A fish tank is a great, calming addition to any room, and if you have the equipment then I would definitely recommend getting a range of different tropical fish. While they may take a little bit more effort than regular cold water fish, they definitely will light up your room with their beautiful colours. Here’s my list of the 7 must-have tropical fish to make your tank spectacular.
1 Guppies
Guppies are the perfect addition to any tropical fish tank. Not only are they small (they’ll only grow to 1.5 - 2.5 inches long) so you can safely keep quite a few of them, but they also are beautifully coloured and super playful! Guppies do well in a community tank, so you don’t need to worry about them attacking anyone - just be aware of their small size when it comes to buying other fish. Guppies do like company of their own kind, so make sure you get at least three to make sure they are as happy as they can be!
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2 Dwarf Gouramis
Another relatively small fish, only growing to about 1.5 - 2 inches, dwarf gouramis are compatible with most other kinds of tropical fish and are quite peaceful. Dwarf gouramis are very pretty and love lots of plants, so make sure you stock up on foliage for your tank. Just ensure that your dwarf gouramis are kept with other peaceful fish, because they can get aggressive if they feel their territory is threatened.
3 Clown Loaches
Out of all the fish in my tropical tank, these are my absolute favourite. They are so playful! Clown loaches need company though, so make sure you get a few. They are a little harder to keep than other fish because they have no scales and are therefore more susceptible to diseases, but as long as you take good care of your tank then you shouldn’t have any problems. Just make sure you have plenty of places for them to hide, and that you buy food specially for bottom feeders.
4 Platies
One of the absolute best beginner fish, platies are cute and colourful. They won’t grow more than three inches long and are a great schooling fish. Not only are they peaceful and therefore great for a community tank, they are also very hardy and rarely pick up any diseases. They’re also live-bearers, meaning they give birth to cute live young, so try and get both a male and a female!
5 Angelfish
Angelfish are a gorgeous addition to a tropical fish tank and will do well either on their own or with a small group. They grow quite large and love relaxing in and around tank plants. Just be careful, because they are classed as semi-aggressive due to the fact that they will try and eat any fish that will fit into their mouths, so make sure you place them with larger, peaceful fish varieties.
6 Neon Tetras
In my opinion, neon tetras are hands-down the prettiest little fish ever, they almost seem as though they are glowing! Neon tetras are cheap and are the perfect schooling fish for a community tank, so if you can get hold of ten or even twenty, your tank will light up! They are quick and playful and because they’re only small, they don’t take up much room! They’re also peaceful, so you won’t have problems with them picking on other fish.
7 Mollies
Mollies are adaptable, pretty fish that can survive well in a range of different water conditions. They come in a range of different colours and patterns, so it’s great to have a combination. Mollies are very peaceful, friendly fish that will thrive with a variety of different fish, though just like the clown loaches they are slightly more prone to getting sick, so just make sure you keep up with your weekly water changes.
Having a tropical fish tank is not only fun, but super rewarding - it’s great watching your fish interact with each other and even have young of their own. Just make sure you read up or ask your local pet store about compatibility between fish to avoid a disaster! Do you have a tropical fish tank? What’s your favourite kind of fish to keep?
