I really love fish! But I feel as though its getting rare to see a home with an aquarium nowadays. I have a 12 gallon Fluval freshwater tropical aquarium in my house, but Id like to get a much bigger one someday. I've always been around fish, my parents have a 55 gallon and I've always had a betta or 2 around.
Once you get the hang of fish needs and what it takes to maintain a tank they are really easy to have and care for. But one does need to know what they are getting into before deciding to get an aquarium or it can become frustrating and a huge headache when things go wrong.
Responsible Fish Care
Here's a great place to look to for info on getting things set up and maintained.
Common Freshwater Fish Diseases
Most aquarists will tell you that at one point or another your fish will get sick. Fish are super sensitive to so many things. Main one being water quality. But it can also be as simple as stress that can cause illness and loss. This site has a good list of symptoms and treatments.
To the fish!
Pretty good list of fish for a both freshwater and marine aquariums. Nice description of each fish and their needs.
Some fish I've had and like
Before choosing any fish its important to take into consideration the size and type of tank you will have. Overpopulating can cause stress to the fish which can turn to aggression, illness or even random death. Temperature is also a big factor. Its best to look into fish types before actually getting them.
Betta
Probably the most popular aquarium fish out there. Bettas come in a variety of colors and fin shapes. Also known as the Siamese fighting fish because of their aggression and gill display that males show each other.
*This guy is Harrison. I've had him since he was a tiny baby, before his gender and even color was determined.
Gouramis are very popular aquarium fish. The honey is generally considered to be a non-aggressive and is much smaller then most gourami fish, ideal for small aquariums (10 gallons and up). This little guy comes in brilliant yellow with a touch of red and can add great color to an aquarium.
Notable for having no eyes and being albino. They shine like a pearl, a shimmering white. When born they do have eyes, but as they grow older skin just grows over them and the eyes degenerate completely. There is no need for sight in the pitch-black world of a cave where they are originally from.
The ram cichlid is a popular cichlid for the tropical community, although it is not necessarily the easiest cichlid to maintain. The German Blue is my favorate of the rams. The males get great coloring with intense black spots, splashes of yellow and blue and bright red eyes. They are generally a peaceful fish but can get aggressive.
Cardinal Tetra
A beautiful schooling fish that can be kept in smaller tanks. Not to be confused with their cousins the neon tetras. Cardinals have longer and more intense strips of red and reflective blue.
Also known as the ghost catfish, this fish offers an incomparable view of its bones and internal organs. In certain lighting its fins shine rainbow colors.
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
Rainbows are known for their colorful reflective scales and the neon is no exception. The males have vibrant red fins and the females a fainter yellow. With the right lighting their scales look amazingly bright.
Small eel-like freshwater fish belonging to the loach family. Loaches are bottom dwelling scavengers with reduced or absent scales and a mouth surrounded by barbels used to taste. Largely nocturnal, loaches are shy fish that like to hide among driftwood, plant roots, rocks, and caves. They are peaceful fish that get along well with other peaceful community tank mates.
Silver Hatchet
Among the more uniquely shaped species of fish. Hatchetfish have a slender body with a deep "belly" and pectoral fins that are set high on the body. A hood on the aquarium is necessary, as this fish likes to jump. Excellent water quality must be maintained to keep this fish at its best.
