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

Keyhole cichlid

Keyhole cichlid ≈

Cichlids · CleithracaraLC

Blackwater coastal creeks of the Guianas, Orinoco delta and Trinidad

Keyhole cichlid

Cleithracara maronii

Blackwater coastal creeks of the Guianas, Orinoco delta and Trinidad · blackwater stream

Temperature
21–28°C
pH
4–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Photo: User:D.W., Public domain

Midas cichlid

Midas cichlid ≈

Cichlids · AmphilophusLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lakes and San Juan drainage of Nicaragua and Costa Rica

Midas cichlid

Amphilophus citrinellus

Lakes and San Juan drainage of Nicaragua and Costa Rica · lake

Temperature
21–26°C
pH
6–8
Adult size
14 in · 35 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
1+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0

Multies

Multies ≈

Cichlids · NeolamprologusLC

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

Lake Tanganyika: Neothauma snail-shell beds, usually 6-12 m

Multies

Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Lake Tanganyika: Neothauma snail-shell beds, usually 6-12 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
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

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

Photo: Richard A. Ingebrigtsen, CC BY-SA 3.0

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

Pearl gourami

Pearl gourami ≈

Gouramis & bettas · Trichopodus

Long fins. Fin nippers will pick on it.

Peat swamps of Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo

Pearl gourami

Trichopodus leerii

Peat swamps of Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo · swamp or paddy

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Top and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
1+
Typical price
$7–14

Long fins. Fin nippers will pick on it.

Photo: BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 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

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

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