Best Pets for Seniors - Part 8 - Best Aquarium Fish for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

View the Rest of the Series

Part 1 - Benefits & Drawbacks
Part 2 - Tips, Alternatives, & Helpful Programs
Part 3 - Best Dogs for Seniors
Part 4 - Best Cats for Seniors
Part 5 - Best Birds for Seniors
Part 6 - Best Rodents for Seniors
Part 7 - Aquariums & Aquarium Plants
Part 8 - Best Aquarium Fish for Seniors

Introduction

Here are a selection of aquarium fish that would make suitable pets for seniors, aquarium beginners, or those without the time or capability of dealing with intricate aquarium set-ups. These fish are hardy, easy-to-keep, have low minimum maintenance requirements which makes them more beginner friendly, and most are also suitable for peaceful community tanks.
 
In addition due to their other qualities --whether it's being overly colorful or flamboyant looking, prone to interesting habits or actions, or due to being more interactive than usual with their owners -- these particular types of fish also provide additional potential therapeutic benefits when it comes to aquarium watching.

Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta splendens)

• One of the most popular beginner fish, bettas comes in a wide variety of eye-catching iridescent colors with differently shaped & flamoyant fins and can be kept in smaller tanks in a wide range of water conditions. While not necessary, it's recommended for bettas to be housed in tanks with filters & heaters to make their care easier on their owner and to provide the best environment for a betta to thrive. Tanks & bowls should always be covered as bettas are labyrinth fish that must come to the surface of the water to periodically breathe and thus are more prone to jumping out. The full sized adult can range from 1" to 5" depending upon the exact type of betta, but the common pet store variety tends to have an average maximum size of 2.25".
• Unlike many other types of pet fish, bettas will interact at length with people. They will often come to the front of the fish tank when a person approaches, will flare their fins, and follow alongside a finger placed close to the aquarium glass. As bettas are intelligent, they can be taught to swim into waiting nets for water changes and other tricks such as flaring on command, jumping, swimming through hoops, eating from their owner's hand, or playing soccer with tiny balls.
• As cautioned in their names, the colorful and long-finned male bettas should not be kept together as they will fight. Small groups of the less colorful female bettas are possible, but as fighting can still arise depending upon the fish's temperament, schools of females are not recommended for beginners. Also depending upon the temperament of the individual fish, bettas can be kept in large community tanks with other peaceful fish species. Potential tank mates for bettas should not have long or colorful fins (so that they are not mistaken for other bettas) and should not be fin nippers or chasers. Small fast moving fish such as minnows, tetras, and mollies that will stay out of the bettas way or bottom dwelling fish such as kuhli loaches, plecostomus, or cory catfish are recommended.

White Cloud Mountain Minnow(Tanichthys albonubes)

• A hardy fish that can be kept in cold water aquariums without special heating or in lower temperature tropical tanks of 68-75 F.  They have minimal water condition requirements with only low level filtration required, in minimum tanks of 8" or more, with water pH ranges of slightly acidic to neutral to slightly alkaline. These are considered good beginner fish due to their wide acceptable range of water quality & temperatures and easy diet of standard flake or pellet food. They usually swim in the top or middle level of the tank and can live five years or longer.
• Minnows have a maximum size of 1.5", prefer to be kept in schools of at least 5 or more, and are often added to community tanks due to their peaceful nature. In particular, they are often paired with tetras and bettas. Their colors differ between adult and juvenile forms ranging from yellow & silvery-blue with gold stripes to greenish white with yellow or fiery red fins. Golden, blonde, pink as well as long finned varieties are also available.They will appear even more colorful (including taking on shades of purple) if kept in well planted & decorated tanks with dark substrates.

Various Tetras in Aquarium
Photo by Nevit Dilman (Wikimedia.org)

Ember Tetras
Photo by Usien(Wikimedia.org)

Lemon Tetra
Photo by Waugsberg (Wikimedia.org)

Black Neon Tetras
Photo by Tifr (Wikimedia.org)

Diamond Tetras

Bloodfin Tetra

Tetras (Characidae)

• Tetras are comprised of many different subspecies of small freshwater fish. They come in a wide variety of colors and are an inexpensive & popular beginner fish that are particularly preferred for community tank set-ups. Peaceful, active, and fast swimming, tetras should be kept in schools of at least 5-6 fish per species. While predominantly tropical and thus requiring the use of an aquarium heater, a few varieties of cold water tetras are also available.
• Different species of tetras can be mixed & matched in community tanks. Other fish species that tend to mesh well with tetras include rasboras, cherry & rosy barbs, dwarf or honey gourami, bottom dwellers such as cory cats & loaches, as well as algae eaters such as otocinclus or plecos. A single betta or group of same sex guppies would also make suitable tank mates (but not together as the betta would be prone to fighting the guppies)
  • Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae) - This bright orange fish is a good easy-to-maintain alternative to goldfish. Very peaceful, it usually grows to a maximum size up to 0.8", and should be kept in fish tanks of 10 gallons or larger. Embers prefer slightly acidic water and tanks with aquarium plants or other hiding spots & decorations.
  • Lemon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) - These brightly finned & eyed fish are another popular & peaceful addition to community tanks. They grow to a maximum size of 2" and thus should be kept in schools in tanks of 20 gallons or larger. Aquariums should also be planted or have other decorations or hiding spots as Lemon Tetras will lose some of their bright coloring in bare tanks due to stress.
  • Black Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) - One of the hardiest & easiest to maintain varieties of the brightly colored iridescent fish known as "neon tetra", the Black Neon Tetras are not true neons and thus are not as prone to the Neon Tetra Disease that often afflicts other types of neon tetras. They are a peaceful fish that can grow up to 1.6" and thus should be kept in tanks of 20 gallons or more. Like other tetras, Black Neon Tetras do best & maintain their brightest coloring in planted or decorated tanks.
  • Diamond Tetra (Moenkhausia pittieri) - A flashy iridescent silver fish that can grow up to 2", Diamond Tetras are peaceful additions to community tanks of 20 gallons or more. They prefer slightly acidic water in planted or decorated tanks to best keep their coloring more brilliant. Juveniles sold in pet stores tend to be duller colored with them reaching their full coloring as adults.
  • Bloodfin Tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi) - These tetras are good beginner fish in that they are particularly hardy & can accommodate a wide range of water conditions including being kept in heaterless cold water tanks. They have silvery green bodies with eye-catching bright red fins and can grow up to 2" in a recommended tank size of 20 gallons or more. Peaceful & active, Bloodfins can live for up to 10 years.

Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

• Another colorful & long finned alternative to the betta are guppies which can be kept in same sex schools in single species or peaceful community tanks. As guppies are voracious breeders (and then voracious consumers of their own young), mixed sex schools are not recommended for beginners. Males are the more popular tank mate as they are smaller, more colorful, and have longer fins than then their female counterparts.
• One of the most popular tropical fish and a mainstay amongst beginners, the guppy is a hardy and peaceful fish that adapts to many different water conditions. They can grow up to 2.5" and should be kept in heated tanks of 10 - 20 gallons or more at around 72–84 °F with slightly hard water. Males usually top out around 1.5" while females can reach 2". Tanks should be covered as guppies are prone to leaping and will often congregate at the top of the aquarium to beg for food. Tanks should also be planted or have decorations and hiding spots in case any of the guppies have a more aggressive temperament.

Striped Kuhli Loaches
Photo by Marrabbio2 (Wikimedia.com)

Striped Kuhli Loaches
Photo by Marrabbio2 (Wikimedia.com)

Striped Kuhli Loaches
Photo by Rmollik (Wikimedia.com)

Kuhli Loach (Pangio kuhlii)

• These eel-like fish come in black and striped varieties, have a maximum size of 4" long, and are one of the smaller varieties of loaches available for the aquarium. They are bottom feeders that can help keep the tank clean by eating leftovers that have fallen unto the bottom substrate. Kuhlis are gentle and very peaceful and thus will do well in group community tanks with other peaceul fish that swim in the upper levels of the tank.
• Kuhli loaches tend to be partly nocturnal and thus will be more active during twilight hours, in the night, or in darkened rooms or tanks. Kuhlis kept in groups of 4 or more tend to show more activity during the day. They are well known for aquatic acrobatics, doing underwater flips and swirls, and hanging upside down from aquatic plants & vegetation which can be quite entertaining and eye-catching when watching them in groups.
• Due to their size, activity, and preferred group numbers, kuhli loaches should be kept in tropical aquariums heated to 73-80°F with longer tanks of 20 gallons or more. Aquariums should have a sandy substrate for the loaches to dig in and should have live plants, drift wood, non-sharp decorations, or other hiding or shaded spots.

Dwarf Puffer Fish
Photo by Michelle Jo (Wikimedia.org)

Dwarf Puffer Fish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus)

• The Dwarf Puffer Fish is the smallest puffer available for aquariums (topping out at less than 1")  and one of the few varieties that lives in fresh water instead of salt water (brackish or marine). They are relatively inexpensive compared to other puffers and far easier to maintain, although they do require more care to moderate levels than other beginner fish.
• Like bettas, the puffer is one of the few fish that takes an active interest in their owner & in activity going on outside of their own tanks. When spotting people, dwarf puffers will swim to the front of the tank trying to catch their attention, will beg for food, and will follow fingers trailed across the aquarium glass. They have expressive faces with eyes that move independently of each other. Dwarf puffers also enjoy actively exploring their tanks and will go poking and prodding around into any crevices or caves created by their tank's decor.
• Although they are tiny, their recommended tank size is 10 gallons or more per puffer in a planted aquarium with lots of hiding spaces due to their more aggressive natures & messy feeding habits. They are tropical requiring heated tanks of 72-82° F and prefer neutral to slightly alkaline water. Puffers are more sensitive to water conditions and thus should only be placed in a well established tank with pristine waters that use filters that do not create a big disturbance or currents in the tank (as due to their lumpy body shapes, puffers can be easily blown around the tank)
• Males can be more aggressive & territorial, so groups of puffers are recommended to be female only. Keeping dwarf puffers in mixed fish community tanks is not recommended for beginners. Unlike other fish which can be fed pellets & flakes, dwarf puffers should be fed live or frozen brine shrimp, daphnia, krill, mollusks and worms (earth, blood, tubifex). They will need to occasionally be given hard shelled food to wear down their beaks and keep them from overgrowing. Puffers will also eat small snails present in the tank.