Easiest Fish?

Question
I was just wondering, what's the absolute easiest fish to keep in the freshwater hobby? My friend has never kept a fish before in his life, and wants a simple, hardy fish.

Answer
Hi Bobby,

There are a few fish in the hobby that anyone can manage. Here are some extremely easy fish to keep:

1) Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)

This is arguably the easiest fish to keep. Many people keep them in tiny bowls (which is not good for the fish). A Betta needs an aquarium of no less than 2.5 or 5 gallons, with a filter and heater. They ARE, in fact, the easiest fish to keep (well, in my opinion). If you can't keep a Betta, well, there's some problems.

2) Zebra Danio

This attractive little fish needs a 5 gallon or more aquarium. You can keep 3 in a 5-gal. They are very fast and interesting fish, and are also quite hardy. They need a heater.

3) White Cloud Mountain Minnow

These little guys are more used to cold water than the others listed, so they can actually be kept without a heater. They are quite hardy too, and need a 5 gallon tank at a minimum.

4) Guppies

Well, it's a classic. But, these are less hardy than the above, and need a 10-gallon tank. If you cannot get a larger tank, just buy all males, to prevent breeding.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!