When it comes to growing up fish in an aquarium, we have many options and the selection of these fish does not depend on budget, facilities, water availability and demand. Although there are dozens of different species of fish living in saltwater and freshwater, some of them stand out from the rest and are widely bred to be kept in aquariums.
The most popular saltwater aquarium fish
Clown fish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Among the iconic fish commonly bred for saltwater aquariums, we have the Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris), famously known as the "Lost Fish Nemo" from the movie. This fish is quite easy to catch and breed, making it a popular choice.
The flame angelfish (Centropyge loriculus)
The Flame Angelfish is another significant and common species for saltwater aquariums. With its striking orange color and blue patterns, this elegant and peaceful fish requires large tanks and living rocks for breeding.
The Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
The Yellow Tang is another popular saltwater aquarium fish. Bright yellow and eye-catching, this fish is often found in algae-rich waters and adds value to the aquariums it inhabits. It may prefer regional conditions and thrives in large tanks.
The Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)
The Kole Tang is another important saltwater aquarium species. As an herbivore, it is an ideal choice for controlling algae growth in the tank. Smaller and less aggressive than the Yellow Tang, it can be preferred if you don't have a tank volume large enough for the Yellow Tang.
The Chalk Bass (Serranus tortugarum)
The Chalk Bass belongs to the Serranidae family, including groupers. This gentle and peaceful fish, while not as colorful as others, is often a preferred choice for public aquariums due to its interesting personality and cute appearance.
Fairy Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Also known as the Royal Gramma, the Fairy Basslet is a visually striking fish with pink and yellow colors. When introduced to an aquarium, they add vibrancy and movement. They are particularly suitable for nano tanks.
The Fire Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica)
The Fire Goby is a small and reddish fish, ideal for keeping in pico tanks. A peaceful and calm fish with vibrant colors, they truly stand out in aquariums.
The Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
The Banggai Cardinalfish is a unique fish with a distinct target audience due to its body shape and interesting reproductive method. It stands out with long fins, tails, and black bands on white. What makes this fish interesting is that male individuals carry eggs in their mouths.
The Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)
The Green Chromis, like the Chalk Bass, is kept in aquariums aimed at the public. Silvery-green and captivating when in a school, this fish is typically peaceful and favored for its resilience in challenging conditions.
The Mandarin Goby (Synchiropus splendidus)
The Mandarin Goby is another colorful and attention-grabbing fish. Although its care may seem a bit more challenging compared to other fish species, putting effort into achieving a good and healthy appearance is worthwhile. Maintaining good tank conditions, supporting it with live rocks, and feeding it live food are essential for keeping the Mandarin Goby.
The most popular freshwater aquarium fish
Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
Oscar is one of the most bred species in the freshwater aquarium fish ecosystem. This fish is one of the large cichlids of South America. It is a very intelligent, personality and appetite fish. Suitable for living in tanks of minimum 340 - 350 liters. Whichever way you look at it, this corresponds to a tank that is 1.5 meters long, 60 cm wide and 40 cm high.
The red-tailed shark (Epalzeorhyncus bicolor)
The red-tailed shark is another popular fish in the aquarium. It is preferred in public aquariums due to its territorial ownership behavior. Among the saltwater fish, I listed the Royal gramma, and this one is also two-colored. But its body is black and its tail is red. It can be easily kept in aquariums around 200 liters. By the way, don't let the name fool you, the only name of this fish is shark, the fish is taxonomically from the carp family.
The silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)
The silver arowana is nicknamed dragon fish. It can get really big and a size of around 800 liters is recommended for this fish. The fish's shiny scales increase its cultural popularity in some regions.
Amazon sail catfish, commonly known as freshwater stingray or freshwater tiger ray. Another name is armored catfish. As the name suggests, it comes from Amazon. Popular species such as Pterygoplichthys pardalis and Ancistrus temuispinis are popular algae consumers in aquariums. This requires branches or rock cavities that can be hidden under. It is a fish that can withstand harsh conditions.
Discus fish (Symphysodon discus)
This fish is a favorite in aquariums with its flat disc-like body and a wide spectrum of eye-catching colors. These delicate creatures, coming from the shallow waters of Latin America, add peace to aquariums with their calm and elegant demeanor. The colors of this fish, which is 15 - 20 cm in size, include many colors such as red, blue, orange and green, as well as intermediate shades of these colors. The preferred water temperature of these fish, whose average lifespan is 10-15 years, is between 25 - 30 °C and they live in soft waters. Discus fish love high quality water and are fed with live food or quality granules. They live well in large and planted aquariums.
Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Finally, there is the goldfish which you can encounter in any small, medium or large aquarium. We know it in Turkiye as "Japanese fish", but it is actually known as goldfish and is said to be the first fish to be domesticated. They have many different colors and species, and even Koi fish living in ponds are related to these fish.
