17 High Coldwater Fish For Your Feshwater Aquarium

Coldwater fish is a little bit of a misnomer. Cool water fish would most likely be a greater time period, however it doesn’t fairly roll off the tongue as properly.

A real chilly water fish can be one thing like salmon or cod that may stay in temperatures at or under freezing.

However, the fish we’re going to be discussing on this article can actually, at most, deal with temperatures down within the 50s.

However, I digress. Coldwater is the accepted time period on this case, in order that’s what I’ll persist with. 

Most fish within the aquarium commerce are tropical fish, which means they require water temperatures within the mid-70s and better. Except the temps inside your own home keep fairly heat all 12 months spherical, you’d must warmth your aquarium to ensure that tropical fish to outlive.

In contrast, coldwater fish can thrive at temps under 70°F (21°C). This implies, so long as the ambient air temperature doesn’t dip under the excessive 60s, there’s no motive so as to add a heater to their tank or pond.

Listed here are my prime coldwater fish you possibly can contemplate on your aquarium.

Coldwater Fish Species

1. Fancy Goldfish

• Minimal tank: 40 gallon (151 liter)
• Temperature: 65°-72°F (18°-22°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: largely peaceable however will attempt to eat smaller fish 

Goldfish are an excellent go-to coldwater fish, however simply keep in mind, they want very giant tanks. A single fancy Goldfish will want not less than a 40 gallon tank, a pair will want a 75 gallon (284 liter). Additionally, Goldfish will destroy most aquarium crops. However, an grownup fantail is a beautiful sight swimming round your tank, and is properly well worth the effort.

2. Zebra Danio

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature:  65°-75°F (18°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

These guys are little hyperactive wonders that at all times add curiosity to a coldwater aquarium. They’re such cute nano fish; their blue and gold pinstripes are very eye-catching. Zebra danios like to swim in opposition to a powerful present. So, I like to recommend including a powerhead to your tank to extend the water move. They’re simple keepers, simply just remember to crush up their meals sufficiently small to slot in their tiny mouths.

3. White Cloud Mountain Minnow

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature: 60°-75°F (16°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

White clouds are one other lovable nano fish that I feel are actually underrated. Often, they’re offered as feeder fish. Their colour may be very muted within the stay fish retailer tanks. However as soon as they’re established in a house tank, their our bodies are a dusky gold with pink recommendations on their fins. They’re actually fairly fairly. Extraordinarily hardy, attention-grabbing to observe, simple to take care of and undemanding, there actually isn’t a draw back to this species.

4. Pearl Danio

• Minimal tank: 20 gallon (76 liter)
• Temperature: 65°-75°F (18°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

This little fish shouldn’t be confused with its extra colourful cousin, the celestial pearl danio. Pearl danios aren’t as showy as celestial danios, however they’re a hardier fish. They’ve been within the aquarium commerce because the early twentieth century, as a result of they’re simple to take care of and may tolerate chilly water setups.

5. Endler’s Livebearer

• Minimal tank: 5 gallon (19 liter)
• Temperature: 65°-82°F (18°-28°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

The Endler’s livebearer might be essentially the most colourful fish on this checklist. They seem like you requested somewhat child to attract you an image of a fish after which the kid used each vivid colour of their field of crayons. They’re associated to guppies (you’ll typically see them listed as an Endler’s guppy). It’s been my expertise that Endlers are hardier and longer-lived than fancy guppies. The females are slightly drab. I might suggest preserving a tank with all males.

6. Gold Barb

• Minimal tank: 40 gallon (151 liter)
• Temperature: 65°-75°F (18°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

The wild type of this fish is discovered all through Northern and Southeast Asia. Their colour is far duller within the wild; the brightly coloured fish you see within the stay fish retailer are the product of selective breeding. Gold barbs will do greatest in a big group. An even bigger group helps make them really feel safer and can cut back any fin nipping inside the college.

7. Rosy Barb

• Minimal tank: 55 gallon (208 liter)
• Temperature: 65°-72°F (18°-22°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

Rosy barbs are one other peaceable education fish, however they develop to be 4 inches lengthy, a lot bigger than a number of the neighborhood fish out there within the interest. You will want a a lot larger aquarium to accommodate a faculty of rosy barbs due to their measurement. However, so long as your tank is giant sufficient, this fish is colourful (particularly throughout breeding season) and undemanding.

8. Hillstream Loach

• Minimal tank: 55 gallon (208 liter)
• Temperature: 68°-75°F (20°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore 
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

Hillstream loaches are an superior little oddball with a really distinctive physique form. They appear type of like a butterfly and a stingray had a child. Their our bodies are dorsoventrally compressed, which means flattened from prime to backside. This distinctive physique form helps them cling to rocks and logs in extraordinarily fast-paced water. These fish want a number of present and oxygenation. I like to recommend including on issues like an airstone so as to add oxygen and a powerhead so as to add present. They’re pretty good algae eaters and are simply so neat to observe.

9. Dwarf Rasboras

• Minimal tank: 5 gallon (19 liter)
• Temperature: 68°-82°F (20°-28°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

The dwarf rasboras is similar to the chili rasboras, however it may tolerate cooler temperatures. This fish is a mid and backside dwelling species. Males turn into a vivid pink colour when they’re spawning. This species is tremendous tiny, making it superb for smaller setups. The bigger the group, the extra attention-grabbing their education habits can be.

10. Clown Killifish

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature: 68°-79°F (20°-26°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

Clown killifish are a top-dwelling species that may tolerate temperature dips down into the higher 60s. Males have a really colourful tail, so you might be tempted to load the tank with simply them. However that can trigger all of the males to squabble with one another. It’s really useful to maintain a faculty that has a ratio of 2-3 females per one male.

11. Sundown Variatus Platy

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature: 61°-75°F (16°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

I like that this species of platy can deal with cool water. I like platies. They’re so energetic and goofy. They’ve at all times obtained one thing happening. Variable platies make an excellent pond or water characteristic fish. Native to Mexico, this little livebearer prefers more durable water. So, you might want so as to add Surprise Shells or another mineral additive to your tank in case your water is admittedly gentle. 

12. Rainbow Shiner

• Minimal tank: 20 gallon (90 liters)
• Temperature: 50°-72°F (10°-22°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

The rainbow shiner is a brilliant cute minnow that’s native to North America. They really stay as much as their identify with stripes of vivid pink and blue, combined with patches of iridescent colour, that run from their noses to their tails. These hardy and energetic fish can stand up to temperatures down into the 50s.

13. Paradise Fish

• Minimal tank: 20 gallon (90 liters)
• Temperature: 61°-79°F (16°-26°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore 
• Habits: peaceable with different species so long as they’re larger than the paradise fish, however fairly aggressive with its personal type. Preserve just one male in your tank. Can’t be stored with different gourami species.

Paradise fish are completely gorgeous. However, there’s a worth to pay for all that magnificence. These fish are undemanding and hardy, however they’ll have a downright nasty angle. It’s not really useful to maintain a couple of male in your tank, as two males will battle with one another, most likely till loss of life. You may preserve them with different species, however the different fish should be bigger than the paradise fish and you may’t combine them with different gouramis.

14. Mosquito Fish

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature: 50°-82°F (10°-28°C)
• Eating regimen: carnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

This nifty little livebearer is a superb addition to any pond. The mosquito fish can eat up a whole bunch of mosquito larvae each single day. They’re a good way to maintain down hungry blood sucking hordes of bugs out of your yard water characteristic. These little guys are fairly cute, their colour is type of drab, however they’ve the identical physique form and large eyes as platies. And hey, something that can preserve down mosquitoes is all proper with me.

15. Japanese Rice Fish

• Minimal tank: 10 gallon (39 liter)
• Temperature: 64°-75°F (​​18°-24°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

These lovable little fish are a number of the hardiest within the interest. Japanese rice fish will showcase their colours greatest in opposition to a darkish substrate. In the event that they’re stored in a tank with a light-weight coloured substrate, they may mute their colours to raised mix into the background. This species will do greatest in a densely planted tank that gives them plenty of cowl. A lot of hiding locations will make them really feel safe, and so, they are going to be extra prone to come out into the open.

16. Bloodfin Tetra

• Minimal tank: 30 gallon (113 liter)
• Temperature: 64°-82°F (16°-28°C)
• Eating regimen: omnivore
• Habits: peaceable education fish, preserve a bunch of 5 or extra

Bloodfin tetras are very putting. They’ve a bluish silver colour on their our bodies and vivid, vivid pink fins, tremendous cute. These guys are one other small, peaceable education fish that ought to be stored in a bunch of 5 or extra. Regardless of being tiny, bloodfin tetras can stay to be over 10 years previous. So, they’re a little bit of a dedication, however it means you’ll get to take pleasure in their lovely colours for a few years to return.

17. Bristlenose Pleco

• Minimal tank: ​​30 gallon (113 liter)
• Temperature: 75°-80°F (24°-27°C)
• Eating regimen: herbivore
• Habits: peaceable with different species however will extremely territorial with different plecos

Bristlenose plecos are one in every of my all time favourite fish. They’re an excellent cleaner fish and such an attention-grabbing oddball. Males particularly, with their thick progress of facial bristles, are so ugly they’re cute. They’re extremely territorial with different plecos, however they may largely simply ignore different kinds of fish. These fish are pretty efficient algae eaters. I’m not saying they may preserve your tank 100% algae free, however they’ll put a significant dent in it.

Conserving Coldwater fish

Conserving an unheated aquarium does restrict your selection of fish, however there may be nonetheless a fairly good selection to select from. Each fish on this checklist is hardy and undemanding, making them good selections for learners.

Simply keep in mind, you possibly can skip the heater with these fish, however not the filtration! For extra details about the significance of filtration and the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle, see our detailed article here.

I feel my private favorites from this checklist are Endler’s livebearers and hillstream loaches. 

Endlers are so colourful and attention-grabbing that they’re simply the celebs of a tank. They’d do nice alongside the loaches, who would eat up any meals that obtained previous the Endlers.

I hope you discover this text useful.

I want you and your fish the easiest!