The 5 Best Fish for Beginners

Setting up your first aquarium is an exciting experience, but choosing the fish can raise a few doubts. Not all species, in fact, forgive the typical mistakes that beginners make. In this guide we present five ideal fish for beginners, explaining what makes them suitable and how to care for them from day one.

What makes a fish "suitable for beginners"?

A good fish for beginners has a few specific characteristics. It is hardy and tolerates small fluctuations in water parameters, which are inevitable while you learn to manage the filter and maintenance. It has a peaceful temperament, so it lives alongside other fish without issues. It adapts to a wide range of water parameters, without demanding extreme conditions. Finally, it is easy to feed and available at a modest cost.

Pay attention to one fundamental point: any fish, even the hardiest, needs a biologically matured aquarium. Before introducing the fish, start the filter and wait for the nitrogen cycle to complete (usually a few weeks). No species survives for long in uncycled water.

1. Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

The guppy is perhaps the beginner's fish par excellence: colourful, lively and extremely easy to keep.

• Recommended aquarium: from 60 litres upwards.
• Ideal parameters: temperature 22\u201328 \00138.0, water from medium to hard.
• Temperament and compatibility: peaceful and sociable, it should be kept in small groups. Excellent with platys, mollies and corydoras.
• Feeding: omnivore, it accepts quality flake food alternated with live or frozen food.

Practical tip: guppies breed very easily. If you don't want to end up with dozens of fry, keep only males (which are more colourful) or prepare a plan to manage the young.

2. Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

A relative of the guppy, the platy is a hardy fish with bright colours and a calm character.

• Recommended aquarium: from 60\u201380 litres.
• Ideal parameters: temperature 20\u201326 \00b0C, pH 7.0\u20138.2, water from medium to hard.
• Temperament and compatibility: very peaceful, ideal in community with guppies, mollies and small calm fish.
• Feeding: omnivore, it enjoys flakes and a vegetable component such as algae or blanched vegetables.

Practical tip: the platy tolerates slightly lower temperatures than guppies and mollies, so it is perfect if you have a cool environment at home. It too is livebearing and breeds easily.

3. Swordtails and relatives aside: the Zebra Danio (Danio rerio)

The zebra danio is tireless, extremely hardy and also suited to aquariums with lower temperatures.

• Recommended aquarium: from 60 litres, preferably long to encourage swimming.
• Ideal parameters: temperature 18\u201325 \00b0C, pH 6.5\u20137.5, medium hardness.
• Temperament and compatibility: lively and gregarious, it should be kept in schools of at least 6 specimens. It coexists well with equally active species.
• Feeding: an undemanding omnivore, it accepts flakes and small frozen foods.

Practical tip: being a fast swimmer that is always on the move, it requires horizontal space. A large school makes it feel more secure and reduces any nervous behaviour.

4. Corydoras (genus Corydoras)

These charming bottom-dwelling fish are peaceful, sociable and help keep the substrate clean.

• Recommended aquarium: from 80 litres with a bottom of sand or fine gravel.
• Ideal parameters: temperature 22\u201326 \00b0C, pH 6.5\u20137.5, hardness from low to medium.
• Temperament and compatibility: extremely peaceful, it should be kept in a group of at least 5\u20136 specimens. Excellent with guppies, platys and small characins.
• Feeding: a bottom-dwelling omnivore, it needs pellets that reach the substrate in addition to the leftovers of the other fish.

Practical tip: avoid sharp gravel, which damages their delicate barbels. Prefer sand or rounded grains to protect their health.

5. Molly (Poecilia sphenops)

The molly is a lively and adaptable fish, available in many colour varieties.

• Recommended aquarium: from 80\u2013100 litres, since it reaches larger sizes than its relatives.
• Ideal parameters: temperature 24\u201328 \00b0C, pH 7.2\u20138.2, water from medium to hard.
• Temperament and compatibility: generally peaceful, sociable with guppies, platys and calm species of similar size.
• Feeding: omnivore with a marked vegetarian tendency: provide foods rich in fibre and vegetables.

Practical tip: the molly loves hard, slightly alkaline water. If your tap water is soft, consider the other fish on the list, which are more flexible on parameters.

Summary comparison table

In conclusion

These five species give you a valuable margin for error while you gain experience. Remember the golden rules: cycle the aquarium before introducing the fish, don't overcrowd the tank, keep parameters stable with regular water changes and feed in moderation. With these basics and a little patience, your first aquarium will become a small, healthy and rewarding ecosystem to observe every day.