What are the 10 most colorful freshwater fish for your aquarium? Check out the main characteristics of each of them!
The first thing that we’re think when start in fishkeeping is to have colorful fish that can bring a lot of beauty to tank, right? You really need to know that are so many amazing species to buy!
The life isn’t a bed of roses, so you can end up getting a little confused when choosing the best fish for your tank, even more so if we take into account that all you have to do is look to the side and find another fish even prettier than the one you saw!
Also, when we add some parameters like, for example, care level, water chemistry and tank size, things get even worse.
Therefore, we’re put a list with the 10 most colorful freshwater fish for your aquarium. Take the opportunity to learn about the main characteristics and needs of the one that will be your pet fish for many, many years!
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10 Most Colorful Freshwater Fish For Your Aquarium
Below, check out the 10 most colorful freshwater fish for to add to your aquarium:
1. Yellow Peacock Cichlid
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Peaceful with other females;
- Size: 6 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 40 gallons;
Let’s start our list with one of the most colorful fish, the Yellow Peacock Cichlid. This species is absolutely beautiful and will stand out in any aquarium it’s in.
One of the things we love most about these fish is the variety of colors they have. Some of them are bright yellow, others are blue, and there are even ones with red colors. The Peacock Cichlid comes from Malawi Lake (the ninth largest lake in the world) and their colors vary according to the area of the lake where they live.
Unlike some other cichlids, the Peacock Cichlid is very easy to care. So, if you’re looking for a colorful freshwater fish to keep in your aquarium, choose this one and you won’t have any problems!
2. Jack Dempsey
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Aggressive. It’s better to keep it alone;
- Size: 9 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 50 gallons;
The Jack Dempsey is another very interesting fish due to its mix of colors and very interesting patterns. The standard color variation has several bright blue stripes and spots on its sides that create a shimmering effect under the light.
Although these fish are very beautiful, there is one drawback. They can be quite aggressive and will fight almost any fish around them. Therefore, this can be the main obstacle to having a Jack Dempsey in you aquarium!
3. Discus Fish
- Care Level: Difficult;
- Behaviour: Territorial and needs to live in groups;
- Size: 7,8 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 50 gallons for 5 fish;
When you start to be interested in fishkeeping, one of the first fish that come to mind to breed is the incredible Discus Fish. In fact, they’re really amazing and very colorful fish, as well as having the reputation of being the “kings of aquariums”.
There’re many different types of Discus and there’re a huge variety of colors, from red, blue, yellow and so on.
However, in addition to being relatively territorial fish, there’re some other challenges when it comes to the care of them. They need very specific water parameters and a complex diet for them to thrive.
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4. Ram Cichlid
- Care Level: Moderate – Difficult;
- Behaviour: Peaceful;
- Size: 1,3 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 20 gallons for a couple;
The Ram Cichlid is a fish that has unique colors. The first thing you’ll notice about these fish is the long dark stripes that run over their eyes.
In addition, these little fish have a “punk rock” look that we love, since they have a little bit of black on the front of the dorsal fin that ends up creating this funny and beautiful effect to watch.
Although they are small fish, they still require very specific aquarium setups in order for them to thrive.
5. Paradise Fish
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Agressive and territorial;
- Size: 2,6 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 26 gallons for a male and two females;
It would be pretty strange for a fish named “Paradise Fish” not to be colorful, right? Without a doubt, this is one of the most popular fish on our list due to its beauty.
What makes the Paradise Fish one of the most beautiful animals on this list is the combination of colors and fins. These fish have long, flowing fins that look like shiny ribbons moving through the aquarium.
The biggest challenge when it comes to keeping these fish is their extremely aggressive nature, so you’ll have to be very careful if you want to keep them with other species.
6. Gardneri Killifish
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Peaceful;
- Size: 2,6 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 40 gallons for a couple;
The Gardneri Killifish is a really interesting fish species and deserves to be on this list, as some of the color variations of these fish are simply magnificent.
For those new to the hobby, the Killifish is an excellent choice due to its peaceful nature and flexible water parameters. Also, as the’re small fish and like to swim in groups, this makes them one of the most fun species to watch in an aquarium.
7. Betta Fish
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Territorial;
- Size: 2,6 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 5 gallons;
Betta Fish doens’t need introduction, right? They are one of the easiest fish to find in aquarium stores. In fact, it’s perhaps the most popular species in the hobby!
There are a huge variety of betta fish colors and shapes, but the most common are blue and red.
Even though they’re considered ideal fish for beginners, there are still some precautions you need to take before buying them. The Betta Fish requires specific water parameters and can become quite aggressive towards other fish, so it’s always best to keep it alone.
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8. Guppy
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behaviour: Peaceful;
- Size: 1,9 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 10 gallons for one male and three females;
The Guppy is another very popular fish in the hobby due to its resistance, colors variety and its ease of reproduction.
Guppies have small bodies and large, colorful fins. These animals love to live in large groups in the tank, always with more females than males, as they usually chase them relentlessly.
In general, these fish are indicated for beginners in fishkeeping, as they’re very resistant and accept a huge variety of water conditions.
9. Galaxy Rasbora
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behavior: Peaceful;
- Size: 0,8 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 5 gallons for a small group;
We’ve always had a love for these fish and know many hobbists who feel the same way. The Galaxy Rasboras isn’t only a very colorful fish, but also a pleasure to care.
There are something about their calm and peaceful nature that is quite endearing. This species doesn’t want to cause trouble and just wants to do a few laps around the tank.
With pretty white dots and red accents on their fins, it’s not hard to figure out where these fish got their name.
Above all, due to its very peaceful nature and enviable resistance, the Rasbora Galaxy is an excellent fish for those who are looking for something low maintenance.
10. Boesemani Rainbowfish
- Care Level: Easy;
- Behavior: Peaceful;
- Size: 3,4 inches;
- Fish Tank Size: 26 gallons for a small group of 6 fish;
The Boesemani Rainbowfish have a simpler color pattern than the other fish on this list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t cute and colorful! There’s something about the look of these fish that we really love!
Their front half is blue, while their back half is usually yellow or orange (with shades varying by specimen).
This fish tends to be very active, which makes it very fun to watch throughout the day. In addition, they rarely sit still and are very curious about everything that is happening around them.
It’s important to pay close attention to water chemistry if you’re considering purchasing these fish, as they’re often very sensitive to changing parameters and require a specific range to thrive.
So what do you think about the list of most colourful freshwater fish to put in your aquarium? Would you add any others? Tell us here in the comments!
