Some people find white fish boring, but not us! Here are 12 beautiful white fish that’ll make you want a new tank! Please remember before you read: all of these fish cannot be kept together. They have different tank requirements and some of them don’t get along with other fish. Always do your research before adoption—having a pet is a big commitment and you’re responsible for their wellbeing!
1. White Betta Fish
Betta fish, or Siamese fighting fish, are bred in many colors. While white bettas are rare, they’re stunning to look at! Their white coloration puts their elegant fins on full display, with nothing to distract you from their beauty. As their nickname suggests, bettas are aggressive fish. They don’t do well with tank mates and are best raised alone in a tank of at least 10 gallons. Unfortunately, these fish are extremely popular as pets and also often abused. Well-intentioned people may put them in incredibly small tanks or bowls, sometimes at the directions of pet store employees. Always do your research when adopting a new pet, and never take a pet store’s advice—they’re there to sell animals, and often give very poor care tips.
2. Guppy
Guppies are very popular and easy to care for fish. Maxing out at 4 cm, they’re small and like to live with other guppies. It’s recommended to keep two female guppies for every male guppy since the males can harass the females! Guppies have been bred in captivity for many years, so there are a ton of varieties to choose from when adopting them as pets. Yin yang and platinum white are two to consider. Yin yang guppies get their name because they can be black or white, and complement each other nicely!
3. Dwarf Gourami
Dwarf Gouramis are typically vivid blue, red, or orange in color. However, there are pale white varieties as well. These fish tend to have hints of red or blue in their scales, which is a nice addition if you don’t want a plain white fish. Dwarf Gouramis are schooling fish, and socializing is extremely important to them. Never keep less than six in one tank. These fish reach around 3.5 inches in length and need a tank to accommodate their size and numbers. Purchase at least a 25-gallon tank, and add 5 gallons for every additional fish.
4. Swordtail
White swordtails, like the Kohaku swordtail, are medium-sized, live-bearing fish with asymmetric tails. The bottom tail fins of the male swordfish are longer than the rest of their tails! These fish also come in red, orange, black, yellow, and more colors if you want to keep a variety. Because these fish are mid-sized and social, they need a fairly large tank. We recommend at least a 30 gallon with a minimum of five swordtails. The male-female ratio should be 1-4.
5. Butterfly Koi
Butterfly Koi are much larger than the fish listed above. In fact, they’re so big that they can’t be kept properly in tanks! If you’re looking to fill a backyard pond, some of these fish are a stunning white color. They can also be born with a white base and pops of color throughout their scales, which is just as beautiful. As Koi grow older, their fins continue to grow until they are long and flowing. This makes watching them grow up very rewarding!
6. Barb Fish
Barbs are another fish that display a variety of colors and patterns. The tiger, zebra, and tinfoil barbs all have patterned white scales, though they aren’t completely white in color. These little fish are so active you’ll want to watch them swim all day! They’re also incredibly social, so you shouldn’t keep less than six in one tank. Housing these fish properly requires a 30-55 gallon tank, depending on the variety you adopt.
7. Angelfish
Angelfish have always been one of my favorites! Their unique, triangular body and tail shape alongside their flowing fins make for a beautiful sight. These fish can also be either plain white or white patterned. You can’t go wrong with either, since the patterned angelfish have the prettiest black and yellow markings. Angelfish are a big commitment, though, since you’ll need at least 5-6 fish in one tank to keep them happy. Since they are large, this means at least an 80-gallon tank is required! Lastly, Angelfish should only be kept with docile, larger fish—and only if you have the tank space for them all. These fish are prone to aggression and will eat fish of a smaller size.
8. Medaka Rice Fish
Medaka rice fish, or Japanese rice fish, is a type of killifish. They are quite small, as their name applies, growing to about 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) in length—about the size of seven grains of rice lined up side-by-side. They can be white patterned or even clear in color, allowing you to see their bone structures! These cool little fish swim in schools and must be kept in groups of six or more fish. Their tank should be 10 gallons or larger.
9. Cory Catfish
Cory catfish help to keep the bottom of your tank clean, and they look great while doing it! White varieties are usually patterned, except for albino Cory catfish. They grow up to 1-4 inches long (quite small for catfish!) and have cute whiskers near their mouths. They must be kept in groups of six or more, in a tank that’s at least 20 gallons. Although these fish are docile, they should be kept with other fish of similar temperament and size. Aggressive or large tank mates could injure or kill your Cories.
10. White Skirt Tetra
Tetras are another commonly-bred fish with many color varieties. Look for a white skirt tetra if you’d like a white-to-clear colored tetra with clear fins. These social, schooling fish should be kept in groups of six or more. This allows them to interact and live happily inside of their tank. At least a 20-gallon tank is recommended for housing a school of tetra. Allow more space if needed for more tetras or tank mates.
11. Bristlenose Pleco
The Bristlenose Pleco, also known as bushy nose pleco or Bristlenose catfish, is a species of small catfish that typically grows to around five inches in size. They are bigger than Cory Catfish, and quite different in temperament as well. Bristlenose Plecos are more territorial and do well as the only catfish in the tank, or when introduced to another pleco at a young age. These fish are also herbivores, meaning that they eat algae and other plant matter from your tank. They are nocturnal as well, so you’ll only rarely see them moving around the tank. Bristlenose Plecos should be kept in a tank no smaller than 20 gallons. For more than one, increase the tank size.
12. Goldfish
White goldfish are simply angelic. They look fancy with their flowing fins and cute little faces! Goldfish can be entirely white. Some have a slight pink or yellow tint that is beautiful! Lastly, there are white goldfish with different-colored patterns on their scales that look incredibly cool. A note about goldfish is that they are perhaps the most misunderstood pet out there! Many people keep them in small bowls or tanks, but this couldn’t be further from proper care. In order to adopt goldfish and care for them properly, you’ll need an outdoor pond. This is because goldfish grow very large in size—up to 14 inches long!
