppies, swordtail are also relatively easy to care without needing special attention. They are more commonly found in orange to bright red color and one of the distinct characteristic about swordtail is that they have a sword like extension at their tailfin. However, they can sometimes be aggressive and one should not try mixing them with other smaller fish. Try to keep more males to females ratio around 3:1 to avoid competition and aggressive behavior especially during breeding.
Because there are so many types of freshwater aquarium fish, it is not possible to describe all of them here. Depending on your choice and preferences, a person can select the one they like best and it is every interesting to learn and try with the many types and diverse freshwater aquarium fish.
Interested to know learn more about fish-keeping and setting up your very own aquarium? You might want to check out my other blog posts as well.
