The 8 Best Fish for an Aquarium

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Zebra Danios

When setting up a new tank, black-and-white striped zebra danios (Danio rerio) are a go-to species for professional aquarist Nick Coleman. They’re compatible with many other species on this list.

And while every freshwater fish needs careful care, he describes zebra danios as a “bulletproof, bread and butter fish” compared to more sensitive species. You don’t need to be a top chef to feed them, either. “Just go buy some tropical flake food, and you’re good to go,” he says.

These hardy little schooling fish can tolerate a wide range of conditions and temperatures, ideal while you stabilize levels in a new tank. Just keep them in groups of at least five to avoid stress.

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Cory Catfish

Once you introduce “blinking” cory catfish, you’ll likely fall in love with their cheerful personalities, quirky habits and tank-cleaning abilities.

“Cory catfish are peaceful bottom dwellers that spend most of their time scavenging for food.,” Hwang says. “They are known to display playful behavior and often swim in small groups near the substrate.”

Hwang recommends keeping these companionable fish in groups of at least six and providing a fine-grained substrate to protect their delicate whiskers.

“Offer a balanced diet consisting of high-quality sinking pellets or granules formulated for bottom-dwelling fish,” she says. “Cory catfish are omnivores, so occasional vegetable matter like blanched spinach or zucchini slices can be beneficial.”

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Mbuna African Cichlid

If you’re looking for a tank of low-maintenance fish with brilliant colors and high activity levels, Yarbrough recommends hardy Mbuna African cichlids from Lake Malawi. However, you can’t introduce these territorial fish to a tank full of other species.

“They are somewhat aggressive towards each other, don’t mix well with many other types of fish, and need at least a 55-gallon tank,” Yarbrough says. “It’s best to start with small specimens and let them mature together for compatibility.” Keep a tank of just these fish, with one male to every several females.

Offer plenty of structures as hiding places, and plastic plants so they don’t eat real ones. Also, be prepared for them to spawn readily. Yarbrough says these fish are mouth-breeders, meaning “the females keep fertilized eggs and young fry in their mouths for the first couple of weeks.”