STARTER FISH

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http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/
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Good Freshwater Fish for Beginners

Here is our list of freshwater fish that would be great for the beginner to start with. For pricing purposes, we used the LiveAquaria.com site.


Anabantids (Bettas and Gouramis) Bettas are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish (as in the fish that will attack its own mirror image). Bettas and Gouramis are beautiful labyrinth fishes meaning that they get air at the surface of the water through a labyrinth organ. The downside with male Bettas is that you can only keep one Betta male in a tank (you can have other fish but no other male Bettas). Gouramis are usually peaceful additions to the community tank. Price range for Bettas is $2.49 to $6.49. Price range for Gouramis is $2.49 to $12.99.
Cichlids. There are so many different Cichlid species, that you will have no problem picking one that suits your aquarium. Cichlids can get large and are territorial during breeding season. They can be prolific in captivity? Price range for African Cichlids is $5.99 to $39.99. Price range for New World Cichlids is $3.99 to $59.99.
Cyprinids (White Cloud Mountain Minnow, Zebra Danios, Rasboras, and Cherry Barbs) These little guys are hardy. You will find tons of color and pattern variations. You will also enjoy watching their schooling behavior. If you had to pick one fish to start with, you could not go wrong with a White Cloud Mountain Minnow. Price range is $1.29 to $7.99.
Livebearers (Guppies, Platies, and Swordtails) These beautiful fish will stay small (under 3 inches for the most part) but that is not the only thing about these guys that makes them a great pick. Brilliantly colored and happy in the community tank, these peaceful fish are extremely easy to keep. Out of all the starter fish, they are the easiest to breed in captivity. Guppies look like they should cost way more than their going price; you'll easily get excited about these fish. Price range is $1.99 to $5.99 to $34.99.
Tetras are so cheap it is practically criminal! Tetras are great additions to the community tank and their vivid colors will attract your attention every time they dart around in their little schools. Price range is $1.49 to $7.99 with most of them in the under $3 range.
Loaches are bottom dwellers that differentiate themselves from most of the fish in this list. They are more secretive; they tend to hang out alone, with many being nocturnal. Loaches require currents in the water as they are stream dwellers in the wild. They will also take care of your snail population if you have a problem with it. Price range is $2.99 to $13.99.

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Zebra Danios is indeed one of the best choices. There's one time, i've poured in ammonia at the same time as putting them in a 75-gallon tank. Problem was, i overdosed. Probably 3-4 times the MAXIMUM of what an Ammonia Meter can normally measure. 5/6 died instantaneously, but the 6th one never died. This shows how hard a Zebra Danio can really be.
But make sure you have a lid with them. They do jump out. And they super fast.

Another choice is Guppies. I've cycled a tank with 14 guppies before. At the end of the cycle., NONE of them died. It might be luck, or probably because i was paying REALLY close attention to the tank.

I've had 2 guppy fry raised in an ice-cappuccino cup till adult form. I've moved them into a 5 gallon now, 2-years old, still living.

So my conclusion is, Guppies and Zebra Danios are the hardiest freshwater fishes you can find and are best candidates for Fish Cycling. However, I suggest Fishless Cycling, since it's a faster, can put in tons of fishes at once at the end, and no risk of scarifying fish.

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pygmy cories
copper harlequin rasboras
cherry barbs
Cardinal/Neon tetras are about the most common fish that beginners want to include but that we like to advise that people wait on. For some reason they do much better after the tank has aged 6 months regardless of cycling.
Neon tetras don't always do well in new tanks, not sure why but they have a higher death rate in new tanks. If you can avoid adding them first then do.