From garden ponds filled with Koi Carp to the humble goldfish bowl (although goldfish are far happier living in a larger tank) – the UK is a nation of fish lovers.
The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) say there are an incredible five million indoor fish tanks in Britain.
That meams that roughly 10 per cent of British households own at least one fish – making them the third most popular pet after dogs and cats.
There’s plenty of choice when it comes to adding fish to (well prepared and correctly set up) home aquariums, with pet shops offering a bewildering range of colourful and interesting finned friends that will happily live in the corner of your living room.
If you’re setting up an aquarium for the first time (perhaps after Santa has got you one) it’s worth noting that some fish get on with other breeds, while others are best kept in a tank away from potential rivals (or even food).
If you are looking to create a community tank - an ecosystem where a number of species live in happy and non-aggressive harmony - then there are a fair few species known for their placid and happy-go-lucky nature.
So, here are the 18 best species of fish for community tanks.
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5. Platy
The Platy is a colourful and easy to care for fish that mixes well with others thanks to their complete lack of aggression. There are actually two species - the Southern Platyfish and the Variatus Platy - but they are hard to tell apart and most fish bought from pet shops will have been interbred from the two. They can live for up to three years and come in a variety of colours, including red, yellow, orange, blue, rainbow and white. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Corydoras Catfish
Perfect to give you a helping hand with cleaning your aquarium, the Corydoras Catfish are bottom-dwelling fish that hoover up any leftover food. They prefer to be kept in groups of at least six and are extremely peaceful. Orinally from South America, they can defend themselves in a fight, thanks to their body armor topped by sharp spines. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Swordtail
Swordtails are easy-going fish with an elongated tail resembling a sword - but it's never used for violence. Another fish that likes plenty of vegetation, the males are only occasionally territorial and otherwise this is a very friendly fish. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Cherry Barb
Most species of barb are pretty chilled, but the Cherry Barb is probably the least aggressive of the lot - they're unlikely to lay a fin on another fish. Another schooling fish, they like to have their own wee gang of fellow barbs. | | Canva/Getty Images