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.

Common 55 fish

Deep water hap

Deep water hap ≈

Cichlids · PlacidochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: sandy bottoms below ~7 m at Likoma Island, Mara Point and Malawi coast south to Nekete

Deep water hap

Placidochromis electra

Lake Malawi: sandy bottoms below ~7 m at Likoma Island, Mara Point and Malawi coast south to Nekete · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
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: Paolo Neo, Public domain

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

Dwarf gourami

Dwarf gourami ≈

Gouramis & bettas · Trichogaster

Lone male. Males fight. Keep one, or give each his own space.

Slow, plant-choked waters of India and Bangladesh

Dwarf gourami

Trichogaster lalius

Slow, plant-choked waters of India and Bangladesh · swamp or paddy

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
2.8 in · 7 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Top and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
1+
Typical price
$6–12

Lone male. Males fight. Keep one, or give each his own space.

Photo: Kennyannydenny, 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

Firemouth cichlid

Firemouth cichlid ≈

Cichlids · ThorichthysLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Atlantic slope of S Mexico, Yucatán, Belize, Guatemala (Usumacinta)

Firemouth cichlid

Thorichthys meeki

Atlantic slope of S Mexico, Yucatán, Belize, Guatemala (Usumacinta) · river

Temperature
20–32°C
pH
6.5–8.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Konstantin Gerasimov, CC BY 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

Jack Dempsey

Jack Dempsey ≈

Cichlids · RocioLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Atlantic slope, S Mexico (Papaloapan) to Honduras (Ulúa)

Jack Dempsey

Rocio octofasciata

Atlantic slope, S Mexico (Papaloapan) to Honduras (Ulúa) · river

Temperature
20–30°C
pH
6.5–8
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Bernard DUPONT, 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

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