The addition of an aquarium to your home is indeed a great one. Watching fish can provide hours of entertainment and relaxation as well. The most beautiful tanks, however, are those best cared for. Choosing the right species means a lot in how healthy the entire aquarium community thrives. Follow these tips for learning the types of freshwater aquarium fish that live together peacefully.

Bettas are popular species and while they have an infamous reputation for being aggressive, beginners should know they are usually only like that towards their own kind. In most cases, two male bettas will fight until one is dead. In community tanks, with the right choices of other species, these beautiful aquatic creatures reside just fine with others. Keep in mind the lone betta should remain in a tank of about six and one half gallons. Heat and oxygen flow should be monitored regularly to provide optimal health.

Adding species that are uniquely colored and different is a great way to enhance the beauty of an aquarium. The Archerfish is a good choice for not only adding beauty, but also interesting personality. Beware, however, because these unusual silver and black fish are terrific jumpers. Take care to only place in aquariums with hoods fitted securely on top of them.

Gouramis are other kinds of colorful choices that can add a lot of flavor to your tank. However, some of them can be aggressive towards one another, especially in the case of the Kissing Gourami. This fish will pester smaller Kissing Gouramis and cause them to be stressed. Placing one Gourami in a tank is the best way to add this species to a community.

Slow moving species can add a peaceful aura to aquariums. One great choice for this effect is the African Butterfly. This is beautiful species whose fins appear to like butterfly wings when you look at it from above. They prefer slow current, spending a lot of their time floating slowly around in the water. You may want to make sure smaller species are not in the community with the African Butterfly because they may get eaten.

The tank with smaller species is a perfect environment for the Ghost Shrimp. These are tiny, unique invertebrates that can add a unique appeal to your tank. Other small species of invertebrates like the Red Cherry Shrimp add a gorgeous splash of color while the Inca Golden Snail does as well. These snails also add the benefit of being an algae cleaning service.

Platies are an excellent choice for beginners. These fish come in many colors and are hardy livebearers. You can choose from a salt and pepper color or even one that is dubbed the Mickey Mouse. These are docile creatures and do well in the community of other gentle species. Platies are some of the most popular choices sold for the freshwater tank.

Most everyone has heard about the infamous and popular Guppy. These are great for adding comical personality to your community tank as well as color and uniqueness. These are some of the reasons these fish are one of the most popular choices. Guppies are easy to care for. However, they are livebearers and have many small fry at a time. Make plans to separate the young fry or they will be eaten by not only their parents, but by other tank inhabitants as well.

Choosing to add an algae eater to your tank carries great benefits. One good choice is the Clown Pleco for not only its love of eating unwanted algae, but for its unique and unusual appearance. These peaceful, non-aggressive fish mostly stay on the bottom and take their time in making in their way around the tank. Another bottom feeder you might consider is the Striped Raphael Catfish. These are indeed beautiful and grow to be up to nine inches long, so you might consider this species for a larger tank. The Raphael Catfish makes an unusual sound while eating that is similar to croaking, making this species a certain conversational point for when you have guests over to your home.

Making your choices from the many types of freshwater aquarium fish can be challenging when they all are so colorful and unusual. Each species has been given its own special look and nature made sure to include many of them. The tank with these fish is certainly one you will be proud of and want to show off. Always remember the care you will need to provide makes all the difference in the world at how awesome your aquarium looks.