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.
Setting up an aquarium for the first time it can be a daunting task, ensuring that everything is just right before welcoming your new finned friends into their new environment.
But some species of fish can take some of the stress out of the first few weeks, being remarkably easy to look after - and not being too fussy about things like food and water pH.
So, here are 13 of the best species of schooling fish for first-time aquarists (the posh name for people who maintain aquariums).
13. Betta Fish
A fish that is as easy to look after as it is beautiful, the one thing beginners need to be careful of when it comes to the Betta is which sex you have. Male Battas tend to be aggressive and fight each other, so either go for a single male or a number of females, who tend to get on better with each other. Much like humans really! | Canva/Getty Images