Species care guides for freshwater aquarium fish — covering tank requirements, water parameters, diet, breeding, and compatibility for each species.
⭐ Popular
Tank size, filtration, temperature, feeding, and why bettas are NOT low-maintenance bowl fish. Complete care for Betta splendens.
🐠 Cichlids
Tall tanks, soft water, compatible tankmates, and breeding behavior for Pterophyllum scalare — the most popular cichlid in the hobby.
🐡 Catfish
Social catfish that need groups of 3+. Sand substrate, cooler temperatures, and why corys are essential for a community cleanup crew.
🐟 Tetras
Softer water than neons, need groups, and stunning in a well-planted blackwater setup. The full care guide for Paracheirodon axelrodi.
💎 Advanced
The "king of the aquarium" requires warm soft water, frequent water changes, and an experienced keeper. What discus actually need to thrive.
🐠 Cichlids
Hardy, easy breeders, and highly territorial. Best kept as a pair in a species-only or large community tank.
🔴 Barbs
Peaceful, colorful, and one of the best barbs for community tanks. Care, schooling requirements, and color enhancement for Puntius titteya.
🐠 Cichlids
Smaller, hardier, and more forgiving than German Blue Rams. A beautiful dwarf cichlid that works in most community tanks.
The old "1 inch per gallon" rule is unreliable — it doesn't account for fish shape, bioload, or behavior. A better approach: look up the specific requirements for each species, consider their adult size, and use our Tank Size Calculator to estimate stocking density based on actual fish bioload.
The most common causes: ammonia or nitrite toxicity from an uncycled or crash-cycled tank, temperature swings, pH swings, overfeeding, and disease introduction from new fish without quarantine. Test your water first — most fish deaths can be traced to water chemistry problems.
Most tropical freshwater fish need water between 72–82°F (22–28°C) and require a heater unless your home stays consistently warm. Only goldfish, white cloud mountain minnows, and a few other cold-water species do well at room temperature.
Once or twice daily is standard for most species — feed only what they consume in 2–3 minutes. Overfeeding is the most common mistake: uneaten food decomposes and spikes ammonia. Most fish can go 3–5 days without food without harm.