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Large Freshwater Aquarium Fish – Most Attractive Large Ones

Unlike smaller fish verities, large freshwater fish or monster fishes can add huge value to your aquarium. Some large fish are rare. But, still, you can buy them to make your tank an attractive one. Instead of keeping a bunch of small fish and caring about them, you can keep a few large freshwater fish in your aquarium. But, it is not as easy as it seems to be.

Keeping monster fishes requires huge attention and knowledge. Some fish varieties are really aggressive. So, if you add a few innocent fishes to your tank, your monster fish will take them for lunch. Some verities like piranas can even bite you. So, before starting this hobby, read this article carefully.

large freshwater aquarium fish

Pirana – Redbelly piranha fish

You may have heard about pirana fish. Pirana fishes are aggressive fish native to South America. They have very sharp teeth. So, they can even tear you apart. But, not all piranas can do that. Redbelly piranha fish is a totally safe fish to have in your aquarium. Yes, they are aggressive. But they can’t kill you. 

You can’t keep many other freshwater fish in the aquarium with large pirana fish. So, first, you have to do research about what kind of fish you can keep in your tank with piranas. This depends on the condition of your tank. Usually, you can keep a group of pirana fish in the same tank. Red pirana can grow 50cm long. Also, it can weigh up to 4 kilograms. Be careful when you put your hand on the tank. Sometimes they may bite your fingers. 

Oscars – Large and colorful freshwater aquarium fish

Oscar fish is a cichlid family fish. They are also known as the tiger Oscars, velvet cichlid, and marble cichlid. Oscar fish have a very colorful velvet-like body. Depending on the color and features, Oscars are categorized into many varieties. Velvet Oscars, albino Oscars, Leucistic long fin Oscars, are some of them. Oscar fish can grow up to 36 cm long. Also, a large adult weight of 1.4 Kg. They can also get aggressive. So, before you buy any other fish varieties for your aquarium, do research on oscar tank mates. 

large freshwater aquarium fish

Flower horn fish

Flower horn fish is a large freshwater fish popular among aquarium lovers. Like Oscars, the flower horns are also a kind of cichlid fish. These fish have a unique feature. They have around growing hump on their heads. With special meals, this hump can grow into a more rounder shape, which adds a unique beauty to the fish. Flower horn fishes are very colorful and beautiful. Flower horns are not a natural breed. They are man-made hybrids only available in aquariums. They can grow up to 30 centimeters long. They have a rapid growth rate. Flower horns grow 2cm per month — also, the adult’s weight is 1 kilogram or more.

Koi Carp fish – Large freshwater aquarium fish for ponds

If you are an outdoor large freshwater aquarium fish keeper, the koi carp fish is an excellent choice for you. Unlike other fish verities, Koi carp fish can live for more than 30 years. They also grow very rapidly. Some koi fish even weigh 30 to 40 kg. Carp fishes have unique color pattern combinations. You can buy fish with a few different variations to add a huge attraction to your pond. Also, carp fishes are not as aggressive as other large freshwater aquarium fish. So, you can keep them in a community tank without any problem. 

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About Dr.Chamika

Hello, I'm Dr. Chamika. I am a Researcher in Water quality, Aquatic organisms, and Environmental chemistry. I am a passionate fish keeper, with10 years of experience. My mission is to help other aquarists experience the joy of fish keeping.