Some fish species are commonly considered relatively hardy and manageable for beginner aquarists, offering great, and relatively low-maintenance, options for your aquarium. Some fish require significantly more specialized care, environmental stability, or husbandry knowledge to keep them happy and healthy. Most beginner fish keepers are not going to want certain species because keeping them alive can be really difficult, expensive, and time-consuming, so we have a list of our top 10 ‘easiest fish to care for’ below.
The 10 Easiest Fish to Take Care Of
1. Goldfish
Normal goldfish are often considered hardy fish for aquariums, and they do actually come in a variety of types (we have covered a detailed Goldfish guide here). Some goldfish can get bigger than others, and the tank size is closely related to their welfare and health. As long as you have the appropriate tank size, adequate filtration, and maintain good water quality, you should be just fine. Goldfish are relatively straightforward to care for because you can simply feed them goldfish food.
They are also cold-water fish, which means that you don’t even need a heater for their tank if the ambient room temperature remains stable within their preferred range of about 18–24 °C (64–75 °F). Although this does depend on the specific variety and environmental conditions. They can be messy eaters, and they do produce a fair amount of waste, but as long as you have a decent filter and you change around 20-30% of the water per week, you can maintain stable water quality. Goldfish are resilient and easy to feed, so as long as you keep good environmental management, they will maintain good health and welfare.
2. Bloodfin Tetras
Bloodfin Tetras, which are very small, like to live in groups of at least 6 or more individuals, are silver in color, and are also generally considered easy to take care of. These things are extremely resilient and considered fairly adaptable compared with many other small tropical fish. They are so resilient that they can handle some moderate temperature and PH changes. In fact, the Bloodfin Tetra can live for up to approximately 5–8 years in well-maintained aquariums with proper care and husbandry.
They are very peaceful fish, so you don’t have to worry about any brawls erupting in your tank, especially if it is a community tank. The beauty about these fish is that they will do just fine in water temperatures ranging anywhere from 22–27 °C (72–80 °F). These hardy tropical fish can tolerate slightly cooler water than many tropical species. In most home aquariums, a heater is still recommended to maintain stable temperatures. Besides this, a filter and regular water changes to maintain stable water parameters, and your Bloodfin Tetras will be healthy. They also are not very picky eaters, so that definitely helps, too.
3. White Cloud Minnows
The white cloud minnow is yet another cold-tolerant fish that is very easy to take care of. These fish will do fine in waters as cold as about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but they will also do fine in waters up to around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that temperature control is not usually a big issue, provided temperature changes are gradual and water quality is maintained.
These fish are so resilient that many people put them in outdoor ponds over the summer. They can handle fluctuations in water parameters better than many aquarium fish, and feeding them is a breeze. They will eat most generic fish foods, so feeding is not really an issue either. While it is beneficial to have a good filter, they don’t need the cleanest of waters to survive. A properly cycled aquarium with stable water quality will still help support long-term health and disease prevention. These are hardy fish and can live for up to 5 years with some really simple care.
4. Danios
Danios are some really beautiful fish to have in your aquarium. Ok, so they are warm-water fish, which means that you will need a heater and thermometer to keep them comfortable. You will also need a filter to keep the water clean. However, other than those things, they don’t really need anything in terms of maintenance.
They do just fine with generic floating flake food, they are not aggressive, they live well with other fish, and they can handle some fluctuations in water parameters, too. These fish can survive in a variety of conditions, so if you are not too good about monitoring things like the pH levels in the water, they will still do just fine. Consistent water conditions and a regular day-night lighting cycle will still help support normal behavior and long-term health.
5. Betta Fish
Betta fish are probably some of the easiest fish to take care of in general. Yes, they are fairly aggressive, both toward their own species and toward some other fish species. For this reason, they are usually kept in their own separate tank so you don’t have to worry about fights and dead fish due to brawls. As long as you keep them by themselves, they usually do just fine.
That being said, females can usually be kept in community tanks with other smaller fish if tank size, temperament, and compatibility are appropriate, but males cannot usually be housed with other male bettas and may also show aggression toward certain tank mates. A heater and gentle filtration are generally recommended because bettas are tropical fish that thrive in stable, warm, clean water. If you have them in a small tank or bowl (more on Betta tanks here), you may need to perform more frequent partial water changes, especially in unfiltered setups where ammonia and nitrite can build up quickly. Also, in terms of feeding, you can buy generic Betta fish food, and they will do just fine, although bettas generally benefit from a varied, protein-rich diet formulated for carnivorous fish. (We have covered Betta feeding in detail here).
6. Black Molly
The Black Molly is a pretty peaceful fish. They very rarely attack other fish in the tank, making them ideal for community tanks. Moreover, they can actually adapt to various water conditions and are quite resilient when it comes to water hardness and pH levels. When it comes to temperature, anything from 70 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit will work just fine. This means that you probably will need a heater as well as a filter, but that is about it.
Moreover, the black molly can actually adapt to fresh water, brackish water, and salt water too, although changes in salinity should be gradual and mollies are not equally well adapted to all salinity levels indefinitely without appropriate acclimation and husbandry. Also, in terms of feeding, black mollies are omnivores and generally do best on a varied diet that includes high-quality commercial flakes or pellets along with vegetable matter, algae-based foods, and occasional protein-rich treats such as brine shrimp or bloodworms.
7. Kuhli Loach
The kuhli loach is an eel-like fish that can grow up to 10 centimeters in length, so it will need a decent-sized tank. However, these fish are very peaceful and usually never get into fights. In fact, they are quite skittish and like to hide, so being in a community tank is not an issue. When it comes to feeding, some simple live foods like daphnia or bloodworms will do just fine, plus they are omnivores too.
They actually like to clean up and eat old, uneaten fish food, which is a bonus because you won’t have to clean your substrate nearly as much. However, they should not be relied on as “cleaner fish,” and regular substrate maintenance is still important for maintaining good water quality and preventing waste buildup. In terms of water temperature, they do require it to be between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, so you will need to get them a heater. The pH level needs to be between 6.0 and 6.5, which is a pretty decent spacing. Kuhli loaches generally prefer slightly acidic to neutral water rather than alkaline conditions, and as long as the water is stable and well-maintained, they will generally do just fine.
8. Angelfish
Many people think that angelfish are really hard to take care of, which is actually not the case at all. They can grow up to 6 inches in length, so you will want a fairly large tank, but when it comes to maintenance, there is really not all that much to be done. These fish are omnivores and will eat a wide variety of foods, including commercial diets, plant matter, and protein-rich foods.
This is good because feeding them is a breeze. Moreover, they do fine in a variety of water parameters and water temperatures, or in other words, they are quite hardy and resilient to minor changes in conditions. They can be a little aggressive, so you don’t want to introduce very small fish to an angelfish tank, as they might eat the little guys.
9. Plecos
Plecos are a really cool type of fish to have in your aquarium. They are fairly easy fish to care for, and if you have other fish in the tank, they will still eat leftover food that sinks to the bottom. Even so, plecos still need a balanced diet of their own rather than relying entirely on scraps from other fish. They are bottom feeders, so they do just fine eating leftovers that other fish have not eaten. They will eat mostly anything, even algae, which is a bonus for the cleanliness of your tank. Many pleco species also benefit from algae wafers, sinking foods, vegetables, and driftwood, depending on the species. They do like a fair amount of live plants in their tank to hide in, but a few simple plants will do just fine.
These fish can grow to a decent size, so you will need at least a 20- to 30-gallon tank for smaller pleco species, while common plecos often require tanks of 75 gallons or larger as adults. They can survive in water temperatures anywhere from 65 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t necessarily need a heater. With that being said, they do like their water to be a little on the warm side. Also, plecos are very peaceful fish, so having them in a community tank is not an issue.
10. Swordtails
These fish are really beautiful to have in any tank, which is already a big bonus. They do require a varied omnivorous diet that may include high-quality flakes, pellets, vegetable matter, and occasional protein-rich foods. Moreover, they are very peaceful fish and will do well in a community tank. They won’t attack other fish. Also, swordtails are very hardy and long-lasting. They can live for a good few years with barely any care at all.
A water filter and a light heater will be more than enough. They can survive in a variety of water temperatures and conditions, and they do fine with fluctuations too. Stable, well-maintained water conditions will still help support long-term health and reduce stress. When it comes to easy-to-care-for fish, swordtails are definitely up there.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner fish keeper, you are going to want to go with a fish that is fairly easy to take care of. Any of the above options will do fine for somebody who does not have much experience with keeping fish. Fish that are not picky with food, don’t require too specific water parameters, and are generally resilient are the fish that you want to go with. Even hardy beginner fish still need a properly cycled aquarium, routine maintenance, suitable tank size, and good water quality to stay healthy long term.
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Featured Image Credit: Skumer, Shutterstock
The 10 Easiest Fish to Take Care Of
