Most Popular Species of Aquarium Fish

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If you are a parent, you need to brace yourself for the day your kids will come begging for a pet.  No matter how hard you fight, chances are, they will prevail. However, when that day comes, you know quite well how they are not going to stick to their end of the deal where they vowed to take care of their beloved pet.  As a result, that responsibility will fall squarely on your shoulders, adding yet another chore to your already crammed to-do list. But this does not have to be the case. If you play your cards right, you can reach a win-win situation with your kids. Talk them into starting with a fish tank! Of all the different pets, fish are perhaps the lowest-maintenance kind out there. Plus, they add a sense of liveliness to any home. 

With tons of species to choose from, you have some learning to do before you take on the task of warming your kids up to the idea. So, read on to learn more about the most popular species of aquarium fish. 

Goldfish

When talking about aquarium fish, Goldfish will always come first to mind. These beautiful little fish are a staple in any fish tank. Perhaps this goes back to the fact that people believe that they are relatively very easy to care for. However, that is not the case at all since experts believe that Goldfish are actually very needy and require special care that humans do not really fulfill. The history of Goldfish goes back to East Asia when they were first domesticated as early as the 1200s when wealthy people liked to keep them in outdoor ponds as a way to show off their status among the society. Goldfish thrive in bigger tanks with abundant water and proper filtration systems. When properly fed and looked after, they can live up to 20 years. 

Betta Splendens

Bettas are some of the most common fish you can find in most home aquariums. A Betta has beautiful colors and a lively personality making it the perfect pet. Bettas were first found in Thailand where people used to catch the male fish, place them in a bowl and watch them fight each other in betting games. Amongst the many misconceptions about this particular species is that they only need small amounts of water to survive. This is not entirely true. You see, according to Aquariadise.com/betta-fish/, just because Bettas can survive in tiny amounts of low-quality water does not mean that it is their preferred environment. It was merely a way of adapting to their surrounding environments in the wild. So, when you bring your Bettas home, make sure you have a spacious tank set in place with enough tank props to have it resemble their natural habitat as much as possible.

Guppies

Guppies were originally named after Robert Guppy, the researcher who first discovered them back in the 1800s in Trinidad. But nowadays, they are commonly known as rainbow fish, pertaining to the array for colors they can be found in. People are most attracted to the magical colors of Guppies but often overlook how fascinating this species can be. These interesting fish are livebearers, which means that they keep their eggs inside their bodies and give birth to swimming youngsters. These fish are used to tropical waters, which means you will need to install tank heaters in order to accommodate them. Guppies are not picky eaters although they do love shrimps. The bad news is, they have a short lifespan, averaging around three years. 

Zebra Danios

One look at Zebra Danios and you will immediately understand why they were given this name. With their black and white stripes, Zebra Danios are popular aquarium fish that prefer to live in schools. If their number falls below five fish in one tank, these fish will start exhibiting a fussy behavior. With incredible care, these little fish can live up to five years. Although they do not need tons of water to survive, they have an acrobatic nature and can be commonly seen jumping around the tank, which is why you need to keep the tank covered at all times.

The fish world is so incredibly vast that with all the species humans have discovered, thousands — if not millions more– still remain unknown to us. The good thing is with aquarium fish, you can find tons of information about how to look after them and provide them with the habitat they need to live happily. Before you commit to any kind of fish, look beyond their physical appearance and make sure you can properly care for these fascinating creatures.

Courtney P.

I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!

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