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 142 fish · new every day

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

Candy stripe

L015
Candy stripe ≈

Plecos · PeckoltiaUncommon

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands.

Lower Amazon and Xingu basins, Brazil

Candy stripe

L015

Peckoltia vittata

Lower Amazon and Xingu basins, Brazil · river

Temperature
25–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$30–70
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands. Peaceful, and a different genus from L236.

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

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

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

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

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

Red top trewavasae

Red top trewavasae ≈

Cichlids · LabeotropheusLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities

Red top trewavasae

Labeotropheus trewavasae

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
4 in · 11.3 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
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: Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0

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

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

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

Guppy

Guppy ≈

Livebearers · PoeciliaStaple

Long fins. Fin nippers will pick on it.

Trinidad and northern Venezuela

Guppy

Poecilia reticulata

Trinidad and northern Venezuela · stream

Temperature
22–28°C
pH
7–8.5
Adult size
2 in · 5 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Top and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
3+
Typical price
$2–8
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Long fins. Fin nippers will pick on it.

Photo: Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0

Balzanii

Balzanii ≈

Cichlids · GymnogeophagusLC

Paraná-Paraguay and lower Uruguay basins (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay)

Balzanii

Gymnogeophagus balzanii

Paraná-Paraguay and lower Uruguay basins (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay) · river

Temperature
21–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Group
3+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Photo: CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0

Showing 48 of 142