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.

The fishes 52 fish · new every day

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

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

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

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

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

Borelli's dwarf cichlid

Borelli's dwarf cichlid ≈

Cichlids · ApistogrammaLC

Creeks of the Paraguay, lower Parana and Uruguay systems (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay)

Borelli's dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma borellii

Creeks of the Paraguay, lower Parana and Uruguay systems (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay) · stream

Temperature
20–26°C
pH
5–8
Adult size
2.6 in · 6.5 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Photo: Dornenwolf, CC BY 4.0

Betta (Siamese fighting fish)

Betta (Siamese fighting fish) ≈

Gouramis & bettas · Betta

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

Rice paddies and marshes of Thailand

Betta (Siamese fighting fish)

Betta splendens

Rice paddies and marshes of Thailand · swamp or paddy

Temperature
24–30°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
2.6 in · 6.5 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Top and mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
1+
Typical price
$8–40

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

Long fins. Fin nippers will pick on it.

Photo: ErgoSum88, Public domain

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