Neon tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.6 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 70–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Best fish for beginners
Hardy, peaceful fish that forgive the small mistakes of a first tank, all fitting a 29 gallon or smaller. Add them to a cycled tank, a few at a time.
Guppy
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2.8 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- groups of 3+
Platy
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.5 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 70–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8.2
- groups of 3+
Bronze corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2.75 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Harlequin rasbora
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–81 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 8+
Zebra danio
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 64–77 °F
- pH 6.5 to 8
- groups of 6+
Ember tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 73–84 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 8+
Molly
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 3.9 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 7.5 to 8.5
- groups of 3+
Honey gourami
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Bristlenose pleco
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 6 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 73–81 °F
- pH 6.5 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Kuhli loach
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 4 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 75–82 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7
- groups of 5+
Panda corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 68–77 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Fancy goldfish
Peaceful · All levels · easy care
- 8 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 64–74 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- groups of 2+
White cloud mountain minnow
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.5 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 64–72 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Endler's livebearer
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 1.8 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- groups of 3+
Cherry barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 73–81 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Swordtail
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 5.5 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8.4
- groups of 3+
Black neon tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.5 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 73–81 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Glowlight tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.5 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Pearl gourami
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 4.5 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 77–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Dwarf neon rainbowfish
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 75–81 °F
- pH 6.5 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Bandit corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1.9 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7
- groups of 6+
Black phantom tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.8 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Black ruby barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Black skirt tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Bleeding heart tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.4 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Bloodfin tetra
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2.2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 65–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Bolivian ram
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 3.2 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- alone or pair
Brilliant rasbora
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7
- groups of 8+
Bumblebee catfish
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2.4 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 70–77 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Checker barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 64–77 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Clown pleco
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 3.5 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 73–82 °F
- pH 6.5 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Diamond tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.4 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 5.5 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Emerald corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 5.8 to 8
- groups of 6+
Emperor tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 73–81 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Flame tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
GloFish danio
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 64–77 °F
- pH 6.5 to 8
- groups of 6+
GloFish tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Glowlight danio
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.5 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 66–75 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Gold barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.8 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 64–75 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Head and tail light tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.8 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.8
- groups of 6+
Julii corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2.5 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Kerri tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.1 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 75–81 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Kubotai rasbora
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 0.8 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 8+
Lambchop rasbora
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 73–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 8+
Least killifish
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.2 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 64–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- groups of 6+
Lemon tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 5.5 to 8
- groups of 6+
Medaka
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 1.5 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 65–82 °F
- pH 6.5 to 8
- groups of 6+
Odessa barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.5 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 68–79 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Peacock gudgeon
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 3 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 4+
Pearl danio
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 2.6 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 68–77 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Penguin tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.4 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Peppered corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2.8 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 64–77 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Red eye tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.8 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 73–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Red lizard whiptail catfish
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 5 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Rosy barb
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 6 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 64–77 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Rosy tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.3 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 75–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 6+
Siamese algae eater
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 6 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 6.5 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Silvertip tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Sterbai corydoras
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2.6 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 74–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.6
- groups of 6+
Thick-lipped gourami
Peaceful · Top · easy care
- 3.5 in adult
- 20+ gal
- 72–82 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- alone or pair
Upside-down catfish
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 4 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 72–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 3+
Variatus platy
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 2.8 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 61–75 °F
- pH 7 to 8.2
- groups of 3+
X-ray tetra
Peaceful · Middle · easy care
- 1.8 in adult
- 15+ gal
- 75–82 °F
- pH 6 to 8
- groups of 6+
Zebra loach
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 4 in adult
- 29+ gal
- 73–79 °F
- pH 6 to 7.5
- groups of 5+
Cherry shrimp
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1.6 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 65–82 °F
- pH 6.5 to 8
- groups of 10+
Amano shrimp
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 68–80 °F
- pH 6.5 to 7.5
- groups of 3+
Zebra nerite snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 70–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8.5
- alone or pair
Mystery snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 68–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- alone or pair
Assassin snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- alone or pair
Bladder snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 0.6 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 64–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8.5
- alone or pair
Ghost shrimp
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 65–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- groups of 3+
Horned nerite snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 0.5 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 72–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8.5
- alone or pair
Japanese trapdoor snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 2 in adult
- 10+ gal
- 60–80 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- alone or pair
Malaysian trumpet snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1.2 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 64–86 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- alone or pair
Ramshorn snail
Peaceful · Bottom · easy care
- 1 in adult
- 5+ gal
- 64–82 °F
- pH 7 to 8
- alone or pair
No species on this list match those filters. Try a larger tank or clear a filter.
More fish lists
Fish for a 5 gallon tankFish for a 10 gallon tankFish for a 15 gallon tankFish for a 20 gallon tankFish for a 29 gallon tankFish for a 30 gallon tankFish for a 40 gallon tankFish for a 50 gallon tankFish for a 55 gallon tankFish for a 75 gallon tankFish for a 100 gallon tankFish for a 125 gallon tankBetta tank matesGoldfish tank matesAngelfish tank matesShrimp-safe fishCold-water fishSchooling fishBottom-dwelling fishTop-dwelling fishAlgae eatersNano fishCenterpiece fishFish for hard waterFish for soft waterDither fishColorful freshwater fishAll fish
Names, and adult sizes where the article gives one, are checked against Wikipedia; care ranges are common hobby guidance, and each species page says which is which. 65 of these 76 are fish. Photos are real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, credited below; the lineup is our own drawing at one scale.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Platy Monika Korzeniec, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Harlequin rasbora NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Molly LPA74, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bristlenose pleco André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kuhli loach Iidkk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Endler's livebearer Dgrummon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Swordtail Usien, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf neon rainbowfish Leo-nie-weh-oh; cropped by Der Regenbogenfisch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bandit corydoras Gonzalo Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black phantom tetra Krächz, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black ruby barb Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black skirt tetra emptyvi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bleeding heart tetra 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bloodfin tetra VGW2006, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bolivian ram HenryC88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Brilliant rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bumblebee catfish CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Checker barb Dodoni, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Diamond tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emerald corydoras NonstickRon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emperor tetra 7TP (Krzysztof Bartosik), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Flame tetra Igor Balashov (iNaturalist), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- GloFish danio Karol Głąb (Karol007), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- GloFish tetra Bobby823Sk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight danio Melanochromis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Gold barb Fred Hsu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Head and tail light tetra Deadlyballistics (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Julii corydoras Bob Jenkins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kerri tetra Juan R. Lascorz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kubotai rasbora BottomDog, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lambchop rasbora AverageWalrus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Least killifish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lemon tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Odessa barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock gudgeon Dirk Godlinski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl danio Павлик Лисицын, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Penguin tetra Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peppered corydoras Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red eye tetra Jhartshorn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red lizard whiptail catfish Ckf6412, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy tetra Aquakeeper14, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Siamese algae eater aleander2137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Silvertip tetra Filtropat; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sterbai corydoras Matthew Mannell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Thick-lipped gourami Oliver Gorski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Upside-down catfish John P. Friel Ph.D., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Variatus platy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- X-ray tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra loach Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra nerite snail TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Mystery snail Gabriel Resende Veiga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Assassin snail Steffi Klee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bladder snail Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ghost shrimp Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Horned nerite snail Obsidian Soul, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Japanese trapdoor snail Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Malaysian trumpet snail Buchling, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ramshorn snail Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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