5 beautiful and popular aquarium fish for beginners

Bringing life and colour into your home with an aquarium is a peaceful hobby that soothes the mind and keeps creativity brewing.


Freshwater fish are especially popular because they’re adaptable, survive in the aquarium, affordable, and come in stunning varieties that suit tanks of all sizes.

When setting up an aquarium in your home, it is necessary to choose the right variety of fish that suits your environment, climate, and your own lifestyle.

Each fish adds value to the aquarium with its beautiful appearance, functions, and behaviour.


Here are a few popular varieties of fish for setting up an aquarium for beginners

Freshwater angelfish are among the most popular and attractive varieties of aquarium fish. They are mainly preferred by people for their unique, triangular, edgy shapes and flexible, flowing fins.

Native to the Amazon Basin, they grow up to 6 inches tall and prefer tanks of at least 30 gallons with plenty of vertical space. Their calm, graceful swimming and wide variety of colours, from silver to marble to black, make them an attraction in aquariums.

Betta fish, also called Siamese fighting fish, are native to Southeast Asia and come in amazing colours like red, blue, white, and multicoloured. Males are especially vibrant but must be kept alone since they’ll fight with other males or similarly coloured fish. Bettas survive well in small tanks and are ideal for beginners due to their adaptability.

Cory catfish are small, social bottom-dwellers that play a vital role in keeping aquariums clean by eating leftover food and algae. Popular varieties include bronze, peppered, and albino corys. They’re extremely peaceful and compatible with almost all community fish.

Common goldfish are one of the most easily identifiable and common aquarium fish, known for their bright orange colour and classic appearance. Even though they are commonly kept in small bowls, they actually grow up to 10–12 inches and produce a lot of waste, requiring large tanks or outdoor ponds. Goldfish are strong and adaptable, but are not tropical fish and shouldn’t be mixed with species like Bettas or angelfish.

Gouramis are tropical freshwater fish known for their iridescent scales that give a rainbow-like appearance, flowing fins, and peaceful nature. Some of their most common varieties include dwarf, honey, pearl, and three-spot gouramis.