Blue Freshwater Fish

Looking for a blue colored fish to add some color to your aquarium? Well, you’ve got some options.  This is our list of our favorite blue freshwater fish.

Betta

Bettas are easily one of the most popular fish. They are easy to care for, colorful, and have long flowing fins. They come in many different colors, including many different shades of blue and with many different color variations.  Bettas should be kept in a tank at least 5 gallons large and their tankmates should be selected carefully as they are prone to being aggressive and being bullied.

Neon Tetra

Neon tetras are a fun schooling fish with lots of blue and some red.  They are a very popular fish due to their hardiness, easy going temperament, and their intense colors.  They are very active and will school with other neon tetras, swimming around the tank together.  These guys are awesome!

With a bright blue back and an intense red underside, cardinal tetras will add more than just blue colors to your tank.  Like the neon tetra, they are very active and prefer to be kept in schools of 6 or more.  A large group of 15+ cardinal tetras is one of the most entertaining groupings of fish that you will see.  Their bright colors is just the icing on top.

Blue Platy

There are several different strains of platies ranging in colors from red, orange, black, and blue (and more).  Platies are livebearers that should be kept in groups and will reproduce like crazy.  They are a hardy fish and very peaceful, making them a great addition to a community tank and great for beginners.

Guppy

Guppies some in many different varieties. Some of those varieties have blue colorations.  They range from just the tips of their fins being blue to some nearly all blue.  They also have several different shades of blue.  They are peaceful, easy to care for, and make a great addition to any tank looking to add a little color.

Opaline Gourami

The opaline gourami is light blue in color with some darker blue patterns on its back.  They will grow to about 6 inches long and require a larger tank (29+ gallons).  They are extremely hardy and a peaceful fish, particularly when they are younger.  They sometimes become a bit nippy as they age.

Convict Cichlid

The convict cichlid is a New Word Cichlid from Central America.  They are a popular cichlid likely because of their blue and black stripes which has lead to the common name of Zebra Cichlid. They are a smaller cichlid reaching only about 4 inches long.  However, as with lots of cichlids, they aggressive and territorial.  They may fit in well in a cichlid only tank, but definitely shouldn’t be kept with other peaceful freshwater fish.

Discus

Discus are absolutely beautiful.  They are among the most popular fish to enter into fish shows (similar to dog shows).  They come in many different strains with new strains seeming to pop up every year.  They are available in several different shades of blue with several different patterns.  Discus are a very tall fish and require a large tank (at least 55 gallons) and are notoriously difficult to care for.  They are extremely sensitive to water parameters.  However, if you want to add a lot of color to your tank while keeping only one species, discus are a great freshwater fish to consider.

Malawi Blue Dolphin

Malawi Blue Dolphins, or Hump Head Cichlids, are an African Cichlid from the famous Lake Malawi.  They are known as Hump Head Cichlids because the males grow a large bump on their forehead.  They are an intense almost lightning blue color which tends to become even more vibrant when they are breeding.  As with all cichlids, they can be aggressive and territorial, particularly when they are mating.

Electric Blue Hap

Electric Blue Haps are actually known for their blue coloration.  Male fish are often a bright, sky  blue color which adds depth and beauty to your tank.  The females are less vibrant, but still a grayish blue. Only one male should be kept per tank with several females to help spread out some aggression and and bullying.