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 113 fish · new every day

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

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

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

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

Xingu royal

L027
Xingu royal ≈

Plecos · PanaqueRare

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins.

Rio Xingu and Tocantins, Brazil

Xingu royal

L027

Panaque armbrusteri

Rio Xingu and Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
16 in · 40 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$100–300
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins. Needs a very big tank.

Photo: JSutton93, CC BY-SA 4.0

Red-fin cactus

L024
Red-fin cactus ≈

Plecos · PseudacanthicusRare

Rio Tocantins, Brazil

Red-fin cactus

L024

Pseudacanthicus pitanga

Rio Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
16 in · 40 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$130–400
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Dark body with red fin edges. Large and aggressive.

Photo: B. Phalan, CC BY 4.0

Golden cloud

L048
Golden cloud ≈

Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

Xingu and Tapajós basins, Brazil

Golden cloud

L048

Scobinancistrus cf. pariolispos

Xingu and Tapajós basins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
12 in · 30 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$150–400
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Fine pale spots on black. Large and rarely available.

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Calvus

Calvus ≈

Cichlids · AltolamprologusNT

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part

Calvus

Altolamprologus calvus

Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part · lake

Temperature
24–27°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
5 in · 13.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Group
2+
Status in the wild
Near threatened

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

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

Photo: 5snake5, CC0

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

Gold spot pleco

L001
Gold spot pleco ≈

Plecos · PterygoplichthysRare

A sailfin that grows to about 30 cm and makes a lot of waste.

Tocantins–Araguaia basin, Brazil

Gold spot pleco

L001

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

Tocantins–Araguaia basin, Brazil · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
12 in · 30 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$15–80
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

A sailfin that grows to about 30 cm and makes a lot of waste. Big tanks only.

Photo: 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0

Tiger barb

Tiger barb ≈

Barbs · PuntigrusStaple

Fin nipper. Keep it away from long-finned fish.

Sumatra and Borneo

Tiger barb

Puntigrus tetrazona

Sumatra and Borneo · stream

Temperature
21–27°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
2.8 in · 7 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
6+
Typical price
$3–5
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Fin nipper. Keep it away from long-finned fish.

Photo: Ingvar-fed, CC BY-SA 3.0

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