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Top 5 Best Livebearer Fish for a Freshwater Aquarium Livebearers are fish that give birth to live, active fry instead of laying eggs. Some of the most popular tropical fish are livebearers, and they can present a few minor problems for aquarium owners. Learning to care for them correctly helps minimize the issues that come with these fish. Here are some of the most popular livebearer fish for a tropical aquarium: 1. Fancy Guppy Guppies are a good choice for smaller tanks because of their tiny body size. They only grow a bit over an inch in length and are among the best fish for a 10-gallon tank. They are peaceful but very active fish, which is something to be aware of if you are hoping to have a serene tank. Like most community fish, guppies can eat basic fish flakes with occasional treats. They do best with peaceful tank mates, but make sure there are no other fish large enough to eat them! 2. Molly Fish Mollies are found in multiple variants, including the black molly, sailfin molly, marble molly, and lyretail molly. They reach a length of two or three inches as adults, though some get bigger. Mollies are generally good community fish, though they are very active and may harass other fish at times. They eat flake food and treats and are pretty easy to care for. If you’re thinking about stocking them in your aquarium, then you need to make sure that it is large enough for their needs. I’d go with at least 20 gallons. 3. Platy Platies are typically orange or reddish-orange, with black tails, but come in a wide range of varieties, including the cool Mickey Mouse platie. They grow to an adult size of two or three inches. While platies are generally docile, they are active fish that need a bit of swimming room. They will happily eat good flake food but also like to snack on algae. While you can keep them in smaller tanks, they are good fish for a 20-gallon tank or bigger that accommodates their active lifestyle. 4. Swordtail Swordtails are bright orange/red fish with black accents on their gills and tails. You can spot the male because of the “sword” on his tail. They reach an adult size of two to three inches. Swords are active fish, spending most of their time in the top half of the water column, but also suitable candidates for a peaceful community tank. They will readily eat flake fish food, but you might also spot them nibbling on algae that grow on your decorations. Swordtails do best in peaceful tanks with other small and medium-sized fish. 5. Endler’s Livebearer Endlers are among the most colorful freshwater fish you will find. They are similar in size and appearance to guppies, and the two may even interbreed. They are peaceful, community fish. As livebearers, you will want to keep a certain ratio of make to females, but some fishkeepers will have male-only tanks. You can keep them in a tank as small as ten gallons, but as always, bigger is better. Quality flake food along with occasional live or frozen treats can mimic their diet in the wild.
