Fish As Pet – Everything You Need To Know As Beginner!

Fish As Pet

No doubt, fauna on land opens the doors to having multiple amazing reptiles and mammals as pets such as dragons, turtles, rabbits, birds, dogs, cats, snakes, etc. However, aquatic life comes with mesmerizing features and astonishing discoveries for any thalassophile loving water, rain, ocean, and lake. Thousands and thousands of species are inhabiting the water, even more than that on land! When it comes to going a step ahead and choosing the most common and beautiful pets, we stop on fish and amphibians.

There are more than 28000 fish species known to man. However, when it comes to having any organism as a pet, always go for one that is better studied and investigated for its diet, habitat, behaviors, and other physical and physiological factors.

In this article, we are going to talk all about the most common pet species you can have at your home in a very comprehensive manner. Read till the very end and study more in detail about the one you love the most.

Fish As Pets

Fish are trendy pets not only in the US but also around the world. It is because their living habitat can easily be maintained artificially to an appreciable extent. Not only do they have ornamental value, but also these fantastic pets give you a chance to learn and discover a lot more about marine life and how they differ in pet behavior from the one on land.

Perks Of Having Fish As Pets

Some perks you will enjoy when you get a fish pet are:

  1. They are low maintenance, and less expensive to take care of. So, if you are looking for a budget-friendly pet , then go and have some fish friends for you!
  2. You do not need to worry a lot about your fish developing any kind of separation anxiety or depression if you cannot spare much time for interaction with your pet. So, for all the busy office persons out there, fish pets are the best choice. 
  3. Fish are quiet and calm creatures. So, they have a soothing effect on their surroundings rather than disturbing neighbors or you sleeping with loud barking or screeching.
  4. Fish have thousands of species, varying a lot in their appearance, colors, features, and behaviors. So, if you love diversity and want to continue exploring, this creature will never disappoint you.
  5. These clean pets need little to no grooming at all. So, with their brilliant colors and clean aquariums, they also serve the ornamental purpose.

You can surprisingly train multiple fish pet species to do many tricks and play with you. So, as pets, these animals do great.

Cons of Having Fish As Pets

After reading the above section, you must be convinced to have a pet fish for you as soon as possible. However, remember diamonds are always stuck in coal. Here are a few challenges you will be facing when you go for having fish as pets:

  1. Fish can be quite a long-living pet. If you take care of all the living conditions properly, they may live from 5-10 years. So, be ready to be consistent with caring for the next decade.
  2. While fish themselves are pretty economical and budget-friendly, however, the aquarium can cost a lot. Having the aquarium of the right size with the required gadgets installed can affect your budget, especially when you are on a tighter one.
  3. Cycling your aquarium takes quite many days. So, you will have to wait a lot before placing fish into the tank. So, if you are going to have fish solely for the ornamental purpose to show off right away, they may not be the right choice.
  4. No doubt fish are low maintenance, but you still need to focus on certain chores regularly. They include cleaning aquarium and filter, changing water, feeding fish, and so on.
  5. If you expect that your fish interact with you the way your dog does, you are in a big misconception. 

If you love to frequently go on an extended vacation, having a fish at home is not a good idea. It is impossible to relocate the whole tank to your friend’s home and request him to take care of them when you are not there.

Most Common Fish Pet Species

Here are some most common species of fish that are kept as pets round the world.

Beta Fish

Betta Fish As Pets

Scientific name: Betta Splendens
Lifespan: 2-5 Years

Betta fish is originated in South Asia. Bettas are the best option for beginners. They are easy to maintain. They usually live in shallow water and low-moving streams. Bettas are carnivorous who feed on insects and insect larvae. If they rely only on plants, they can die after a while. Betta fishes are not preferred as starter pets because they need a lot of enrichment. An interesting fact about betta fish is that it can breathe in oxygen directly from the atmosphere in addition to gills. Bettas usually fight with their male species and are loved to be alone in a tank having space for hiding. Cleaning of tanks requires a lot of care, and the old ones should slowly replace freshwater to adjust with the pH and temperature.

GoldFish

Goldfish As Pets

Scientific name:  Carassius auratus
Lifespan: 10-15 Years

Goldfishes are one of the best pet fishes. They are usually kept indoors and can grow about 6 inches when kept in a larger tank. These are of many types, but beginners must choose to adopt a long-body fish because fancy fishes are easy to maintain only for more intermediate keepers. They can survive in anoxic conditions but for a shorter period in less temperature. They are pretty friendly, and after some weeks in the aquarium, they can quickly eat with their hands without any fear. In the beginning, goldfishes require almost 20 gallons of water because they usually excrete a lot of waste, having large quantities of ammonia which affects their lung capacity and pollutes the whole tank resulting in deaths of fishes.

AngelFish

AngelFish As Pets

Scientific name:  Pteropyllum 
Lifespan: 10 years

Angelfishes are the best option for beginners when it comes to maintenance. Angelfishes are often silver in color, but breeders also introduce variety in them. They are freshwater animals and are originated from South Africa. Pteropyllum is sensitive to water and requires a favorable environment and proper healthy feeding. Angelfishes can grow up to 6 inches when they are a year and a half. Angelfishes feed on plants and other insects. Angelfishes are sometimes aggressive when they are mature and can eat other small fishes, so they must be kept in a separate tank in their adulthood. It is difficult for you to distinguish between males and females because they are pretty similar, both having Papilla located between their anal and ventral fins. The only way to distinguish is to observe them during the laying of eggs. Their fins are slightly graved, having a blunt tip, males also make their fins graved, but their tip is more pointed.

Cory CatFish

Cory Catfish As Pets

Scientific name:  Corydoras
Lifespan: 20 years

Cory Catfish are originated from South America. They are pretty jolly with other plants and aquatic creatures. One alarming problem regarding cory catfish is that they release toxins into the water when they are stressed, killing other fishes. The solution to this is to remove them from the tank immediately when they seem depressed. Pectoral and dorsal fins are present in males with a small body length, whereas females are larger. Corydoras can also clean the water tankers and are known for best cleaners.

Guppies

Guppies As Pets

Scientific name:  Poecilia reticulata
Lifespan:  1-3 Years

Guppies are originated from northeast South America but are now present all over the world. Guppies prefer a warmer temperature and a cleaner environment. Still, they should not be put alone in a tank because both females and males because of their shoaling characteristics. They are responsible and safe when it comes to their young babies. They do not prey on them. Large ornamental caudal are present in males and are smaller than females. Guppies are omnivores and prefer mosquito larvae, plants, and algae. Guppies reproduce differently. The eggs are bred under the guppy’s body for a month, after which it gives birth to dozens of babies.

Mollies

Mollies As Pets

Scientific name:  Poecilia sphenops
Lifespan:  3-5 Years

Mollies are beginner-friendly fishes and are accessible to pet; moreover, they are recommended for beginners to pet them for the first time. Mollies are not sensitive to small water changes, but significant parameter changes can harm them too. They cannot tolerate sudden temperature changes. They reproduce rapidly, store sperms for a more extended period, and then give birth to hundreds of babies. Their appetite high so is their waste. If the water is not cleaned, it can make them sick, and eventually, they will die.

Neon Tetras

Neon Tetras As Pets

Scientific name:  Paracheirodon innesi
Lifespan:  5-8 Years

The main reason for the popularity of neon tetras is their bright color which can be easily seen in the black water of the streams. They prefer black acidic water. They have an average lifespan of 10 years in streams but 2 to 3 years in an aquarium. They are shoaling fishes, so they stay active in groups. Tetras must be kept in a cleaner environment because they can be affected by diseases after eating dead fishes, which is fatal.

Rainbow Fish

Rainbow Fish As Pets

Scientific name:  Melanotaeniidae
Lifespan:  5-8 Years

Rainbow fishes are very beautiful and bright in color, same as their name. Rainbow fishes are originated from Australia. It is easy for beginners to pet fish them because of their easy maintenance. Genders are challenging to determine at a young age; however, they are distinguished in adulthood by their appearance as males have a hump on their bodies and females are slimmer. If more than one fish is kept under the same tank, they will become aggressive and injure themselves in a fight; thus, some of them should be substituted with other aquatic creatures. They require a fresh and clean water environment for their health.

Sword Tails

Sword Tails As Pets

Scientific name: Xiphophorus hellerii
Lifespan:  3-5 Years

Swordtails are grey with colorful strips on them. They are originated from Central America. These are carnivores and prefer eating worms. Swordtails are one of the largest fishes and can grow up to 5 inches in 3 to 5 years. Many of the predator fishes like to prey on swordtails, so they avoid their contact with big fishes. Female fishes give birth to their young and can fall prey to their parents if kept in the same tank. Males and females can be easily identified by their physical appearance females have a round fan-shaped anal fin. In contrast, males elongate their anal fin over a certain period.

Oscar

Oscar As Pets

Scientific name: Astronotus ocellatus
Lifespan: 10-20 years

Oscar fishes are of stunning colors and are attracted to fishkeepers. It is originated from South America. Oscar fishes require a large tank to swim easily and free. Oscars are strong and can jump out of the tank if they see something that looks food to them and can also move small rocks. They are feed on insects and plants or any fleshy thing which swims in their way. Small fishes should be kept in a different tank because they can fall prey to Oscars. Oscar fishes are most frequently available at pet stores. They can be identified easily because of their greyish-brown color having strips of yellow or pale-green. If these fish are taken care well, they can grow up to the size of a foot.

Cherry Barb

Cherry Barb As Pets

Scientific name:  Puntius titteya
Lifespan:  6-8 Years or more.

Cherry bard is more appealing to fish lovers because of its attractive appearance and beautiful colors. It is originated from Sri Lanka and found in streams and waterways. Cherry Barbs are omnivores and feed on plants like algae and organic waste and insects. They should be adequately fed at least two times a day for their excellent health. Cherry barb requires almost 10 to 11 tanks for swimming freely. 20-25% water must be changed every other week. Their appearance can distinguish male and female fishes as females are light colored and have red gills while males are red and slim. A single pair of them can lay eggs about 200 to 300.   It is a hard and strong fish but sometimes can be affected by contaminated water, which leads to itching. For this reason, they require a lot of care.

Discus

Discus As Pets

Scientific name:  Symphysodon
Lifespan:  10 Years

Discus fishes are of many categories. Wild ones are challenging as pets, but others are easy to pet.  They are not suitable for beginners to keep as pets. Discus needs to handle with care when you are entering your hand in the tank. They need to be kept together. Otherwise, they’ll get bored. Males have pointed dorsal fins while females have round and shorter. Discus is an omnivore and eats small invertebrates such as worms and many more. Young discus can start to reproduce after a certain age on their own. Another exciting factor about the discus is that it changes its color according to the environment. Discus requires a peaceful environment. If there is any fight between them, male fishes are dominant over females during the breeding season. They are expensive because of intensive means of breeding.

Conclusion

You see how royal fish can be when we talk about having them as a pet. However, it would be best if you studied thoroughly any species you are interested in having. You may surf to other sections of our website to learn in detail about having these fish pet species as pets. Also, you may look into other marine creatures you may keep as pets as some dragon pets are aquatic. I hope this article helped you reach a decision. If you have any queries, drop down the comment or contact us. We would be happy to help.