The degrees of difficulty when it comes to caring for aquarium fish species spans from extremely straightforward and simple to very complicated and meticulous. For example, there are some fish that are almost maintenance-free such as bettas, while there are some species, like fresh water stingrays, that cannot tolerate discrepancies and fluctuations with the water parameters.
Today, we will tackle the 4 easiest fish to keep. However, before we go through the different species of fish, we must first consider what makes a fish easy to keep. Here, we listed down 4 different characteristics we should consider before deciding if they are, indeed, easy to keep.
- Hardiness
- Temperament
- Diet
- Size
A hardy fish would be easier to keep than others because they are able to tolerate different water parameters. They can cope well with fluctuations on the water quality and chemistry. For example, strictly brackish water fish are out of the equation since the keeper should always consider the amount of salinity in the tank for the to thrive.
However, this is not the only thing we should consider in coming up with the easiest fishes to keep. A fish may be very hardy, but some require special attention when it comes to other aspects of the hobby. For example, Gars are extremely hardy but they need large aquariums and a carnivorous diet to thrive. Maintaining a 300-gallon aquarium is not as easy as maintaining your usual 25-gallon tank.
We should also consider the temperament or their aggression towards other fish. Simply put, a fish constantly terrorizing its tank mates does not make things easier for any fish keeper. Thus, we should keep in mind that, for a fish to be easily kept, it must play well with others and are peaceful towards other fish.
Diet is also a big consideration when it comes to ease of care. There are fish that are strictly herbivores, carnivores or even insectivores. Such special considerations will not make life easier for any fish keeper because sourcing and storing those kinds of meals for their fish tends to be more tedious than feeding them with commercially available fish pellets or flakes.
Lastly, the maximum size of an adult fish must always be considered. It must be small enough to be able to fit comfortably in most commercially available aquariums. A big fish will obviously need a big tank, which would not make things easier for any fish keeper.
So now that we have an idea on which characteristics we are looking for, we can sift through hundreds and thousands of different fish species until we are able to narrow down our search to the 4 easiest fish to keep:
ZEBRA DANIO/ ZEBRA FISH (Danio rerio)
The Zebra Danio or Zebra Fish, is a very hardy fish from Central Asia that can thrive very well in various environments. According to Fish Keeping Advice, due to years and years of being bred in captivity, the Zebra Danio can now adapt to almost every fresh water aquarium set-up. Furthermore, what sets this fish apart, is how well they can thrive in a wide variety of temperatures. They are one of the very few species of fish that can easily adjust between temperate to tropical waters.
They are very social and would generally prefer to school in groups of 5 or more. They are never known to bother other tank mates even when breeding.
These fish are also never fussy when it comes to feeding. They would eat anything that they can fit in their little mouths.
Lastly, they are extremely small, only growing to a maximum of 2”, which means a small group of danios could even fit the smallest commercially sold aquariums.
Over the years, the Zebra Danio have solidified their reputation as one of the easiest fishes to take care of. Thanks to their small size, no fuss diet, and their ability to easily adapt to various environments, the Zebra Danio makes our list as one of the easiest fishes to take care of.
SWORDTAIL (Xiphophorous hellerii)
Swordtails are definitely one of the easiest species of fish to take care of. According to an article by The Aquarium Guide, Swordtails are extremely hardy because, in the wild, they can tolerate diverse environments.
When it comes to their temperament, they are one of the most social fishes out there. They are never aggressive and like the company of other fish.
Being naturally omnivores, Swordtails also readily accept commercially available fish food such as fish flakes and small fish pellets. They would also accept other food such as insect larvae, bloodworms, and even algae.
Swordtails are also a small species. Their common length is only 1.1” and could potentially grow to a maximum length of around 5 inches. Even if 5” seems to be “too big” for our purpose, we should also take into consideration that the length of their “sword” part of the tail, which is around the same as the length of their bodies are included in that computation. Thus, the actual size of the fish is still small enough to fit most commercially available aquariums.
Like a dash of cayenne pepper, the Swordtail is sure to add a little spice to any aquarium. They are small, hardy, social and are not hard to feed. Caring for swordtails is virtually as straightforward as it gets. Hence, the swordtail is one of the easiest fishes to take care of.
PLATY (Xiphophorus maculatus)
Like their cousin, the Swordtail, Platies are amongst the easiest fishes to take care of. They are just as hardy as Swordtails and, as a bonus, they come in almost every color and pattern imaginable. Some even have Mickey Mouse markings on their tails!
Platies are very good tank mates as well. They tolerate other fish very well and won’t mind sharing the tank with them.
When it comes to their diet, they are generally omnivorous. They would readily eat commercially available fish flakes and pellets. However, when choosing the proper food for them, always keep in mind that they would prefer products with algae content to keep their herbivorous sides happy.
Male Platies usually grow to no more than 1.5” while females reach 2.5” upon adulthood. A good number of these fish will fit comfortably in most aquariums commercially produced.
What sets the Platy apart from other fish which are also easy to take care of is the amount of variety they have. Imagine a fish catering to your wants and needs even in terms of looks and colors. Now that’s making life easy!
DWARF GOURAMI (Trichogaster lalius)
With a bright shade of red sunset orange, and iridescent blue, the Dwarf Gourami is certainly one of the most beautiful species of fish you will ever see. What makes this fish even more appealing is how hardy they are. Being labyrinth fishes, they are able to survive even in oxygen depleted waters, since they are able to breath directly from the surface. This also means that the lack of dissolved oxygen in the water, which usually causes death to most fish, will not bother them at all.
The Dwarf Gourami is often described as a very shy species of fish. Like most species of Gourami, they are very docile towards their tank mates and would not torment them.
They are food guzzlers as well. They would take either algae-based or meat/fish-based processed food in a heartbeat. Their eating habits makes feeding them a breeze.
The Dwarf Gourami only grows up to 2” in length. Being the perennial “dwarves” of their family, makes them suitable tank mates to fish of the same size. They would fit in very well in small aquariums and could live the rest of their lives there comfortably.
Being beautiful, hardy, docile and small, the Dwarf Gourami is one of the most appealing fish to take care of. Both novice and experienced fish keepers will have fun in keeping this no-fuss fish in their tanks.