A lot of us have made the false assumption that fish are an easy, low-commitment, "starter" pet — only to have the illusion shattered by the death of a beloved little swimmer. Keeping a pet fish from an early demise and the big flush seems impossible, but the source of your heartache could all come down to the species you have in your tank. While some fish species require more care than others, there are several types that are remarkably low-maintenance. What makes a fish easy? As a fish owner, I can tell you there’s a lot more that goes into the care of fish than you might think. Life happens, you get busy and those fun little fish tend to take the back burner. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance fish, choose one that’s hardy. Look for a fish that can handle a little overfeeding (because how much is a "pinch," really?) or a little underfeeding (oops). You’ll also want a fish that can stand less-than-frequent water changes, because who has time for that? Finally, you’re going to want a fish that’s peaceful.

Take my word on that one — after spending all day keeping my children from killing each other, the last thing I want to do is break up a fish fight. Not to worry — we won’t leave you high and dry in the fish aisle. We went straight to the experts to find out which fish are the most no-fuss. These are the simplest fish to keep. Image: KidStock/Brand X Pictures/Getty imagesAccording to Nick Saint-Erne, D.V.M., Certified Aquatic Veterinarian, resident PetSmart veterinarian, the easiest and most popular starter fish is the Betta. They’re the only fish that don’t require a filter or heater and can be kept in small bowls. The only real maintenance you’ll face with these guys is a 25 percent water change once a week. More: How to grow a lily in your fish bowl Bettas have gotten a bad rep, as their nickname, "the fighting fish" suggests. While it’s true you can’t house more than one male betta in the same tank, that doesn’t mean they have to live solitary lives.

"They can be kept with other similar-sized fish of different species in a larger aquarium," says Saint-Erne. Updated by Sarah Long on 1/20/17Looking to get some fish for the family as due to allergies we are unable to have any other pets! Have been looking online and at a few old posts on here and am getting seriously confusedCould anyone recommend a good fish tank? The first thing to consider is that size matters There are loads of tiny tanks aimed at beginners that are rubbish- loads of people end up giving up keeping fish because they are told that a small tank will be easier to maintain. buy newport aquarium tickets onlineBut in a small tank, the water quality can change very quickly which doesn't leave much space for little mistakes. buy aquarium external filter

If you want a little shoal of small fish, don't go any smaller than about 60 litres, which is 60x30x30cmAbsolutely avoid Biorbs, Fluval Edge or anything that looks flashy and expensive. There are plug and play type tanks with built-in filters (Juwel ones are popular)- these are fine if you just want a few small fish, but anything big and messy like goldfish will need a bigger filter. A lot depends on what sort of fish you were thinking of keeping and how much space/money you have available. buy aquarium plants ebayThe more space you have, the more options you will have when choosing fish. the best fish tank to buyDid you have any fish in mind?buy aquarium bed frame Nothing in mind at the moment, do you have any recommendations?buy aquarium saudi arabia

There are lots of good species for beginners, too many to list really! Tank size and water parameters will narrow down your choice a bit. Is your tap water hard or soft? Please may I gatecrash your thread pleasesleep? We want to get a small tank for DS, he's a fishy obsessed 2yo! Problem is tho, it needs to be as small as possible, will have to go on a bookshelf or windowsill as we have no room for a big tank on a stand.We were planning to get 5/6 mini tetras or similar, and rather fancied a single Siamese fighting fish as they're so beautiful.Having read up on tank sizes it's starting to look unaffordable in both money and space needed!Eau - please Jan you tell me why Biorbs are to be avoided? I sometimes see them come up for sale locally and was going to get the next cheap one I saw!Soft water here, was hoping to get a smallish tank. Sorry I'm not being very helpful here am I, just have no idea sorry! Sure For the price, you don't get much. Many of them are too small for fish anyway (anything smaller than 45 litres is no good for anything but a bunch of flowers), the filters aren't much cop, they are difficult to clean because of the shape and the surface area to volume ratio is rubbish (high ratio is important for gas exchange so the water has enough oxygen in it).

If any of that doesn't make sense, I'll be happy to go into more detail. They are probably up for sale because the people who bought them realised how crap they are. If you need a small tank, don't go any smaller than 45 litres. If the bookshelf is strong then it should be OK, but you'll be limited to just one betta, no tetras. Windowsills are a big no-no for fish tanks, they get too much sun and can overheat on hot days, plus the algae goes mental. Because the packaging on fish tank boxes and the way fish shops are stocked give a false impression of how many fish you can keep in a tank long-term, most people tend to put too many fish in a tank which can cause all kinds of problems. It can be cheap as chips to set up a 45 litre tank- I set one up recently and it only cost me about £20. Try freecycle for a tank, you can often get a whole set up and if you do need to buy a new filter then a sponge filter would be fine for a 45 litre with just a betta in there.That's the holy grail of fishkeeping, most of the colourful tropical fish are best off in soft water.