Freshwater fishes
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.
Pará, Brazil. Sources differ on the exact river. · rapids
Cream with bold black spots and a spiny body. Grows to about 35 cm and is aggressive.
Photo: Whaldener Endo, CC0
Chindongo saulosi
Lake Malawi: Taiwan Reef only, ~9 km NW of Chizumulu Island, Malawi · lake
Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.
Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.
Photo: Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 4.0
Scobinancistrus aureatus
Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids
Yellow spots and orange fin edges. A big snail-eater that needs a large tank.
Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0
Cyphotilapia frontosa
Northern Lake Tanganyika: deep rocky slopes 15-70 m, Cape Tembwe to Bulu Point · lake
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
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Plecos · PanaqueRare
Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.
Panaque nigrolineatus
Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela · river
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
Leporacanthicus joselimai
Rio Tapajós, Brazil · rapids
White spots and white-tipped fins on black. Grows to about 20 cm and holds a cave firmly.
Photo: Thomas Siems, CC BY-SA 2.0
Apistogramma macmasteri
Upper Rio Meta (Guaytiquia and Metica rivers), Colombia · stream
Photo: Dnoerholm, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pseudacanthicus pirarara
Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids
Grey with scarlet fins. Can pass 60 cm, so it needs a tank of its own.
Photo: JSutton93, CC BY SA
Upper Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids
Blue-grey with fine white dots. Grows larger than it looks in the store.
Photo: EnjiBenji, CC0
Baryancistrus xanthellus
Rio Xingu, and the Rio Iriri for L177 · rapids
Black with yellow spots and gold fin edges. Grows larger than Hypancistrus and holds a territory.
Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Plecos · PseudacanthicusRare
Spotted cactus pleco with orange-edged fins.
Pseudacanthicus leopardus
Rupununi and Essequibo, Guyana, and the Rio Branco, Brazil · rapids
Spotted cactus pleco with orange-edged fins. Large, spiny and aggressive with other plecos.
Photo: Sesamehoneytart, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tropheus moorii
Lake Tanganyika: shallow rocky shorelines (many local colour forms) · lake
Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.
Photo: Bobby 111 (?), CC BY-SA 3.0
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Cichlids · ChindongoVU
Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.
Chindongo demasoni
Lake Malawi: Pombo Rocks, Tanzanian coast · lake
Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.
Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.
Photo: dinomariobob, CC0
Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus
Tocantins–Araguaia basin, Brazil · river
A sailfin that grows to about 30 cm and makes a lot of waste. Big tanks only.
Photo: 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0
Altolamprologus calvus
Lake Tanganyika: rocky shores and islands, mainly southwestern part · lake
Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.
Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.
Photo: 5snake5, CC0
Scobinancistrus cf. pariolispos
Xingu and Tapajós basins, Brazil · rapids
Fine pale spots on black. Large and rarely available.
Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0
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