Top 10 Exotic Fish Species You Can Keep as Pets
These vibrant, peculiar, and mind-blowing exclusivities for your home aquarium bring in their own colors that will leave you speechless with wonder. Provided you put the right care and tank setting into these species, surely you’ll find them to be the centerpieces in your aquarium. Here’s a list of some exquisite exotic fish you may keep as pets along with some fundamental care tips for each.
1. Discus Fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus)
Minimum 50-gallon Tank Size- 82-86°F Temperature
- Personality: Social, often shy; do best in schools
Discus fish are known for their bright colors and peaceful nature. They like warm, soft water and, above all, they are very sensitive to water quality, so an exceptionally filtered tank is required. Discus is a social fish and does best kept in small schools, but this can also make for a beautiful aquarium.
2. Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)
Tank Size: Minimum 150 gallons- Temperature: 75-86°F
- Personality: Predator; requires a large, safe aquarium
Arowanas are prized for their beauty with common species available in silver, gold, or red. These fish are a big investment in terms of both space and care. Best kept alone or with the largest, most hardiest of fish since they live alone and may be aggressive to other fish.
3. Mandarin Goby (Synchiropus splendidus)
Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons- Temperature: 72-78°F
- Personality: Peaceful; requires specialized feeding
Mandarin Goby One of the saltwater fish that has really psychedelic color, the Mandarin Goby is best kept in a well-established reef tank with a lot of live rock and fed regularly because this cichlid lives primarily on copepods.
4. Flowerhorn Cichlid
Tank Size: 75 gals.- Temperature: 80-85°F
- Personality: Bold, interactive, and territorial
Hybrid, with their outstanding coloration and head hump, can be active and learn to recognize their owners, but they may also be territorial, so separate them or keep them only with very large, robust fishes.
5. Bichir (Polypterus spp.)
Minimum tank size : 55 gallons- Temperature range : 75-82°F
- Personality type: Nocturnal, predatory; good for a semi-aggressive community
Bichirs are very interesting, eel-like fishes with a long history behind them and very characteristic looks. They’re bottom dwellers that prefer hiding places and subdued lighting. Because of their slow pace, bichirs really thrive in aquariums with tankmates that are much larger or quick to move.
Tank Size: Min 120 gallons- Temperature: 74-82
- Personality: Aggressive; best kept alone or with large tankmates
This is a brackish fish with a really cool pattern and intense colors. Not particularly hard to care for, as long as you like watching aggressive fish. They are best kept in a species-only tank or with very large, hardy fish. High water quality and a diet rich in meaty foods are necessary.
7. Electric Blue Jack Dempsey (Rocio octofasciata)
Tank Size: Minimum 55 gallons- Temperature: 74-82°F
- Personality: Semi-aggressive; good with similar-sized tank mates
The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is one of the colored varieties of the highly popular Jack Dempsey Cichlid. It sports an impressive electric blue color and is very hardy but needs some space because of its territorial nature. They thrive well when accompanied by other semi-aggressive species.
8. Lionfish
Tank Size: 55 gallons min.- Temp: 72-78°F
- Personality: carnivorous, must be handled carefully because they sport venomous spines
Lionfish are marine fish with spectacular, trailing fins and a striped look. They own poisonous spines, so one should be cautious about touching them and should not place these fish in an aquarium near the tiny fish. The ideal aquarium for this exotic predator is rich in hiding places and well-maintained.
Tank Size: Minimum 125 gallons- Temperature: 75-82°F
- Personality: Peaceful, but needs specific tank setup
Aquarium stingrays need soft, sandy substrate and an open-bottom tank for ease of movement. Peaceful but so sensitive to water quality, they need constant monitoring. These fish are interactive and are often hand-fed, making them a great aquarium fish for the experienced fish keeper.
10. Oscar Fish (Astronotus ocellatus)
Tank Size: Minimum 55 gallons- Temperature: 74-81°F
- Personality: Intelligent, territorial; can be kept with other large fish
Oscars are the favorite among the exotic fish hobbyists because of their intelligence and interactive nature. They will remember the owner, often asking for food. Oscars require a large area and don’t eat one item. They are territorial animals, so identify the right mix of tank companions.
FAQs (frequently-asked questions)
It differs with species. Some exotic fish are nonaggressive and laid-back, while others might be territorial or even predators. Research on compatibility should take care to ensure that the tank environment is safe.
Exotic fish have different requirements in relation to tank size, water quality, and diet. Good care often demands higher maintenance.
Not necessarily more susceptible, exotic fish often do not take kindly to variations in the quality of the water. A stable environment goes a long way toward their health.
Some exotics, like the Arowanas and some types of Stingrays, will grow to be rather large and require a lot of space. Be sure to understand the full growth potential of each species before you add them to the aquarium.
