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 55 fish · new every day

Starlight bristlenose

L183
Starlight bristlenose ≈

Plecos · AncistrusUncommon

Black with white stars and white fin edges.

Rio Negro, Brazil

Starlight bristlenose

L183

Ancistrus dolichopterus

Rio Negro, Brazil · river

Temperature
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
6 in · 15 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Easy–moderate
Typical price
$25–80
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Black with white stars and white fin edges. The prettiest bristlenose, but it prefers cooler, soft water.

Photo: Alberto Mejia-Paniagua, CC BY NC SA

Flash pleco

L204
Flash pleco ≈

Plecos · PanaqolusUncommon

White vermiculation with orange-red fin edges.

Peruvian Amazon

Flash pleco

L204

Panaqolus albivermis

Peruvian Amazon · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 11 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$50–100
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

White vermiculation with orange-red fin edges. A wood-eater, so add driftwood and vegetables.

Photo: Hantanplan, CC0

Otocinclus

Otocinclus ≈

Catfish · OtocinclusStaple

Streams across South America

Otocinclus

Otocinclus vittatus

Streams across South America · stream

Temperature
21–27°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
1.6 in · 4 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Grazer
Group
6+
Typical price
$4–7
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Chle assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0

Tankei tiger

L398

Plecos · PanaqolusUncommon

A small banded wood-eater.

Rio Xingu, Brazil

Tankei tiger

L398

Panaqolus tankei

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$30–60
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

A small banded wood-eater. Add driftwood and vegetables.

Honeycomb bristlenose

L519

Plecos · AncistrusUncommon

A honeycomb-patterned bristlenose that Canadian hobbyists breed.

Rio Guaporé (Itenez), Bolivia–Brazil border

Honeycomb bristlenose

L519

Rio Guaporé (Itenez), Bolivia–Brazil border · river

Temperature
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Easy
Typical price
$30–60
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

A honeycomb-patterned bristlenose that Canadian hobbyists breed. Easy, but it prefers water a little cooler than L236.

King tiger

L066

Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

Bold cream worm-lines on black.

Rio Xingu, Brazil

King tiger

L066

Hypancistrus seideli

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5–7
Adult size
5 in · 11.7 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$40–80
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Bold cream worm-lines on black. Every fish is different, and it breeds readily.

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