
Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
A practical care guide to keeping Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) healthy in the home aquarium.
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This Freshwater hub on Fishy Friends gathers practical freshwater fish guidance for keepers who want clear answers before they change water, livestock, or gear.
Use these articles to match species to tank size, plan filtration and feeding, and troubleshoot water chemistry without guessing. Each guide is written for home aquariums and links to related reading when you need more depth on freshwater fish.
Start with the basics — stable parameters, quarantine habits, and a feeding schedule that matches the livestock — then browse the profiles and how-tos below. When you are ready to branch out, jump into neighbouring topics so your freshwater fish plan stays consistent across the whole tank.
Whether you are stocking a first community tank or refining an established scape, bookmark this page and return as questions come up. Healthy aquariums are built from small, repeatable routines more than one-time upgrades, and freshwater fish success follows the same pattern.
Explore next: all guides, aquarium plants, water chemistry, feeding guides.
Fishy Friends publishes species care sheets, plant and invertebrate notes, aquascaping ideas, and water-care explainers so freshwater fish advice stays easy to find. Read one guide thoroughly, apply it slowly, and use the linked hubs above when you want a second angle on the same problem.
Before you buy livestock or rethink filtration, skim two or three freshwater fish articles here and write down target numbers for temperature, hardness, and feeding. That short checklist prevents the most common resets and keeps your aquarium closer to the calm, healthy display you are aiming for.
Come back after water changes or new additions: compare what you see in the tank with the freshwater fish checklists below, then follow one recommended next step instead of changing everything at once. Steady improvements compound, and Fishy Friends is built to support that pace.

A practical care guide to keeping Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) healthy in the home aquarium.
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A slender Malawi mbuna with electric blue bodies and yellow fins — more of an algae browser than many rock-dwelling cousins.
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A Central American classic that flashes a fiery red throat when displaying — semi-aggressive sifter that suits larger community cichlid tanks.
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Hardy striped Central American cichlids that breed readily — fantastic for learning biparental care, intense when defending fry.
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One of Lake Malawi’s most popular mbuna — brilliant yellow bodies, manageable aggression for African cichlids, and nonstop rock-hopping energy.
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A majestic Tanganyikan cichlid with a nuchal hump and bold bars — calm for a large African cichlid, but needs big water and patient growth.
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A shy blackwater gourami with chocolate flanks and pale bars — rewarding in soft, warm, heavily planted tanks managed by experienced keepers.
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An classic labyrinth fish with jewel-toned bars — hardier and cooler-tolerant than bettas, but males can be territorial with their own kind.
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A compact, tiger-striped wood-eating pleco — caves, soft driftwood, and biofilm matter more than chasing algae wafers alone.
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Often sold as a harmless algae eater — adults grow large, territorial, and may graze fish mucus. Know the real husbandry before you buy.
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A small, patterned social loach that shoals in midwater — playful, curious, and far more community-friendly than large Botia species.
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Bold black-and-white patterned loaches with quirky personalities — best kept in groups with caves, soft sand, and a mixed meaty diet.
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Tiny ‘salt-and-pepper’ corys that school in midwater as often as on the sand — perfect busy cleaners for nano and shrimp community tanks.
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A leopard-spotted Corydoras often sold near julii corys — social sand sifters that need groups, soft substrate, and clean oxygenated water.
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Classic community tetras with glowing shoulder and caudal spots — hardy, peaceful, and perfect for planted mid-size aquariums.
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Small copper-bronze tetras with white-tipped fins — lively but peaceful shoalers that suit planted community and nano aquariums.
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Silver-bodied tetras with bright blood-red fins — hardy, energetic schooling fish that prefer longer tanks and cooler room temps.
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An elegant schooling tetra with smoky flanks and tall black dorsal sails on males — calm mid-water movement for planted aquariums.
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A compact Brazilian tetra with fiery red rear flanks — peaceful, hardy, and ideal for colour in smaller planted community tanks.
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