15 Colorful Freshwater Fish & Pretty Aquarium Fish For Your Family.

The Most Attractive and Colorful Freshwater Fish to Add to Your Aquarium 

You probably love the way a beautiful home aquarium full of colorful freshwater fish makes for such a great conversation piece whenever people visit. However, the real magic happens every time you get to walk by a hidden, prismatic world of twirling fins and shimmering colors while going about your day. Are you interested in bringing some new fish "into the family" that will add bursts of iridescent, vivid color to your aquarium? I'll be the first to admit that seeking out new colors and varieties for an aquarium can become pretty addictive! I have several ultra-colorful, pretty freshwater fish to share that would be true jewels to add to your aquarium. Most of the colorful freshwater fish I'll be highlighting require beginner-level care. However, a few do require at least an intermediate skill level for aquarium upkeep. Let's dive in to discover the most colorful freshwater fish to bring into your world!

The Fantail Guppy.

The fantail guppy has a lot of fans due to sheer ease of maintenance. In addition to offering the benefit of beginner-level care needs, the fantail guppy helps to create a very active aquarium via the eye-catching fluttering of its tail. The fantail guppy actually owes its name to the large dorsal fin that fans out broadly from its body. The fin really stands out during movement because it's quite large in comparison to the rest of the body of the fantail guppy. What's more, the fantail's movement in the water is especially striking as a result of splinters of silver and black. Watching one glide by can be like watching the way precious metal catches brilliantly in the light. The base color of a fantail guppy is typically yellow, lime or teal. 

Colorful aquarium fish aside, fantail guppies make great additions to robust aquariums because they tend to thrive when housed with other varieties of schooling fish. Just make sure you're not housing them with any potential predators. Guppies do prefer to be housed in small schools. You can expect your fantail guppies to grow to approximately 2.5 inches in length. Easy-to-care-for fantail guppies often require 10-gallon tanks. Make sure to follow the rule of providing 2 gallons of water per guppy when sizing everything out. 

The Cherry Barb.

Life really is a bowl of cherries for aquarium keepers who bring in the cherry barb fish! Like the fantail guppy, the cherry barb requires beginner-level maintenance. What is notable about the cherry barb is that this fish doesn't actually keep the vibrant coloring that makes it famous all of the time. The distinctive red hue of the cherry barb actually only appears in males during spawning. You can expect your cherry barbs actually to appear white or silver the rest of the time. While cherry barbs are not outgoing in the company of fish, they do well when it comes to sharing aquariums as long as they have plenty of room to swim openly. You can reduce the "edginess" of cherry barbs by keeping these colorful freshwater fish in small schools. Just be warned that cherry barbs have a reputation for being fin nippers when they do become agitated! A 10-gallon tank is recommended when housing cherry barbs. 

The Harlequin Rasbora.

The harlequin rasbora is an excellent option if you're looking for a beginner-level fish with extraordinary color. I often find myself thinking that these fish look like rose petals that have been sprinkled inside an aquarium when they catch my eye. This is a hardy option that can work in something as small as a 10-gallon aquarium. However, you should consider a 20-gallon aquarium if you plan to keep a school of six or more. I personally think adding a dozen of these rose-coloured fish is a perfect way to create a colourful undersea bouquet! 

The Neon Tetra.

The next colorful freshwater fish is the neon tetra is a staple of aquariums because this variety is so visually striking and easy to care for. This is definitely a case of "collect every colour" because tetras thrive in large groups. While you'll want to focus on creating groupings of a least six, the sky is really the limit when it comes to how many you want to keep if you have ample space. It's also perfectly fine to group neon tetras with other fish. Just make sure you're not housing them with predators. A 10-gallon tank is recommended for neon tetras.

Flowerhorn Cichlid.

The flowerhorn cichlid is the fish that everyone who takes a gaze into your tank is going to be asking about. This unique fish features a mass on its forehead, a bulky body with varying patterns and vibrant colour variations. The flowerhorn cichlid is a nice choice if you're looking for an option that doesn't require you to bring in a school because these fish do just fine solo. Flowerheads thrive when kept in individual tanks. What's more, they can actually be aggressive toward smaller fish. A 55-gallon is recommended when keeping a beautiful, eye-catching flowerhorn cichlid.

The Duboisi Cichlid.

The duboisi cichlid is the go-to fish if you want an active, buzzing aquarium. This variety is known for its high activity level. They say that each duboisi cichlid has a personality all its own! This is something you're sure to confirm as you watch your duboisi zip around in schools of up to 10 fish. In fact, it is really fascinating to watch the social structure play out among this fish variety once you house a few together. You may actually want to keep other fish away due to the fact that sparks can really fly once these fish form a society. The duboisi is perfect if you're seeking high-intensity color. A tank of minimum 55 gallons is recommended when keeping duboisi cichlid's.

Boseman's Rainbowfish (Boesemani Rainbowfish).

Nothing tops the Boseman's rainbowfish if you're looking for a hardy fish with ethereal beauty. Yes, this fish certainly can look like an animation or hologram as it glides its prismatic, shimmering body along the glass of your aquarium. The Boseman's rainbow fish is famous colorful fish type for a bicolour scale pattern that features a silver head and deepening levels of orange leading down to the tail. What you may not know is that you can actually encourage richer coloring in this fish using a specified diet, pH levels and tailored water hardness. The Boseman's rainbow fish excels in a well-planted aquarium that's at least 55 gallons. Keep in mind that these beautiful fish grow to about 4 inches in length. Most people have success with keeping them in groups of around six. 

The Electric Blue Hap.

Next colorful fish type is the electric blue hap, they can look like a loose sapphire in your aquarium when you catch a glance of it out of the corner of your eye. The male electric blue hap is famed for its striking cerulean scales and forked tail. However, females are actually silver. You need to be a bit of an "under-the-sea" interior decorator if you want to keep electric blue haps. This is a fish variety that truly does requires a tank environment that mirrors its natural habitat if it's going to thrive. A landscape of larger rocks and hearty plants should make your hap feel right at home. Just be sure to clear any driftwood before introducing your hap. Aquariums that are 55 gallons and larger are preferred. The ideal configuration for non-breeding blue haps is three to six females for every one male. 

The Zebra Danio.

I often think zebra danio fish look like fish that are wearing snazzy pinstriped suits whenever I see them. The zebra danio is characterized by horizontal stripes that run down the length of its body. This member of the minnow family should really be kept in groups of six. It won't be your imagination if you seem to observe your zebra danio exhibiting some very spunky behaviors. These fish have a reputation for being quite lively!

There are a few perks to going with zebra danio fish. One perk is that you can get away with a smaller tank if you're a beginner because they are just so hardy. The smallness of this fish also helps if you don't have a ton of space. Another perk is that you can place these fish with other freshwater fish because they are peacemakers that are very easy to get along with. The zebra danio is actually the fish that is altered to become fluorescent GloFish®.

Angelfish.

There's a good reason why angelfish are one of the most common fish used in residential aquariums. These fluttering stunners are simply heaven to own! You can actually choose from striped-zebra angels, gold angels and koi angels when choosing new friends for your aquarium. Just be prepared for the growth spurt that comes as these angels age! It is pretty common for an adult angelfish to be a full foot in length! That means they may not be such an "angelic" fit for tanks with little fish. An angel fish feels as content in a large, planted tank that's about 55 gallons as a real angel does in the clouds!

The Ruby Red Peacock Cichlid.

The ruby red peacock cichlid proudly shows off its aquatic plumage consisting of a patchwork of ruby and cobalt brushed with glints of silver. The ruby-red peacock cichlid actually does have one very big feature in common with actual peacocks. It is the male that showboats its fantastic display of colours in both species! While the male ruby red peacock cichlid catches the eye with its vibrant coloring, females have gray or brown scales that are admittedly far less alluring. The ideal configuration for non-breeding ruby red peacock cichlids is three to six females for every one male to reduce aggression. Tanks of 55 gallons or more are recommended. 

The Dwarf Gourami.

Dwarf gouramis have electric-orange bodies accented with vertical turquoise stripes. However, this variety is a bit of a wild card due to the fact that you can actually find hybrids with rainbow, blushed and powder-blue variations. Of course, females tend to have much duller coloring than males. These little beauties grow to a maximum size of about two inches. Dwarf gouramis enjoy a reputation for being very peaceful. However, placing two males in the same tank could inspire some aggressive behaviors. Tanks that are at least 33 gallons are recommended for this fish.

The Golden Nugget Pleco.

The best way to describe golden plecos is to say that they add a polka-dot theme to your tank! This fish features a black body with very distinctive and highly visible speckled yellow markings. Of course, getting a peek at your pleco is often a rare treat due to the fact that this type of fish prefers to dwell at the bottom of the tank or hide in any cave-like rocks it can find. You're going to want to make a commitment to keeping your tank floor very clean if you do bring home a golden nugget pleco for this reason! You should also update your tank to have plenty of hiding zones to make your pleco feel right at home. Plecos are generally timid and steady fish that won't get territorial when living with other fish. Just make sure you're giving plecos at least 50 gallons full of concealed spots to work with if you want to keep them happy and thriving. 

Oscars.

The award definitely goes to oscar fish when it comes to showing off some scene-stealing pigmentations! This is a great option if you enjoy a bit of a wild card because each oscar can appear slightly different from its companions. I like to think of the oscar as the thinking person's fish due to the fact that this variety is known to be highly intelligent compared to similar fish species. While you may find this hard to believe, oscars are known to interact with their owners! Some even demonstrate playfulness and signs of excitement when interacting with their owners. I'll let you come to your own conclusion once you get to know your new oscar! With a great mind comes a slight temperament consideration. The oscar fish is known to sometimes demonstrate aggression toward its tank mates. The good news is that you don't necessarily have to rule out the idea of adding oscars to your tank if you already have some tenants. It's simply going to be necessary to introduce and house your fish responsibly. You should also make sure that your oscar fish have enough room to spread out in a tank that's at least 55 gallons. 

The Betta Fish.

I've saved the betta fish for last because this is a slightly different option for someone looking for colorful freshwater aquarium fish. Betta fish are great if you'd like to "get your feet wet" with aquariums using something like a 5-gallon tank. These fish are exceptionally easy to care for. They are also incredibly fun to watch as they skim the sides of their aquariums. The betta's shimmery, prismatic body pulls along a tail that looks like delicate, spun silk. The fun thing about betta fish is that the color variety is endless! They can be found in blue, red, purple, green and rainbow. There's even an all-white variety that is a real conversation piece! Betta fish have a reputation for being what you might call unfriendly. The fact that the alternative name for the betta is the Siamese fighting fish doesn't really help matters! It's true that two male betta fish will become aggressive when housed together. However, singular betta fish can live in a community environment with other fish species. 

Some Things to Remember Before Bringing Your New Colorful Beauties Home.

Always do your research to make sure you'll be welcoming your new fish into an aquarium environment that is comfortable, safe and appropriate. It's also extremely important to make sure you're not putting conflicting fish inside the same environment. While I've done my best to showcase fish that don't require specialized care, you still need to do research regarding diet, habitat and pH conditions before committing to the right fish!

by Leanna Parker for ReefHack.