Cool Looking Fish
There are a lot of tropical fish that are good looking but are incredibly hard to keep. They need constant temperature maintenance, the correct water ph and a whole mess of stuff like that. There are not as many cold water fresh water fish as there are tropical, but some of the cold water fish are pretty cool looking.
Barb Fish are a species that grow to sizes from small to middle sized. There are several types readily available from specialised merchants. Most species of Barbs are tolerant of temperatures into the mid sixties and sometimes even lower. They are as easy to take care of as a gold fish and are at home in a community aquarium. The types available to buy are the Gold Barb (Barbus schuberti), the Green Barb (Barbus schuberti), the Rosy Barb (Barbus conchonius), and the Two Spot Barb (Barbus ticto).
The next type of fish, which don’t mind the mid sixties temperatures are the Bloodfin Tetra. There are two types, called the standard Bloodfin (Aphyocharax anisitsi), and the False Bloodfin (Aphyocharax dentatus). They are both species of Bloodfin Tetra, but for some reason, one of them was named false. You will find it easier to find Bloodfin Tetra in a pet shop, and they are as easy to care for as a gold fish. They like to dwell near the top of the water and enjoy being in schools (small groups).
Buenos Aires Tetra (Hemigrammus caudovittatus) are usually found in most bigger pet shops and also do not mind temperatures as low as in the sixties. There are different types such as the albino variants. These are also as easy to take care of as a goldfish and also enjoy being in a community. They will however eat your plant life voraciously.
Croaking Tetra (Coelurichthys microlepis) are harder to find. They are a very attractive fish and easy to take care of. They are also at home in a community tank.
Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) are usually easy to find in larger pet shops, and have a lot of different and attractive variations. These are a particularly popular fish.
Hillstream Loaches prefer temperatures above the sixties, and are sometimes hard to find because there are few that will tolerate as low as the sixties temperature. If you find some that are tolerant of the lower temperatures, then these are some pretty cool looking fish.