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.

Cichlids 50 fish

Ocellatus shell-dweller

Ocellatus shell-dweller ≈

Cichlids · LamprologusLC

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

Lake Tanganyika: shell-strewn sand with scattered rocks, usually 6-12 m

Ocellatus shell-dweller

Lamprologus ocellatus

Lake Tanganyika: shell-strewn sand with scattered rocks, usually 6-12 m · lake

Temperature
23–27°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
2.4 in · 6 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

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

Photo: Cedricguppy - Loury Cédric, CC BY-SA 4.0

Oscar

Oscar ≈

Cichlids · AstronotusLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Slow rivers and floodplains of the Amazon

Oscar

Astronotus ocellatus

Slow rivers and floodplains of the Amazon · flooded forest

Temperature
20–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
13 in · 33 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water and bottom
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
1+
Typical price
$15–40
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Jón Helgi Jónsson (Amything), CC BY-SA 3.0

Peacock bass

Peacock bass ≈

Cichlids · CichlaLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Araguaia and lower Tocantins drainages, Brazil

Peacock bass

Cichla kelberi

Araguaia and lower Tocantins drainages, Brazil · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
23 in · 58.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
1+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Igor Balashov, CC BY 4.0

Red top trewavasae

Red top trewavasae ≈

Cichlids · LabeotropheusLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities

Red top trewavasae

Labeotropheus trewavasae

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
4 in · 11.3 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
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: Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0

Red zebra

Red zebra ≈

Cichlids · MaylandiaLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Mozambique/Malawi east coast, Metangula and Minos Reef to Gome

Red zebra

Maylandia estherae

Lake Malawi: Mozambique/Malawi east coast, Metangula and Minos Reef to Gome · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
5 in · 13.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
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: Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0

Regan's julie

Regan's julie ≈

Cichlids · JulidochromisLC

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

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

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.

Photo: Regani, Public domain

Salvini cichlid

Salvini cichlid ≈

Cichlids · TrichromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Atlantic slope, S Mexico through Guatemala to Belize

Salvini cichlid

Trichromis salvini

Atlantic slope, S Mexico through Guatemala to Belize · river

Temperature
22–32°C
pH
7–8
Adult size
9 in · 22 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: geosesarma, CC BY 4.0

Saulosi

Saulosi ≈

Cichlids · ChindongoCR

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Taiwan Reef only, ~9 km NW of Chizumulu Island, Malawi

Saulosi

Chindongo saulosi

Lake Malawi: Taiwan Reef only, ~9 km NW of Chizumulu Island, Malawi · lake

Temperature
23–27°C
pH
7.4–8.4
Adult size
3 in · 8.6 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Critically endangered

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

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

Photo: Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 4.0

Severum

Severum ≈

Cichlids · HerosLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Amazon main channel/Solimões, Ucayali (Peru), Xingu

Severum

Heros efasciatus

Amazon main channel/Solimões, Ucayali (Peru), Xingu · river

Temperature
22–29°C
pH
5.5–7
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Rufus46, CC BY-SA 3.0

Similis shell-dweller

Similis shell-dweller ≈

Cichlids · Neolamprologus

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

Southern Lake Tanganyika (DR Congo, Tanzania): shell beds 10-45 m

Similis shell-dweller

Neolamprologus similis

Southern Lake Tanganyika (DR Congo, Tanzania): shell beds 10-45 m · lake

Temperature
24–27°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
1.8 in · 4.5 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+

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

Photo: berzentei, Yvonne Turkans, CC BY-SA 3.0

Yellow lab

Yellow lab ≈

Cichlids · LabidochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: NW coast; electric-yellow form only between Charo and Lion's Cove, Malawi

Yellow lab

Labidochromis caeruleus

Lake Malawi: NW coast; electric-yellow form only between Charo and Lion's Cove, Malawi · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.7–8.6
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-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: Jmatz at English Wikipedia ( Original text: Julian Matz ( talk ) ), CC BY-SA 3.0

Acei

Cichlids · Pseudotropheus

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: west-coast sandy shores, Nkhata Bay to Karonga and Senga Bay, Malawi

Acei

Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'

Lake Malawi: west-coast sandy shores, Nkhata Bay to Karonga and Senga Bay, Malawi · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
5 in · 12.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

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

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