Beginners Choice
A selection of fish which are particularly suitable for beginners, being hardy and fairly tolerant of water conditions. They are also
reasonably priced and easy to feed.
 White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Tanichthys albonubes
An ideal fish for any aquaria, even unheated. in fact the colours actually fade when the water is too warm. It is also one of the easiest
egg layers to breed and a great introduction to spawning egg layers.
Named after its native habitat, the White Cloud Mountains of China, this fish is hard to beat as an aquarium resident. Always peaceful, active,
readily available at low prices, tolerant of a wide range of temperatures (45-78 deg. F.) and pH (6.0-8.0), it has the added
advantage of being very easy to spawn and raise, and therefore makes the ideal starting point for the novice fish breeder. Its small size allows
it to be kept in any tank 5 gallons or larger.
TIP: While it can tolerate temperatures up to 80 F., this fish's colours and health are at their best in the 60's to low 70's. Room temperatures
are fine.
Personality:
A peaceful community fish
Feeding:
Tropical Flake food but also enjoy occasional
Bloodworm
Reproduction:
Egg Layer. Eggs are scattered over the gravel or plants.
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 very happy in neutral water.
Water hardness:
4 - 15°
Temp:
64°F - 76°F or 18°C - 24°C
Max. size:
1.5"
 Albino Red Finned Shark
Labeo Frenatus
Sometimes called the Albino Ruby Shark or Rainbow Shark the Albino Red
Finned Sharks are a hardy community fish. They are active by day and
swim throughout the aquarium. Some experts insist that, unlike the
Red Tailed Black Shark, they can be kept as a shoal. While we do
keep a number together in our display tanks they can become territorial
as they get older and may fight with others of the same species, for
that reason we usually suggest that you keep only one per tank.
Personality:
Friendly
Food:
Flake food, frozen food
Reproduction:
Egg layer
pH:
7.0 - 7.5
Water hardness:
2 - 10
Temp:
75°F - 78°F or 24°C - 26°C
Max. size:
12 cm (5 in)
 Betta ( Siamese Fighting Fish)
Betta splendens
Bettas, better known as the Siamese Fighting Fish, are a hardy fish that
are great for beginners, although not in a newly set-up aquarium. It is
only the male Bettas which get the fish its common name, Fighting Fish,
and should never be placed together. Individual males, together with a
small group of females will live quite peacefully in a community tank
with other non-aggressive fish and will swim throughout the aquarium.
Many people wrongly believe that the fish is named for its aggressive
behaviour to other fish, but it is only males who will fight with other
males of the same species. Occasionally Guppies will attract
unwelcome attention, probably because of the long flowing tails they are
mistaken for other male fighters.
Bettas can be very fussy eaters and often refuse dried food, even to the
extent that they die from starvation. Fresh or frozen bloodworm is the
most suitable diet, but for this reason they are unsuitable for a new
tank with an immature filter.
A member of the Belontiidae
family these fish have an auxiliary breathing organ, a labyrinth of
canals in their head where they can store a small bubble of air.
By extracting oxygen from this trapped air bubble they are able to
survive in warm, almost tepid, water which is very low in dissolved
oxygen.
Personality:
Aggressive towards other male Bettas, but friendly with other peaceful
fish.
Food:
Aquarian Betta Food, frozen or live blood worms
Reproduction:
Egg layer (Bubble-nest builder)
pH:
6 - 8 Specific gravity: -
Water hardness:
5 - 19
Temp:
75°F - 86°F or 24°C - 30°C
Max. size:
6.5 cm (2.5 inches)
 Black Neon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
Under proper lighting this is a truly striking fish and a good contrast
to the more usual yellows and reds of typical aquariums inmates. A
native of the Rio Taquari and Moto Grosso rivers of Paraguay and Brazil
the fish has a peaceful nature and does well in a community tank.
It was first imported around the 1960s and despite its common name it is
not a close relative of the more famous Neon Tetra
It will breed quite easily if kept in soft acid water, ( pH 6.0 and
hardness ≈ 4ºKH ), the fry hatching in about 36 hours.
Personality:
Peaceful community
Food:
Normal Tropical flake and also enjoy fresh or frozen bloodworms
Reproduction:
Egglayer
pH:
6 - 7.5
Water hardness:
4 - 10
Temp:
74°F - 82°F or 23°C - 28°C
Max. size:
1.5"
 Dwarf Gourami
Colisa lalia
Dwarf Gouramis are surface-oriented fish and prefer a planted aquarium.
Like the Betta, they are also a ladyrinth fish with the auxiliary
breathing organ in their head. Also like the betta, the males build
bubblenests at the water surface if water conditions are appropriate and
near 82F. The males are the most colourful, but both sexes
like good water quality so frequent water changes are essential if they
are to display at their best.
Personality:
Peaceful
Food:
Tropical Flake Food and fresh or frozen bloodworms
Reproduction:
Egglayer, males build a bubblenest
pH:
6.6 - 7.4
Water hardness:
3 - 7
Temp:
80°F - 84°F or 27°C - 29°C
Max. size:
2.5 in (6cm)
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