When it comes to touching on the subject, about what are the best species de peces to have at homeIt is important that we take into account, first of all, if we have experience in the aquarium topic, or if we are simply beginners, since the species that are going to be better or easier to maintain will depend a lot on these two factors.
As a first step, the best fish to keep when you're new to aquariums are those that are easy to maintain, meaning those that are easy to care for and feed, and that don't require a habitat with complicated water conditions, such as a specific temperature or strict pH, to survive. Believe it or not, many species fit this description, such as rasboras and danios , most barbs, and white cold mountain minnows. In addition, if you have a sufficiently large tank, you can even keep rainbowfish.
If on the contrary, you are already a aquarium expert, you can decide on those tough and adaptable fish such as the loaches, which take advantage of the food left at the bottom. This type de peces, they will require certain maintenance and care to survive, so they will require that you have experience to keep them in perfect condition.
It's important to keep in mind that you should buy several fish of the same species so they can live together peacefully. However, if you have a lot of experience, you can choose to get fish of different species as long as you follow the guidelines for coexistence that each one requires, such as not keeping fish that can be aggressive or that might feed on other animals.
Quick beginner's guide: very resistant species
If you're looking for easy-to-care-for and compatible fish , these are safe options with their parameter ranges and coexistence guidelines:
- Guppy (Poecilia reticulata): Ideal for starters; group; aquarium ≥54 L; 24-27 °C; pH 6-7,5. Very peacefulThey live with peaceful corydoras, platies, and tetras. High reproduction; control the sexes if you don't want offspring.
- Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi): shoal of ≥10; ≥60L; 20-26°C; pH 5-6,8. Bright and active; they combine well with South American dwarfs such as discreet ramirezi.
- Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus): mixed group; ≥54L; 22-28°C; pH 7-8. Very sociable; they accept algae and dry fish; they are shy around large or very lively fish.
- Corydoras (paleatus and related species): background; cluster; ≥60L; 22-28°C; pH 7-8. Great cleaners of the substrate; essential for community aquariums.
- Zebra danio (Danio rerio): shoal ≥8; ~100L; 20-26°C; pH 6-7,8. Robust, tireless swimmers; Cover the aquarium because they are jumpers.
- Chinese neon (White Cloud Mountain minnow): perfect for warm/cold water; shoal; easy, peaceful, and colorful.
- Rainbow fish (Melanotaenia spp.): for large aquariums; color and dynamism if you have a swimming lap.
For experienced aquarists: beauty with demands
- Discus fish: group 6-8; ≥250L; 26-30°C; pH 5-7,8. Very stable water, rigorous sanitation; fine sand recommended.
- Angelfish (scalar): shoal; ≥250 L and height ≥50 cm; 24-30°C; pH 6-7,5. Easy to feed, they can prey on very small fish.
- Ramirezi: in pairs; ≥50 L; 24-28 °C; pH 5-7. Delicate with water; Avoid restless companions.
- Black Molly: ≥60-100L; 24-28°C; pH 7,2-8,2. Prefers a plant-based diet; sensitive to sudden changes.
- Loaches: in the background; they require shelters and gentle current; excellent consumers of leftovers.
Fish for small aquariums: choice and compatibility
In volumes <40 L avoid overpopulation and only mix species with similar parameters and temperaments.
Cold/warm water
- Oranda, telescope and fantail: goldfish high bioburden; best in larger aquariums and oversized filtration.
- Chinese neon: bright, peaceful and very suitable for well-maintained nanoaquariums.
Tropical
- Guppy, platy and molly (dwarfs): easy viviparous; controls breeding and male/female ratio.
- Neon Tetra: in groups; dim light enhances their iridescent band.
- Betta: single male; 24-30°C; avoid long-finned or aggressive mates.
- Dwarf Corydoras: in the background, in a group; they complete the tank balance.
- Zebrafish: active; do not mix with species that require a lot of calm.
- Ramirezi: possible in mature and very stable nanos, better for expert hands.
Other common options and considerations
- Freshwater pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis): 24-28°C; pH 7,5-8,5; ~150 L. Territorial; better in specific projects.
- Rasbora galaxy (Danio margaritatus): 22-28°C; tiny 1-1,5 cm; shoal numerous in nanos.
- Paradise fish: 10-22 °C; cold tolerant but somewhat aggressive; selects partners carefully.
- Koi carp: ideal for ponds; in aquariums only with large volumes and powerful filtration.
- Catfish (silurids): huge variety; sensitive barbels; large fund allies.
How to combine species and avoid conflicts
- Same demands of temperature, pH and hardness.
- Mix inhabitants by swimming areas (top, middle and bottom) to take advantage of space.
- Respect the social behavior: numerous schools, territorial pairs or solitary.
- Size the minimum liter capacity and filtration to the most demanding species.
Featured families for tropical aquariums
- Poeciliidae: guppies, platys, mollies, xiphos.
- Characidae: tetras and neons.
- Osphronemidae: bettas and gouramis.
- Cichlidae: discs, angels and ramirezi.
- Siluridae/Callichthyidae: catfish and corydoras.
- Cyprinidae: danios, barbs and rasboras.
- Cyprinodontidae: killifish.
Planning according to your experience, the size of the aquarium and compatibility will allow you to enjoy a harmonious, colorful and healthy aquatic world for many years.
