10 Most Beautiful and Colorful freshwater fish
As hobbyists, we know what it feels when we reach a lovely fish tank with healthy, unique fish. You would be impressed to know how many colorful fish are suitable for a home aquarium in freshwater. At one point in the fish-keeping journey, we had the goal to find the most brightly colored species and to add them to my aquarium. In my research, we stumbled upon many amazing breeds and each was a worthy candidate for a cool centerpiece.
Nowadays, people have so many favorite freshwater fish with bright, pretty colors that they can’t miss the chance to share at least half of them with you. Let's find out the most colorful fish in the hobby of the freshwater aquarium!
We managed to collect pictures of fish for this list, which have at least three body colors, including on their fins.
Look at the list of most colorful freshwater fish that’ll brighten any tank and share some key care tips for each one:
- Discus (Symphysodon sp)
- Blue Ram German (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)
- Betta (Betta splendens)
- Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
- Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
- Dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius)
- Cichlid Jack Dempsey (Rocio octofasciata)
- Rainbow Boesemani (Melanotaenia boesemani)
- Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis)
- Endler's livebearer (Poecilia wingei)
1- Discus (Symphysodon sp) (Symphysodon sp.)
Appearance: Bodies in disk form. A wide array of colors and patterns, some solid, others striped, spotted or striated.
Size of tank: 30 gallons (113 liters)
Type of tank: 30 gallons high with plenty of live plants and open pools.
Level of care: Advanced – not for beginners.
Diet: Varied protein-high
Behavior: Going to shoal with other discus. A school has a pecking order, otherwise calm.
How many can be maintained together: Larger groupings are preferable.
Lifetime: 10 years
Dimensions: 6.5-8 Inches (16.5-20.3 cm)
Water Parameters for Discus Quick Care Stats
- Size of tank: 30 Gallons (113 liters)
- Temperature: 82°-86°F (27.7°-30°C)
- pH: 6 to 7
- Hardness: 2-5 dGH (33.3-83.4 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain calm fish in the community
- Level of care: Advanced
2- Blue Ram German (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)
Appearance: Yellow bodies, bright blue spots that cover the abdominal, tail, and fins. Different black stripes are running through their red eyes.
Size of tank: 20 gallons (75 liters)
Type of tank: 20 gallons long with plants, hidden spots, and open sections.
Care level: Medium - Very sensitive to low quality of water.
Diet: All-omnivorous
Comportement: Stays at the bottom of the aquarium and claims a territory. Other rams may be aggressive.
How many can be kept together: One pair in a 20 gallon can be maintained and for every additional ram 10 gallons added.
Life Duration: 3 years
Dimensions: 2-3 inches (5-7.6 cm)
Quick Care Stats for German Blue Ram Water Parameters
- Size of tank: 30 gallons (113 liters)
- Temperature: 82°-86°F. Temperature: 27.7°-30°C.
- pH: 6 to 7
- Hard: 2-5 dGH (33.3-83.4 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain calm fish in the community
- Level of care: Advanced
3- Betta (Betta splendens)
Appearance: Torpedo-shaped body with very big showy fins, wide color.
Size of tank: 5 gallons (18.9 liters)
Type of tank: Shorter surface tanks
Level of care: Easy – Hardy
Diet: High protein diet Carnivorous
Comportement: Fairly low energy. They are slow swimmers and relax part of the day, but they are curious and interact with people coming to their tanks. Can be assaulting.
How many can be kept together: Male or Female
Life Duration: 3-5 years.
Size: 2.25 cm (5.7 cm)
Quick Care Stats for Betta (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 5 gallons (18.9 liters)
- Temperature: 76°-82°F (24.4°-27.7°)
- pH: 6.5 to 7.
- Hard: 3-4 dGH (50-66.7 ppm)
- Compatibility: Some are going to tolerate other tank mates, others are not. Tankmates are supposed to be peaceful fish from the community.
- Level of care: Easy
4- Cardinal Tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
Shape: Blue and Red stripes from nose to tail
Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
Type of tank: Larger tanks offer more bathroom
Level of care: Beginner
Diet: Omnivore.
Comportement: Peaceful, active school fish
How many can be kept together: 6 Larger groups at least are better
Life Duration: 5 years
Growth Size: 2 cm (5 cm)
Fast Care (Water Parameters) Statistics For Cardinal Tetra
- Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
- Temperature: 73-79°F (22.7°-26.1°C).
- pH: 5.5-6.5
- Durability: 1-3 dGH (16.7-50 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain calm fish in the community
- Level of care: Beginning
5- Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
Appearance: Silver abdomen, blue nose-to-adipose strip, red tail-to-dorsal end.
Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
Type of tank: Larger tanks offer greater areas for swimming
Level of care: Beginning
Diet: Omnivores.
Comportement: Calm, Active School fish
How many can be kept together: 6 Larger groups at least are better
Lifetime: 10 Years
Growth Size: 1.2 cm (3 cm)
Quick Care Stats for Neon Tetras (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
- Temperature: 72-76°F (22.2-24.4°C) Temperature.
- pH: 6 to 7
- Hard: <10 dGH (<166.7 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain calm fish in the community
- Level of care: Beginning
6- Dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius)
Appearance: Oval body with big dorsal and anal fins. Comes in many color variants.
Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
Type of tank: Doesn't matter
Level of care: Beginning
Diet: Omnivore.
Behavior: Lively fish swimming in a tank at all levels. Shy with other species, yet with their other males, males will be aggressive.
How many can be kept together: One guy or more women, males may fight and even murder one another.
Life Duration: 3-4 years (38 liters)
Growth Size: 3" 3" (7.6 cm)
Defining characteristics: Pair of modified pelvic fins the fish utilize as "feelings" in their environment
Quick Care Stats for Dwarf gourami (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 10 gallons (38 liters)
- Temperature: 77°-82°F (25°-27,8°C)
- pH: 6 to 9
- Hard: 5-20 dGH (83.4-333.4 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain slow, calm fish in the community
- Level of care: Beginning
7- Cichlid Jack Dempsey (Rocio octofasciata)
Appearance: Long, stagnant body with extended anal and dorsal fins. The body is a bright pink with iridescent blue spots.
Size of tank: 55 gallons (210 liters), long with pebbles and covering driftwood
Care level: Intermediate care level
Diet: Fatty.
Conduct: hangs in the middle of the water, maybe extremely aggressive
How many can be kept together: It's tricky, you can keep many together if you bring them together from young people.
Lifetime: 10 years
Size: 10 centimeters (25.4 cm)
Quick Care Stats for Jack Dempsey (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 55 gallons (210 liters)
- Temperature: 78°-86 degrees F (25.6°-30 degrees C).
- PH: 6.5 to 8
- Durability: 5-12 dGH (83.4-200 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain with other big fish such as the sternum
- Care level: Intermediate care level
8- Rainbow Boesemani (Melanotaenia boesemani)
Appearance: Long flesh fish, powder blue on the front half of the body.
Size of tank: 40 gallons (150 liters)
Type of tank: 40 gallons long, heavy works best planted
Level of care: Beginning
Diet: Omnivore.
Comportement: Active, mid-water fish shoal
How many can be maintained together: Larger groups are better
Lifespan: Startup
Size: 3-4.5 cm (7.6-11.4 cm)
Quick Care Stats for Boesemani Rainbow (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 40 gallons (150 liters)
- Temperature: 82°-86°C.
- pH: 7-8
- Durability: 10-20 dGH (166.7-333.4 ppm)
- Compatibility: Maintain calm fish in the community
- Care level: Beginning
9- Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis)
Appearance: Bright blue and red stripes with large dorsal and anal fins and a wide forked queue.
Size of tank: 20 gallons (75 liters)
Type of tank: 20 gallon long and densely cultivated areas
Care level: Beginning
Diet: All omnivorous.
Conduct: Can be aggressive. They are mid and highly active fish.
How many can be kept together: A man alone or some women
Duration: 6-8 years.
Dimensions: 2.4 inches (6 cm)
Water Parameters & Quick Care Stats for Paradise Fish
- Size of tank: 20 gallons (75 liters)
- Temperature: 70-82°F (21.1°-27.8°C)
- pH: 6-8
- Durability: 5-30 dGH (83.4-500 ppm)
- Compatibility: Other gouramis or bettas should not be kept. Fancy guppies can be a problem too. Male paradise fish may see this as another fish of paradise. Otherwise peaceful community fish can be kept.
- Level of care: Beginning
10- Endler's livebearer (Poecilia wingei)
Appearance: Very like guppies. Multiple color morphs. Males have bright greens and reds across their bodies and tails. Women are a dull gray/green
Size of tank: 2 gallons (7.5 liters)
Type of tank: Favored densely planted tanks
Care level: Beginning
Diet: All omnivorous.
Comportement: Shoal together if held in groups over 6
How many can be kept together: Better groups. Better to keep two women in a mixed school per one male.
Duration: 2-3 years
Dimensions: 1-1.8 inches (2.5-4.5 cm)
Features defining: Robust living bearers that breed easily in a tank.
Quick Care Stats for Endler's livebearer (Water Parameters)
- Size of tank: 2 gallons (7.5 liters)
- Temperature: 70-84 degrees F (21.1-28.9 degrees F);
- pH: 7-8
- Durability: 10-20 dGH (166.7-333.4 ppm)
- Compatibility: Keep with peaceful community fish
- Care level: Beginning
Conclusion
Freshwater fish are usually hard and robust tiny creatures who are worthy of our affection and care. If you are a brand new aquarium owner, take care of your fish frequently and learn about their characteristics. You will learn how to appreciate your adorable and amazing freshwater fish with time!