List of Common Aquarium Fish

Aquarium-keepers have an abundance of choices when it comes to fish. Once they have decided to keep either a freshwater or saltwater tank, they must choose warm or cool water, and then decide whether they want a community or species-specific tank. Naturally, the most popular fish are also the most widely available in the aquarium trade. These tend to be tropical freshwater fish, which come in many varieties. The popularity of the freshwater tropical fish is eclipsed only by that of the friendly, colorful, cool-water goldfish.

  1. Goldfish

    • Goldfish were one of the first fish kept by humans, and are still one of the most popular for the home aquarium. They are the only freshwater aquarium fish that thrive in cooler water. They are hardy and do well with other goldfish of the same or varying species. Goldfish are available in an array of colors and body types, including comets, black moors, lionheads, orandas, bubble eyes and fantails.

    Livebearers

    • Livebearers generally come from the family Poeciliidae. Guppies, platies, swordtails and mollies are easy-to-keep and easy-to-breed tropical freshwater fish. The livebearers are schooling fish who do best in small groups. These fish thrive in small groups in community tanks with other species.

    Cichlids

    • Cichlids are popular freshwater aquarium fish that come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, ranging from round-bodied angelfish and discus to large species such as Jack Dempseys and oscars. Freshwater cichlids are divided into African and New World cichlids, and then broken down further to reflect the river or lake they inhabit in the wild. Cichlids are loved for their vibrant colors and markings, but they are notoriously aggressive and many can be kept only in tanks with other cichlids from the same region.

    Tropical Cypriniforms

    • Warm-water cypriniforms such as barbs, rasboras, loaches, danios and freshwater sharks are hardy fish and easy breeders that do well in community tanks. This fish tolerates a variety of temperatures and water parameters. While loaches, barbs, rasboras and danios do well in small schools, a shark does best when it is the only one of its kind in a tank.