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.

Orinoco 10 fish

Clown pleco

L104
Clown pleco ≈

Plecos · PanaqolusStaple

A small wood-eater with orange bands.

Orinoco basin, Venezuela and Colombia

Clown pleco

L104

Panaqolus maccus

Orinoco basin, Venezuela and Colombia · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 9 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$15–35
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

A small wood-eater with orange bands. Needs driftwood to rasp and tops out around 28°C.

Photo: Jarne Colman, CC0

Blue phantom

L128
Blue phantom ≈

Plecos · HemiancistrusRare

Blue-grey with fine white dots.

Upper Orinoco, Venezuela

Blue phantom

L128

Upper Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate–hard
Typical price
$80–200
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Blue-grey with fine white dots. Grows larger than it looks in the store.

Photo: EnjiBenji, CC0

Royal pleco

L190
Royal pleco ≈

Plecos · PanaqueRare

Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.

Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela

Royal pleco

L190

Panaque nigrolineatus

Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
16 in · 40 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$50–200
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.

Photo: Neale Monks, CC BY-SA 3.0

Green phantom

L200
Green phantom ≈

Plecos · HemiancistrusUncommon

Olive-green with yellow dots, a colour nothing else in the tank has.

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela

Green phantom

L200

Hemiancistrus subviridis

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
7 in · 18 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$60–150
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Olive-green with yellow dots, a colour nothing else in the tank has. Grazes algae and likes strong flow.

Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY SA

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf
Hi-fin green phantom ≈

Plecos · BaryancistrusRare

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal.

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf

Baryancistrus demantoides

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Hard
Typical price
$100–250
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal. Territorial, and rarely bred.

Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Orinoco angel

L201
Orinoco angel ≈

Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

Crisp white dots and white fin edges.

Middle Orinoco, Venezuela

Orinoco angel

L201

Hypancistrus cf. contradens

Middle Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Easy
Typical price
$25–60
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Crisp white dots and white fin edges. A classic first Hypancistrus.

Photo: thepigeongirl, CC BY NC

Altum angelfish

Altum angelfish ≈

Cichlids · PterophyllumLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Upper Rio Negro and upper Orinoco tributaries (Inírida, Atabapo), Colombia/Venezuela

Altum angelfish

Pterophyllum altum

Upper Rio Negro and upper Orinoco tributaries (Inírida, Atabapo), Colombia/Venezuela · blackwater stream

Temperature
28–32°C
pH
4.8–6.2
Adult size
7 in · 18 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
6+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Photo: Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 4.0

Three-beacon vampire

L091

Plecos · LeporacanthicusRare

Eats snails and holds a cave firmly.

Orinoco, Venezuela

Three-beacon vampire

L091

Leporacanthicus triactis

Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Hard
Typical price
$60–150
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Eats snails and holds a cave firmly. Can be rough with smaller plecos.

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