Freshwater fishes

The fish list

542 species, each with the water it needs, who it gets along with, and where it comes from. Find one, or browse by family, genus or river.

Endangered Rare Popular Peaceful Small (6 cm or less)Calm water Strong flow Schooling L-numbers ✓ With photo ✓ Basic profiles too

The fishes 168 fish · new every day

← Earlier fishes

Peppermint pleco

L300

Peppermint pleco

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Plecos · Parancistrus

Peppermint pleco

L300

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature: 27–31°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Grazer

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Harlequin rasbora

Harlequin rasbora

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Rasboras & danios · TrigonostigmaStaple

Harlequin rasbora

Trigonostigma heteromorpha

Peat swamp streams, Malay Peninsula and Sumatra · swamp or paddy

Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 5–7.5
Adult size: 1.8 in · 4.5 cm
Flow: Calm
Swims: Mid-water
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Group: 8+
Typical price: $3–5
Rarity: Pet-store staple

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Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kuhli loach

Kuhli loach

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Loaches · PangioStaple

Kuhli loach

Pangio kuhlii

Peat swamp streams of Malaysia and Indonesia · swamp or paddy

Temperature: 24–29°C
pH: 5.5–7
Adult size: 4 in · 9 cm
Flow: Calm
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Group: 5+
Typical price: $4–8
Rarity: Pet-store staple

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Photo: Robert Mollik, CC BY-SA 4.0

Frontosa

Frontosa

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Cichlids · CyphotilapiaNT

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Frontosa

Cyphotilapia frontosa

Northern Lake Tanganyika: deep rocky slopes 15-70 m, Cape Tembwe to Bulu Point · lake

Temperature: 23–27°C
pH: 8–9
Adult size: 10 in · 25.5 cm
Flow: Calm
Swims: Mid-water
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Group: 5+
Status in the wild: Near threatened

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

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Photo: Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0

Aphanotorulus horridus

L290

Aphanotorulus horridus

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

Aphanotorulus horridus

L290

Aphanotorulus horridus

Rio Madeira, Marañón and Aripuana, Brazil and Peru · river

Temperature: 23–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Omnivore

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Photo: no rights reserved, CC0

Regan's julie

Regan's julie

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Cichlids · JulidochromisLC

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Regan's julie

Julidochromis regani

Lake Tanganyika: lake-wide, shallows to 5 m over sand and scattered rocks · lake

Temperature: 23–27°C
pH: 7.5–9
Adult size: 5 in · 13 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Territorial
Diet: Omnivore
Group: 2+
Status in the wild: Least concern

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

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Photo: Regani, Public domain

Flametail peacock

Flametail peacock

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Cichlids · AulonocaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Flametail peacock

Aulonocara stuartgranti

Lake Malawi: along the coast between Ngara and Chizi Point; 'flametail' form from Ngara, Malawi · lake

Temperature: 23–29°C
pH: 7.5–9
Adult size: 5 in · 13 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Group: 5+
Status in the wild: Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

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Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0

Marbled hatchetfish

Marbled hatchetfish

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Tetras · CarnegiellaStaple

Jumper. Keep a tight lid on the tank.

Marbled hatchetfish

Carnegiella strigata

Amazon basin, Peru and Brazil · blackwater stream

Temperature: 24–28°C
pH: 5.5–7
Adult size: 1.4 in · 3.5 cm
Flow: Calm
Swims: Top
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Group: 6+
Typical price: $4–8
Rarity: Pet-store staple

Jumper. Keep a tight lid on the tank.

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Photo: SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0

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