Not everyone has enough time to care for a pet dog, cat or rodent. Therefore, for those people who want to share life with an animal at home, fish can be a great option . But which ones to choose? Let’s see which are the most chosen fish as pets.
The 7 most chosen fish as pets
Fish there are many. You can find them in fresh or salt water, warm water or cold water fish .
It is important that if you do not have experience with these animals, let yourself be advised by a professional , although you may be interested in knowing which are the best fish for beginners .
Even so, there are some of these animals that are usually preferred to have at home as pets.
1. Betta fish
The unquestionable beauty of these animals is one of the obvious reasons why they are one of the most popular fish as pets in home aquariums.
There are different types of this fish: the dragon betta, the cooper or the crown stand out among them.
It is a tropical fish, so its water temperature should be kept warm, around 26ºC.
The betta fish is a very intelligent fish, but the males are very territorial, so it is best not to mix it with other male bettas. They could get into a fight.
2. Clown fish
Without a doubt, it is one of the best known warm water fish . This is a calm and long-lived animal, for which a fish usually lives. They can reach 10 years!
As we said, being a warm water fish, the acclimatization of your aquarium is very important . For this reason, although it is a fish that is highly chosen as a pet, it is usually chosen by those people more used to these animals.
3. Angelfish
The freshwater angelfish is another of the most present in home aquariums.
This triangular-looking fish can measure up to 15 cm. Of course, it is also a warm-water fish, so your fish tank must have water at a temperature of 25ºC.
It has a fairly sociable behavior, although it is true that as it is an omnivorous fish, it is best not to mix with other smaller species.
4. The goldfish
Surely it is very easy for you to recognize this fish, since it is not only one of the most chosen fish as pets, but also one of the most common.
This orange fish does not require great care and easily adapts to practically all types of fish tanks . Of course, you must have some minimum attention:
- The fish tank must be well maintained, with a regulated pH and a water filter.
- It must be fed correctly.
- The water temperature should be around 20ºC.
- It must have a minimum average of 40 liters of water.
5. Guppy or million fish
These fish are also known as guppies. It is one of the most famous freshwater fish species. They have many colors and watching them swim is a delight.
In addition to its beauty, it is one of the most chosen fish as pets because it is much easier to maintain than other species.
They are very small fish, since the males do not exceed 2 cm and the females 3 cm.
6. Platy fish
To keep this fish at home you will need a tank of at least 80 liters and wider than deep, since they like to swim on the surface. The water temperature should be around 20-26ºC.
Normally, they are quite peaceful in behavior . However, males may have the occasional fight to display their physical attributes.
7. Pink barbel
It is another of the most chosen fish as pets, since it is a very resistant fish.
This lives in cold water, so the temperature of your aquarium should be around 17-25ºC. Regarding its size, it can reach about 14 cm.
Advantages and disadvantages of fish as pets
Given which are the fish that are most frequently chosen as pets in the home, let us now see, in a general way, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having fish as pets .
The advantages would be:
- They require attention, but not great daily care.
- They are perfect for children to learn what a responsibility is.
- They relieve stress with their smooth movements in the water.
- They give color to homes.
- They are generally very healthy animals.
However, some disadvantages would be:
- The aquarium requires care that will increase in complexity if it is about warm water fish.
- They are not pets to be played with.
- They are animals sensitive to touch and changes.
- They get stressed quite easily.
- You cannot mix fish without knowledge and certain precautions must be taken when introducing new fish into the aquarium .
Even so, despite the cons, all the good they can bring is worth so much more!