Save the Little Fish

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.

Gentle current 65 fish

Calvus

Calvus ≈

Cichlids · AltolamprologusNT

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part

Calvus

Altolamprologus calvus

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part · lake

Temperature
24–27°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
5 in · 13.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
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.

Photo: 5snake5, CC0

Convict cichlid

Convict cichlid ≈

Cichlids · AmatitlaniaDD

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Pacific and Atlantic slopes, Guatemala to Honduras/El Salvador (SF says to Panama)

Convict cichlid

Amatitlania nigrofasciata

Pacific and Atlantic slopes, Guatemala to Honduras/El Salvador (SF says to Panama) · stream

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–8
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Data deficient

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Konstantin Gerasimov, CC BY 4.0

Demasoni

Demasoni ≈

Cichlids · ChindongoVU

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Pombo Rocks, Tanzanian coast

Demasoni

Chindongo demasoni

Lake Malawi: Pombo Rocks, Tanzanian coast · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
3 in · 7.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
6+
Status in the wild
Vulnerable

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

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

Photo: dinomariobob, CC0

Dovii

Dovii ≈

Cichlids · ParachromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Atlantic and Pacific slopes, Honduras to Costa Rica

Dovii

Parachromis dovii

Atlantic and Pacific slopes, Honduras to Costa Rica · river

Temperature
21–28°C
pH
7–8
Adult size
28 in · 72 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
1+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Sesamehoneytart, CC BY-SA 3.0

Electric blue hap

Electric blue hap ≈

Cichlids · SciaenochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: rocky coasts lake-wide, 10-40 m

Electric blue hap

Sciaenochromis fryeri

Lake Malawi: rocky coasts lake-wide, 10-40 m · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
4+
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.

Photo: Ged 02, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fairy cichlid

Fairy cichlid ≈

Cichlids · NeolamprologusLC

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

Northern Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores of Burundi, Tanzania, DR Congo, 5-25 m

Fairy cichlid

Neolamprologus brichardi

Northern Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores of Burundi, Tanzania, DR Congo, 5-25 m · lake

Temperature
23–26°C
pH
8–9
Adult size
4 in · 9 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

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

Photo: FakirNL, CC BY-SA 4.0

Flametail peacock

Flametail peacock ≈

Cichlids · AulonocaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

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

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.

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

Green terror

Green terror ≈

Cichlids · AndinoacaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Pacific coastal drainages of Ecuador and far northern Peru

Green terror

Andinoacara rivulatus

Pacific coastal drainages of Ecuador and far northern Peru · river

Temperature
20–24°C
pH
6.5–8
Adult size
12 in · 30 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
1+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Raúl A. Ruiz M., CC BY 4.0

Jacobfreibergi peacock

Jacobfreibergi peacock ≈

Cichlids · AulonocaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: southern lake - Cape Maclear, Otter Point, Monkey Bay, Undu Reef

Jacobfreibergi peacock

Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

Lake Malawi: southern lake - Cape Maclear, Otter Point, Monkey Bay, Undu Reef · lake

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
6 in · 15 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.

Photo: Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0

Kenyi

Kenyi ≈

Cichlids · MaylandiaLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Mbenji Islands and Nkhomo Reef, Malawi (introduced at Namalenje Island)

Kenyi

Maylandia lombardoi

Lake Malawi: Mbenji Islands and Nkhomo Reef, Malawi (introduced at Namalenje Island) · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 15 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
4+
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.

Photo: Vlad Butsky, CC BY 4.0

Nerite snail

Nerite snail ≈

Shrimp & snails · NeritinaStaple

Invertebrate. Many fish will eat it, so choose tank mates with care.

East African coastal rivers and estuaries

Nerite snail

Neritina natalensis

East African coastal rivers and estuaries · brackish estuary

Temperature
22–28°C
pH
7–8.5
Adult size
1 in · 2.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Grazer
Group
1+
Typical price
$3–6
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Invertebrate. Many fish will eat it, so choose tank mates with care.

Photo: Evan Baldonado, CC BY 4.0

Otocinclus

Otocinclus ≈

Catfish · OtocinclusStaple

Streams across South America

Otocinclus

Otocinclus vittatus

Streams across South America · stream

Temperature
21–27°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
1.6 in · 4 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Grazer
Group
6+
Typical price
$4–7
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Chle assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0

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