From garden ponds filled with Koi Carp to the humble goldfish bowl (although goldfish really need far more space to thrive) – the UK is a nation of fish lovers.
According to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association there are an incredible five million indoor fish tanks in Britain - that’s around 10 per cent of British households who own 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.
Freshwater (as opposed to saltwater) tanks are the most common type of aquarium, with a multitude of species available to fill them with colour.
Here are the 17 most popular.
5. Angelfish
There are a three different species of Angelfish, all of which originate from the Amazon and Orinoco Basins of South America. Popular due to their instantly-recognisable shape and elegant markings, they shouldn't be kept with smaller fish like Tetras and Guppies as they can be very aggressive towards other species. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Common Pleco
Also known as the Suckermouth Catfish, what the Common Pleco lacks in colour it makes up for usefulness. They are bottom feeders so hoover up any detritus in the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Corydoras Catfish
Another bottom feeding species that will happy clean up any food that has dropped to the bottom of the tank, the Corydoras Catfish is native to South America and Central America. They get on very well with other species of fish and are rarely aggressive. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Cardinal Tetra
Similar to the Neon Tetra, but with a distinctive red lower half of the body and an even more vibrant blue stripe, the Cardinal Tetra. It's slightly less popular - and more expensive - because it is more difficult to breed in captivity. | Canva/Getty Images