Home › Rankings › Cheapest pets to keep

1. 1
   Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle

   Korea’s best-loved horned beetle. You can watch the full life cycle at home, from fat white grub to pupa to adult, which makes it a classic family project.
   ≈ $2–7/mo
2. 2
   Cherry Shrimp

   A tiny red freshwater shrimp that grazes algae and leftovers all day and breeds readily. It is forgiving once settled but very sensitive to sudden changes and copper.
   ≈ $4–9/mo
3. 3
   Stag Beetle

   Beetles with antler-like jaws. Popular species such as Dorcus titanus and Dorcus hopei can live two or more years as adults, but most must be housed alone because they fight.
   ≈ $4–11/mo
4. 4
   Tarantula

   Large, hairy spiders whose beginner species, such as Brachypelma and Grammostola, are calm and live quietly in a small enclosure. Females can live more than 20 years.
   ≈ $4–11/mo
5. 5
   Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)

   A Thai labyrinth fish with flowing fins and a surprisingly bold personality. Males must live alone, and despite the cup-sized myth, a heated, filtered tank keeps them healthy.
   ≈ $6–11/mo
6. 6
   Guppy

   A small, hardy livebearer from South America that comes in endless colour strains. Easy to keep, but it breeds so fast that population control needs a plan from day one.
   ≈ $6–14/mo
7. 7
   Neon tetra

   A tiny South American schooling fish with an electric blue stripe and a red tail. Kept in a group of ten or more, it turns a planted tank into a moving ribbon of colour.
   ≈ $6–14/mo
8. 8
   Corydoras catfish

   Small South American armoured catfish that shuffle across the bottom, sifting sand with their barbels. Bronze and panda corys are classic choices, best kept in a group.
   ≈ $7–14/mo
9. 9
   Goldfish

   Bred by people for over a thousand years, the goldfish grows far larger and lives far longer than its fairground reputation suggests, and it needs a filtered tank rather than a bowl.
   ≈ $7–18/mo
10. 10
    Land Hermit Crab

    Land hermit crabs live in borrowed snail shells and can reach well past ten years when kept properly, with humid air, deep sand, both fresh and salt water, and companions.
    ≈ $7–18/mo