very first fish

[Native Keeper]

Hi everyone!

Today I got an interesting question for yall that applies to the hobbies, especially if ur helping out beginners first:

A person who has no experience keeping fish asks what's the best starter fish. What fish do you recommend?

Personally, I'd say WCMMs and Bettas are the two best options imo.

[Patrick_G]

If they’re looking for a little wet pet then a Betta’s a great choice. If they want something to decorate a planted tank then whatever schooling fish they like best. Cherry Barbs or Rummy Nose Tetras are two of my favorites. 

[lefty o]

a schooling tetra of a color they like.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Guppies or Endlers hands down. You have the color (and you can have all of similar colors or every single one can be different), durability, personality, activity even interaction (like you'd get with a Betta) and you can keep more than 1 even in the smallest tanks. You also have options for easy breeding.

Bettas IMO have too many parameter requirements and once sick seem to rarely come back from it which is a bummer and a dispointment for new fish keepers. I'd rather someone start with fish they can keep easily.

Schooling fish are great I have them but I could see new fish keepers getting bored with them especially since most new people start with 5 or 10 gallon tanks. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[MAC]

It's white clouds. 

[BETTA999]

betta because it would be one fish and have great personality bettas are everything exept sensible to water parameters i literaly have a betta in a pond that is the most beatiful betta i have is in a back yard pond in murky water and he is perfect !!!  bettas where my fist fish and i didnt now anithing about fish keeping i thougth they could go in bowls but he was my introduction to fish keeping rest in peace 😌

[Levi_Aquatics]

Guppies! Enough said lol 

[Guppysnail]

Zebra danio. They are all but indestructible. 

[Intuos]

Imo chili rasbora they stay small so it means that you can have a good number even in a small tank. Plus they look amazing, are really active and hardy. 

[Patrick_G]

I like Cory’s metric he calls the “Grandma factor”.  He tries to stock fish that even someone’s non aquarist grandma can appreciate. So anything I’d recommend would be bright and hardy or really cute like Panda Corydoras! 

On 1/23/2022 at 10:55 AM, Guppysnail said:

Zebra danio. They are all but indestructible. 

I was thinking the same, especially for a young person. They’re cheap, active and pretty. 

[FlyingFishKeeper]

I really like bettas, or labyrinth fish in general now that I think of it. They are generally able to go in smaller tanks, are reasonably hardy, and have personality (plus bettas are pretty easy to find). Schooling fish are a really close second, it's fun to get to watch them swarm some food, and play follow the leader. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by FlyingFishKeeper

[H.K.Luterman]

My vote is platies. Gorgeous colors and for me they've always been super hardy. Easy to breed too, if someone is interested in that. 

[Torrey]

For first ever fish, I still recommend live bearers. Start with a planted aquarium, and let it season with some snails.

Once it is seasoned and snails and plants are growing, add livebearers. Try to match the tank parameters to increase chances for success. 

If water isn't hard enough for livebearers, I do recommend zebra danios for first fish with the same set up as above.

The long finned are beautiful to watch. 

I do not recommend fancy bettas (or really any bettas) until the individual has learned good husbandry. Bettas are shorter lived than danios or livebearers, and are a lot more sensitive. 

[Biotope Biologist]

When I sold fish for a living during college it’d definitely depend.

 

An older couple who want to relax with a slice of nature, a small bright schooler and loads of plants. They are usually more patient and willing to let the tank grow out. 
 

For a young family either livebearers or danio. Depending on what they preferred. Live bearers reward a new enthusiast in an easy way to see. If they are happy and healthy they reproduce and I usually start them out with a small harem or two. Let their colony unfold. The kids love looking for the babies like easter every morning.

 

A person looking to get into monster fish keeping, Oscars or frontosa cichlid. Other than hole in the head disease they are bullet proof and have a ton of character.

 

Despite working at a chain store you’d be surprised how many people bought the new-at-the-time Fluval spec 5 and went straight for the harder stuff like shrimp and pea puffers. With enough guidance on your end and passion on their end there is nothing a new aquarist can’t do.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Biotope Biologist
There, their, and they’re—english is an annoying language

[drewzero1]

I personally love WCMM and they've been my most troublefree fish, but they're not big or flashy so most people I've shown them to IRL seem a little bored. I've got a group in a 10 gallon that I've barely had to touch in two years.

If the beginner can get a medium-sized tank, I had pretty good experience with mollies. They were my introduction to tropical fish and I loved seeing all the babies! They were very interactive and would swim up and eat pellets off of my fingers. I had mine in a 20 long and would definitely recommend a larger tank.

[Mydonkeyfish]

My first aquatic creature was an electric blue cray in a 20 gallon but now he is in a 55. Danios are a great option because they are Bulletproof fish.😁

[sudofish]

So many choices I agree with everything above pretty much lol. I went with an Electric blue acara, pearl gourami & some praecox rainbowfish. Then a little bit later I turned my quarantine tank into a betta tank. I've had em for almost a year I think at this point and haven't lost any yet. The pearl gourami is a little more aggressive than I thought it would be, going after the rainbowfish but it can't catch them.