Five great fish that make great first pets

Siamese fighting fish - Also called bettas, these often iridescent beauties are the poster fish for low maintenance, says Gene Sanchez, owner of Tropical Showcase in Hicksville, N.Y. ‘They don’t need a filter, and they can live in a jelly jar.’ Although bettas get along with many fish, they are less gregarious with their own kind. Goldfish - Don’t dismiss these as too ‘everyday,’ says Dominick Caserma, owner of A Lot of Fish in Babylon, N.Y. Goldfish come in dozens of colors and varieties. Gourami - Anthony Mansueto, proprietor of South Shore Tropicals in Lindenhurst, N.Y., votes for these hardy Asian natives. Male gouramis can be fin nippers, and so are not a good choice with bettas or guppies, although many of the other fish on this list – including tetras and danios – are compatible with them. Danios - This torpedo-shaped member of the minnow family is hardy and, like the betta, needs no water filtration, just a water change once or twice a week. Tetras - ‘Most aquarists don’t check the pH of their water,’ and without intervention a tank will become acidic – an environment the tetra thrives in. Silver dollars also are part of this family.