List of freshwater aquarium fish species

A vast number of aquatic species have successfully adapted to live in the freshwater aquarium. This list gives some examples of the most common species found in home aquariums.

Bichirs and reedfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Gray bichir, Senegal bichir, or dinosaur bichir	Polypterus senegalus	70.0 cm (27.6 in) maximum length^[1]40.0 cm (16 in) in captivity^[2]	This species is known for predatory behavior toward tankmates.	25–28 °C (77–82 °F) ^[1]	6.0-8.0^[1]
Ornate bichir	Polypterus ornatipinnis	60 cm (24 in) maximum length ^[3]		26–28 °C (79–82 °F)^[3]	6.0–8.0
Retropinnis bichir	Polypterus retropinnis	34.0 cm (13.4 in)^[4]		26–28 °C (79–82 °F)	6.5–7.5
Reedfish	Erpetoichthys calabaricus	31.4 cm (12.4 in) at maturity, 37.0 centimetres (14.6 in) maximum length^[5]	Nocturnal, can slither around out of water as long as they stay wet.	22–28 °C (72–82 °F)^[5]	6.0–8.0^[5]

Catfish

Armored catfish including Aspidoras, Brochis, Callichthys, and Corydoras

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Brown-point shield skin longirostris	Aspidoras fuscoguttatus	3.8 cm (1.5 in)^[6]		22–25 °C (72–77 °F)^[6]	5.5–6.8^[6]
	Aspidoras lakoi	4 cm (1.6 in)^[7]
Loach catfish	Aspidoras rochai	4 cm (1.6 in) maximum length^[8]		21 - 25 degrees Celsius^[8]	6.0-7.5^[8]
Sixray corydoras, false corydoras	Aspidoras pauciradiatus	2.9 cm (1.1 in)^[9]		73–82 °F (23–28 °C)	6.0-7.2^[9]
Britski's catfish	Brochis britskii	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	Brochis is often synonymized with Corydoras.
Emerald catfish	Brochis splendens	10 cm (3.9 in)	Brochis is often synonymized with Corydoras.	70–82 °F (21–28 °C)	5.8-8.0^[10]
Hognosed brochis	Brochis multiradiatus	6.6 cm (2.6 in)	Brochis is often synonymized with Corydoras.
Cascarudo	Callichthys callichthys	20 cm (7.9 in)
Adolfo's catfish	Corydoras adolfoi	5.7 cm (2.2 in)		72–79 °F (22–26 °C)	6.0-7.0
Banded corydoras	Scleromystax barbatus	10 cm (3.9 in)
Masked corydoras, bandit corydoras	Corydoras metae	4.8 cm (1.9 in)		72–79 °F (22–26 °C)	6.0-7.0
Barred-tail corydoras	Corydoras cochui	2.5 cm (0.98 in)
Blackstripe corydoras	Corydoras bondi	4.7 cm (1.9 in)
Blacktop corydoras	Corydoras acutus	4.4 cm (1.7 in)
Blue corydoras	Corydoras nattereri	5.4 cm (2.1 in)
Bluespotted corydoras	Corydoras melanistius	5.1 cm (2.0 in)
Bronze corydoras	Corydoras aeneus	6.35 cm (2.50 in)	The albino strain of C. aeneus is common among aquarists.	77 °F to 82 ° (25 °C to 28 °C)
Caracha	Corydoras atropersonatus	4.5 cm (1.8 in)
Ehrhardt's corydoras	Corydoras ehrhardti	4.1 cm (1.6 in)
Evelyn's cory	Corydoras evelynae	4 cm (1.6 in)
	Corydoras geoffroy	7 cm (2.8 in)
	Corydoras latus	5.2 cm (2.0 in)
Loxozonus cory	Corydoras loxozonus	4.9 cm (1.9 in)
Corydoras nain	Corydoras nanus	4.5 cm (1.8 in)
Long nosed arched cory	Corydoras narcissus	6.5 cm (2.6 in)
	Corydoras ornatus	4.9 cm (1.9 in)
	Corydoras osteocarus	4 cm (1.6 in)
	Corydoras polystictus	3.2 cm (1.3 in)
	Scleromystax prionotos	5.3 cm (2.1 in)
	Corydoras semiaquilus	6.0 cm (2.4 in)
	Corydoras septentrionalis	4.9 cm (1.9 in)
	Corydoras simulatus	4.9 cm (1.9 in)
	Corydoras undulatus	4.4 cm (1.7 in)
Dwarf corydoras	Corydoras hastatus	3.5 cm (1.4 in)
Elegant corydoras	Corydoras elegans	5.1 cm (2.0 in)
False network catfish	Corydoras sodalis	4.9 cm (1.9 in)
False spotted catfish	Corydoras leucomelas	4.5 cm (1.8 in)
Green gold catfish	Corydoras melanotaenia	5.8 cm (2.3 in)
Guapore corydoras	Corydoras guapore	4.1 cm (1.6 in)
Mosaic corydoras, reticulated corydoras	Corydoras haraldschultzi	5.9 cm (2.3 in)^[11]
Mosaic corydoras, reticulated corydoras	Corydoras reticulatus	5.1–6.1 cm (2.0–2.4 in)
Panda corydoras	Corydoras panda	3.8–5.1 cm (1.5–2.0 in)			6.0-8.0^[12]
Pastaza corydoras	Corydoras pastazensis	6.4–7.1 cm (2.5–2.8 in)
Peppered corydoras	Corydoras paleatus	5.1–7.6 cm (2.0–3.0 in)
Pink corydoras	Corydoras axelrodi	4–5 cm (1.5–2 in)
Pygmy corydoras	Corydoras pygmaeus	2.5–3.3 cm (0.98–1.30 in)
Sailfin corydoras	Corydoras macropterus
Salt and pepper catfish	Corydoras habrosus	2.5–3.6 cm (0.98–1.42 in)
Schwartz's catfish	Corydoras schwartzi	3.8–5.1 cm (1.5–2.0 in)
Spotted corydoras, longnose corydoras	Corydoras ambiacus	5.1–6.1 cm (2.0–2.4 in)
Sterba's corydoras	Corydoras sterbai	6.8 cm (2.7 in)^[13]
Sychr's catfish	Corydoras sychri
Tailspot corydoras	Corydoras caudimaculatus	4–5 cm (1.5–2 in)
Threestripe corydoras, leopard catfish	Corydoras trilineatus	6.1 cm (2.4 in)^[14]
Xingu corydoras	Corydoras xinguensis	3.8–5.1 cm (1.5–2.0 in)
Julii corydoras	Corydoras julii	5.1–6.4 cm (2.0–2.5 in)
Flagtail catfish	Dianema urostriatum	12.5 cm (4.9 in)	Originated from the Amazon Basin.	77° – 82 °F (25° – 28 °C)	6.0-8.0

Armored suckermouth catfish (plecos)

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Bristlenose pleco, bushynose pleco	Ancistrus spp.	13 cm (5 in)^[15]	The bristlenose genus has at least 59 identified species and many others yet to be named.	70-80 F (20-27 C)	\|
Gold nugget pleco	Baryancistrus spp.		Many species of this fish exist, but are not yet officially identified; the three common aquarium species are known as L-018, L-081, and L-177.	77-86 F (25-30 C)	\|
Whiptail catfish	Rineloricaria spp.		20 species
Twig catfish	Farlowella spp.		at least 20 species
Panaque	Panaque spp.		Several species of panaque are popular aquarium fish.
Pineapple pleco, orange cheek pleco	Pseudorinelepis spp.		four species
Common pleco, suckermouth catfish, Amazon sailfin catfish	Pterygoplichthys pardalis	16 cm (6.3 in)	One of the several fish sold under this name; there is also an albino variation.
Common pleco, suckermouth catfish	Hypostomus punctatus		One of the several fish sold under this name.
Common pleco, suckermouth catfish	Hypostomus plecostomus	50 cm (20 in)	One of the several fish sold under this name.
Leopard sailfin pleco, clown sailfin pleco	Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps		Other related fish also share this common name.
Zebra pleco, L-046	Hypancistrus zebra
Sailfin catfish	Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus
Golden dwarf sucker, golden oto	Macrotocinclus affinis	5 cm (2 in)	A peaceful algae eater. Keep in groups of three or more.
Zebra dwarf sucker, zebra oto	Otocinclus cocama
Goldspot ancistrus albino	Ancistrus sp. gold albino	12 cm (4.7 in)

Airbreathing catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Walking catfish	Clarias batrachus		50 cm (19.5 in)	The albino form is common in the aquarium trade. This fish can survive out of the water and "walk" as long as kept wet, for a very long time.

Banjo catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Banjo catfish	Bunocephalus coracoideus		2–15 cm

Talking catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Striped Raphael	Platydoras armatulus
Spotted raphael	Agamyxis pectinifrons		Females at around 6 in, males slightly smaller around 5.5 in	This species mainly feeds on algae. It needs a cave, and will feed when the aquarium light is out.

Squeakers and upside-down catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Cuckoo squeaker	Synodontis multipunctatus	27.5 cm (10.8 in)
Decorated squeaker	Synodontis decorus
Even-Spotted squeaker	Synodontis petricola	10 cm (3.9 in)
Featherfin squeaker	Synodontis eupterus
Lake Malawi syno	Synodontis njassae
Polka dot syno	Synodontis angelicus
Common syno, false upside-down catfish	Synodontis nigrita
Upside-down catfish	Synodontis nigriventris	9.6 cm (3.8 in)	S. nigriventris prefers bottom feeding on Tubifex, but its main diet consists of algae.

Shark catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Iridescent shark	Pangasius hypophthalmus		1 to 1.2 meters (almost 4 feet)	Albino form is common in the aquarium trade, needs a large aquarium
Chao Phraya giant shark, giant pangasius	Pangasius sanitwongsei		Over 60 inches	The dwarf "balloon" form available is critically endangered.

Sea catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Colombian shark catfish	Arius seemanni
Berney's shark catfish	Arius berneyi
Australian shark catfish	Arius graeffei

Sheatfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Glass catfish	Kryptopterus vitreolus		8 cm (3.1 in).	Needs to be kept in a group of five or more. Needs generous amounts of plants.
Butter catfish, two-spot catfish	Ompok bimaculatus		45 cm (18 in)	This fish appears very similar to Kryptopterus bicirrhis.

Bagrid catfishes

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Crystal-eyed catfish	Hemibagrus wyckii	71 cm (28 in)	highly aggressive and must be kept alone
Asian redtail catfish	Hemibagrus wyckioides	130 cm (51 in)	highly aggressive and must be kept alone
Sun catfish	Horabagrus brachysoma	45 cm (18 in)

Long-whiskered catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
	Leiarius marmoratus	100 cm (39 in)
	Leiarius pictus	60 cm (24 in)
Redtail catfish	Phractocephalus hemioliopterus	120 cm (3.9 ft)	Needs a 300 US gallons (1,100 L) tank when mature
Spotted pimelodus, pictus, pictus catfish	Pimelodus pictus	30 cm (12 in)	These catfish are very appealing when small, but may grow somewhat large. Their mouths look small, but may eat smaller fish, as they can open their mouths very wide.
Ornate Pimelodus	Pimelodus ornatus
Sturgeon catfish	Platystomatichthys sturio
Barred sorubim	Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum	104 cm (3.41 ft)	Easy to confuse with P. tigrinum.
Tiger sorubim	Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum	130 cm (4.3 ft)	This fish is easy to confuse with P. fasciatum.
Firewood catfish, (planiceps) shovelnose catfish	Sorubimichthys planiceps	178 cm (70 in)	The largest of the shovelnoses, this catfish grows huge and will need a 450 US gallons (1,700 L) min when mature.
Lima shovelnose catfish	Sorubium lima	90 cm (3.0 ft)	Although they are smaller than the tiger shovelnose, these catfish are extremely aggressive and extremely fast.

North American catfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size
Blue catfish	Ictalurus furcatus	1.65 m (5.4 ft)
Black bullhead	Ameiurus melas
Stonecat	Noturus flavus

Characins and other characiformes

Tetras

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Black phantom tetra	Hyphessobrycon megalopterus	4.5 cm (1.8 in)	the black phantom tetra enjoy being in groups of 6 or more and a slightly shaded tank. Males may claim small territories and occasionally minor battles may occur. The Phantom tetra goes well with other tetras of similar size. They also prefer floating plants.
Black neon tetra	Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi	4 cm (1.6 in)	This fish is similar to the neon tetra other than coloration.
Black tetra, Skirt tetra	Gymnocorymbus ternetzi	5 cm (2.0 in)	A highly spirited fish that may occasionally chase its own species as well as harass slow moving fish with long fins. This fish is very hardy and can stand a variety of water qualities. Disease is not a big problem with the black tetra. The black tetra is also known as the black skirt tetra. The female black tetra is more robust and larger than the male.
Bleeding heart tetra	Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma	6.5 cm (2.6 in)	The bleeding heart tetra is distinguished by the small red spot on both sides of the fish. This fish is very prone to diseases, and can grow larger than most tetra species. It is not recommended for beginners.
Bloodfin tetra	Aphyocharax anisitsi	5 cm (2.0 in)	The Bloodfin tetra is distinguished by its red fins. This fish is generally peaceful. It will school with similarly sized and tempered fish.
Blue tetra	Knodus borki	5 cm (2.0 in)
Bucktooth tetra	Exodon paradoxus	5 cm (2.0 in)	Exodon paradoxus will eat smaller fish and harass larger fish, lepidophage (scale eater).
Buenos Aires tetra	Hyphessobrycon anisitsi	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	Hyphessobrycon anisitsi has some reputation as a "fin nipper" but this trend may vary among individual fish.
Cardinal tetra	Paracheirodon axelrodi	5 cm (2.0 in)
Cave tetra, blind tetra	Astyanax mexicanus	12 cm (4.7 in)	The cave tetra is the blind cave form of the Mexican tetra. The blind cave tetra is easy to care for and is hardy. The fish is born with eyes, but they quickly deteriorate leaving behind two scars where the eyes once were. The blind tetra needs to be in a shoal in order to show peaceful behavior, and to prevent fin nipping. Despite their lack of eyes, the blind cave tetra can easily avoid other fish and obstacles in the tank. This tetra prefers low to moderate lighting.
Congo tetra, Lufundi (native name)	Phenacogrammus interruptus	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	Sufficiently peaceful for home aquariums, though it may bite fishes smaller than its size. It is more comfortable in indirect light. Over-head lighting is preferred and under no circumstances should light be directed at the front or rear glass.
Diamond tetra	Moenkhausia pittieri
Emperor tetra	Nematobrycon palmeri	5 cm (2.0 in)
Garnet tetra, pretty tetra	Hemigrammus pulcher	6.5 cm (2.6 in)
Glowlight tetra	Hemigrammus erythrozonus	3.75 cm (1.48 in)
Golden pristella tetra	Pristella maxillaris	5 cm (2.0 in)
Green neon tetra	Paracheirodon simulans	2.5 cm (0.98 in)
Head and tail light tetra	Hemigrammus ocellifer	4 cm (1.6 in)
Lemon tetra	Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis	5 cm (2.0 in)	Very likely to jump out of the tank unless there are some floating aquatic plants
Long-fin tetra	Brycinus longipinnis	12.5 cm (4.9 in)
Neon tetra	Paracheirodon innesi	3.75 cm (1.48 in)	The neon tetra is sensitive towards water quality and is susceptible to many freshwater diseases. However, the fish is very peaceful and will not attack another member of the tank. Females are larger than the males. Due to their small size, the neon tetra should not be kept with large fish. Neon tetras are also very delicate and any harassment they may receive can result in death. This can be prevented by putting them with other small community fish or fish known to ignore their tankmates. The neon tetra feels the most comfortable when in groups.
Jellybean tetra	Ladigesia roloffi		Smaller even than the neon tetra. This mid west African species is a favoured species for the nano-aquarium.
Penguin tetra, blackline penguinfish	Thayeria boehlkei	6.5 cm (2.6 in)
Red Eye tetra	Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae	4 cm (1.6 in)
Red phantom tetra		4.5 cm (1.8 in)
Rummy-nose tetra	Hemigrammus rhodostomus	5 cm (2.0 in)
Disk tetra	Myleus schomburgkii	40 cm (16 in)		23 °C to 27 °C	5.0–7.0
Splashing tetra	Copella arnoldi
Serpae tetra	Hyphessobrycon serpae	4.5 cm (1.8 in)	This fish may nip the fins of slow-moving fish or fish smaller than it. It is best put with other large tetras or with fish of similar size or larger.
Silvertip tetra	Hasemania nana	3 cm (1.2 in)	Silvertip tetras tend to be moderately aggressive and, because of their small size, should not be kept with large or aggressive fish.
X-ray tetra	Pristella maxillaris		Also just called the X-ray fish.
Yellow phantom tetra	Hyphessobrycon roseus	4.5 cm (1.8 in)	M aroni and Oyapock Rivers, French Guiana, South America. Most specimens in the trade are captive-bred. Female fish are slightly larger than males in fish of the same age. Will acclimatise to a wide range of conditions. pH: 6.0–7.5, dH: up to 25 degrees. Yellow Phantom tetras should be kept in shoals of six or more fish. The aquarium should be well-planted with rooted and floating plants in order to provide much-appreciated shady areas. They are usually peaceful with most other fish species, although there are reports of some specimens being a little nippy, so long-finned tank-mates are best avoided. Will eagerly accept most aquarium foods offered: flake, micro-pellets, small frozen foods such as daphnia and cyclops.A conditioned pair should be added to a specially set up breeding aquarium which should contain soft water with a pH below 6.5 and plenty of live plants, including Java moss. Once the eggs have been released or fertilised, the parents should be removed. The eggs should hatch after 24 hours, and after five days the fry will become free-swimming. The tiny fry should be fed on infusoria for the first week, followed by finely powdered first foods and baby brine shrimp.

Hatchetfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Common hatchetfish	Gasteropelecus sternicla
Silver hatchetfish	Gasteropelecus levis		Peaceful and dwells at the top of the tank in schools. Rarely breeds in captivity. This powerful leaper can easily jump out of an aquarium, so keep only in a fully covered tank.
Marbled hatchetfish	Carnegiella strigata	5 cm (2.0 in)	Peaceful and dwells at the top of the tank in schools. Rarely breeds in captivity. This powerful leaper can easily jump out of an aquarium, so keep only in a fully covered tank.
Black-winged hatchetfish	Carnegiella marthae	4 cm (1.6 in)	Peaceful and dwells at the top of the tank in schools. The most hardy of all the hatchetfish, but not the most plentiful. Does not breed in captivity. This powerful leaper can easily jump out of an aquarium, so keep only in a fully covered tank.

Pencil fishes

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Beckford pencilfish	Nannostomus beckfordi		6 cm (2.4 in)
Three-lined pencilfish	Nannostomus trifasciatus		5 cm (2.0 in)	Males defend small territories. Otherwise a peaceful species.

Headstanders

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Marbled headstander	Abramites hypselonotus		13 cm (5.1 in)	Keep either one headstander or a group of seven or more as they will fight amongst themselves in small groups.

Serrasalminae (pacus, piranhas, and silver dollars)

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range
Silver dollar	Metynnis argenteus	15 cm (5.9 in)	The name "silver dollar" may also refer to Metynnis hypsauchen, Metynnis maculatus, or other related fishes. It will chew and eat plants.
Red-bellied pacu	Colossoma bidens	120 cm (3.9 ft)	The red-bellied pacu is a close relative of the piranhas, but without the sharp teeth and the aggression. However, care should be taken if interacting physically with the pacu, as their powerful jaws can crush human bone. The pacu is a peaceful fish that requires at least a 750-liter (200-gallon) tank when fully mature. It is omnivorous and can be put with large cichlids, but avoid smaller fish. Despite their similar appearance to piranhas, the pacu is not suited to eat meat very well, as their natural diets of nuts suggest. This fish can grow to 1.2 m (3.9 ft), so need a very large tank (750 l or 200 gal minimum). This fish grows very fast, and can grow as much as one foot in the first year.	78–82 °F (26–28 °C)
Red piranha	Pygocentrus nattereri	33 cm (13 in)	Be very careful when conducting maintenance on their aquarium and hide any wires because they may chew through the waterproof coverings.
Payara	Hydrolycus scomberoides		Need a large aquarium and are entirely carnivorous and most fish shouldn't be kept with them, including the related piranha because it may eat piranhas.

Other Characins

Common name	Taxonomy	Image	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
African pike characin	Hepsetus odoe
Red tail barracuda	Acestrorhynchus falcatus

Cichlids

Lake Malawi cichlids

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Sunshine peacock cichlid	Aulonocara baenschi	15 cm (5.9 in)	Beautiful coloration on males
Red fin hap	Copadichromis borleyi
Eureka red peacock	Aulonocara jacobfreibergi	15 cm (5.9 in)	Beautiful coloration on males
Spilo	Champsochromis spilorhynchus	40 cm (16 in)
Blue dolphin cichlid, lumphead cichlid	Cyrtocara moorii	25 cm (9.8 in)
Afra cichlid, dogtooth cichild	Cynotilapia afra	10 cm (3.9 in)
Rusty cichlid, lavender cichild	Iodotropheus sprengerae	10 cm (3.9 in)
Fuelleborn's cichlid, Blue mbuna	Labeotropheus fuelleborni	18 cm (7.1 in)
Electric yellow cichlid	Labidochromis caeruleus	20 cm (7.9 in)	Very active fish, need many rock caves to allow establishment of territories, less aggressive than other mbuna
Electric blue cichlid	Sciaenochromis fryeri
Malawi eyebiter	Dimidiochromis compressiceps
Hongi, Red-top kimpumpa	Labidochromis sp. "Hongi"	13 cm (5.1 in)
	Labidochromis sp. "Mbamba Bay"	13 cm (5.1 in)
Auratus cichlid, Malawi golden cichlid	Melanochromis auratus	10 cm (3.9 in)	Aggressive
Chipokee cichlid	Melanochromis chipokae	12 cm (4.7 in)	Aggressive
Blue johanni cichlid, Maingano	Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos	10 cm (3.9 in)	Very active fish, need many rock caves to allow establishment of territories. Aggressive
Pearl of Likoma	Melanochromis joanjohnsonae	10 cm (3.9 in)
Aurora	Melanochromis aurora	10 cm (3.9 in)
Red zebra cichlid	Metriaclima estherae	10 cm (3.9 in)	Very active fish, need many rock caves to allow establishment of territories
Cobalt blue cichlid, cobalt zebra cichlid	Maylandia callainos	10 cm (3.9 in)	Very active fish, need many rock caves to allow establishment of territories
Kenyi cichlid	Maylandia lombardoi	13 cm (5.1 in)	Aggressive; sexually dichromatic
Fusco	Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus	25 cm (9.8 in)
Livingston's cichlid	Nimbochromis livingstonii	25 cm (9.8 in)
Kaligono	Nimbochromis polystigma	30 cm (12 in)
Venustus cichlid, giraffe cichild	Nimbochromis venustus	25 cm (9.8 in)	'giraffe' spotting is juvenile coloration only
Red empress cichlid	Protomelas taeniolatus	15 cm (5.9 in)
Bumblebee cichlid, hornet cichlid	Pseudotropheus crabro	15 cm (5.9 in)
Yellow-tail acei	Pseudotropheus acei	10 cm (3.9 in)
Johanni cichlid	Pseudotropheus johannii	10 cm (3.9 in)	Aggressive
Dwarf Mbuna	Pseudotropheus demasoni	10 cm (3.9 in)
Saulosi	Pseudotropheus saulosi	7.5 cm (3.0 in)
Malawi barracuda	Rhampsochromis cf. macrophthalmus	23 cm (9.1 in)
	Tyrannochromis macrostoma	38 cm (15 in)

Lake Tanganyika cichlids

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
	Boulengerochromis microlepis	90 cm (35 in)	The largest cichlid
Frontosa cichild	Cyphotilapia frontosa	40 cm (16 in)	Aggressive; well-known
	Cyathopharynx furcifer		Not readily available in the aquarium trade.
	Variabilichromis moorii
Frontosa cichild	Cyphotilapia gibberosa	40 cm (16 in)	The frontosa have recently been broken up into three separate species. The gibberosa come from the southern part of the Lake
Frontosa cichild	Cyphotilapia sp. "North"	40 cm (16 in)	This yet to be officially named species is intermediate in scale count between gibberosa and frontosa.
Julie cichlid	Julidochromis dickfeldi		Beautiful; interesting
Masked Julie	Julidochromis marlieri	15 cm (5.9 in) fem / 10 cm (3.9 in) male	Striking coloration
Julie cichlid	Julidochromis ornatus
Julie cichlid	Julidochromis regani	15 cm (5.9 in) fem / 10 cm (3.9 in) male
Julie cichlid	Julidochromis transcriptus	10 cm (3.9 in)	Striking coloration
Herring cichlid, sardine cichlid	Cyprichromis spp.
	Ectodus descampsii
	Chalinochromis spp.
	Neolamprologus multifasciatus	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	A small shell-dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika. Distinguished from the similar L. similis by the lack of striping on the face
	Lamprologus ocellatus	5 cm (2.0 in)
	Neolamprologus similis	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	A small shell-dwelling cichlid from Lake Tanganyika. Very similar to N. multifsciatus but similis has striping from the body continue to the head
	Lobochilotes labiatus	40 cm (16 in)
Lyretail cichlid, fairy cichlid	Neolamprologus brichardi	10 cm (3.9 in)
Lemon cichlid	Neolamprologus leleupi	11.5 cm (4.5 in)
Featherfin	Ophthalmotilapia ventralis	15 cm (5.9 in)
	Petrochromis trewavasae	20 cm (7.9 in)	Aggressive
	Petrochromis sp. "Zaire Texas"	18 cm (7.1 in)
	Simochromis pleurospilus	10 cm (3.9 in)
	Tropheus duboisi	13 cm (5.1 in)	Males very aggressive; juveniles distinctively colored
	Tropheus moorii	14 cm (5.5 in)
	Tropheus polli	14 cm (5.5 in)

Lake Victoria cichlids

Common name	Taxonomy	Size
	Astatotilapia aenocolor	13 cm (5.1 in)
	Astatotilapia elegans	10 cm (3.9 in)
Zebra obliquidens	Astatotilapia latifasciata	11.5 cm (4.5 in)
	Astatotilapia nubila	11.5 cm (4.5 in)
	Astatotilapia piceatus	10 cm (3.9 in)
	Astatotilapia schubotziellus	10 cm (3.9 in)
	Astatotilapia sp. "Red Tail"	11.5 cm (4.5 in)
	Astatotilapia sp. "Spot Bar"	13 cm (5.1 in)
Hippo Point Salmon	Ptyochromis sp. "Hippo Point Salmon"	14 cm (5.5 in)
Flameback	Pundamilia nyererei	10 cm (3.9 in)
	Xystichromis phytophagus	10 cm (3.9 in)

Miscellaneous African cichlids (non-Rift Lake)

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
African butterfly cichlid	Anomalochromis thomasi
Jewel cichlid, two-spotted jewel cichlid	Hemichromis bimaculatus	4-5 inch	other hemichromis species are sometimes sold under the same name
	Steatocranus spp.
Lifalili jewel cichlid, blood-red jewel cichlid	Hemichromis lifalili
Kribensis, krib	Pelvicachromis pulcher		Readily breed in small aquaria. Aggressive and territorial towards other fishes especially its own kind during mating and after spawning
Zebra tilapia	Tilapia buttikoferi
Guenther's Mouthbrooder	Chromidotilapia guentheri
Allauad's haplo	Astatoreochromis alluaudi
Pale usisya aulonocara	Aulonocara steveni
	Benthochromis tricoti

Dwarf cichlids (apistogrammas, rams and others)

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid	Apistogramma agassizii
Zebra acara	Nannacara adoketa
Yellow dwarf cichlid	Apistogramma borellii
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid	Apistogramma cacatuoides
Panda dwarf cichlid	Apistogramma nijsseni
Three-Stripe Dwarf Cichlid	Apistogramma trifasciata
	Apistogramma eremnopyge
Two-Stripe Dwarf Cichlid	Apistogramma bitaeniata	7.5 cm (3.0 in)
Checkerboard Cichlid	Dicrossus filamentosus
Blue ram, German ram	Mikrogeophagus ramirezi		Fairly common
Bolivian ram	Mikrogeophagus altispinosa
Dwarf flag cichlid	Laetacara curviceps

American cichlids (cichlasomas, acaras, angelfish, discuses and others)

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Midas cichild, red devil cichlid	Amphilophus citrinellus		Note that Amphilophus labiatus is also called red devil cichlid
Poor man's tropheus	Hypsophrys nematopus
Red devil cichlid	Amphilophus labiatus		Note that Amphilophus citrinellus is also called red devil cichlid
Firemouth cichlid	Cichlasoma meeki		Typically medium aggression; easily bred
Jack Dempsey cichlid	Cichlasoma octofasciatum
Jaguar cichlid, managuense cichlid	Parachromis managuensis		Exceptionally beautiful adult coloration; large adult size
Mayan cichlid	Cichlasoma urophthalmus
Convict cichlid	Archocentrus nigrofasciatus		Common, very easy to breed, aggressive. A beautiful fish with bad temper. Small variations in colors, can be found in almost completely black and white coloration - therefore the name "Convict"
T-bar cichlid	Cryptoheros sajica
Severum	Heros severus		the gold variety is more common than the natural green one
Green terror	Andinoacara rivulatus		Fairly common
Blue acara	Andinoacara pulcher
Thread-finned acara	Acarichthys heckelii
Eartheater cichlid	Geophagus altifrons
Greenstreaked Eartheater, cupid cichlid	Biotodoma cupido
Keyhole cichlid	Cleithracara maronii
Angelfish	Pterophyllum scalare	15 cm (5.9 in)	several color varieties; this species is the common angelfish in the aquarium trade. Angelfish can grow up to fifteen centimetres (six inches), and therefore should be housed in a large aquarium. Angelfish should be kept alone, or kept with three or more. This is because that if two are kept together, the larger fish will pick on the smaller fish. Angelfish are not as hardy as other cichlids and should not be kept with small fish such as neon tetras. However, just the opposite is true: Angelfish should not be kept with fish that may nip and annoy it such as some large tetras.
Altum angelfish	Pterophyllum altum
Spotted angelfish	Pterophyllum leopoldi
Common discus, red discus	Symphysodon discus	20 cm (7.9 in)	various color varieties, the discus requires high water quality and a varied diet. Do not keep with fast fish as the discus is a slow eater and will not fight for food. Despite their beauty, the discus is one of the least hardy aquarium fishes available. This fish should only be kept by the experienced aquarium keeper.
Blue discus, green discus	Symphysodon aequifasciatus	20 cm (7.9 in)	fancy hybrids of this species and Symphysodon discus can also be found in trade
Chocolate cichlid	Hypselecara temporalis
Oscar	Astronotus ocellatus	45 cm (18 in)	has different varieties including long-fin, albino, golden, etc. The oscar cichlid is fast growing and can grow to a very large size when mature, and therefore should be housed in a large aquarium. The oscar can be messy to look after as they love to dig up plants and scoop up rocks. The oscar should be put with fish of similar size as they will eat any fish that can fit in their mouth. The oscar prefers to be with members of its own species, but this is not a necessity for its well being. The oscar is one of the more hardy cichlids, and can be put with other large cichlids, pacus, large plecos, large sharks, and other large fish.
Uaru, waroo	Uaru amphiacanthoides		Also known as the Triangle Ciclid.
Peacock bass, butterfly peacock bass	Cichla orinocensis
Texas cichlid, Rio Grande cichlid	Herichthys cyanoguttatus		Large adult size

Other cichlids

Common name	Taxonomy	Picture	Size	Remarks
Orange chromide	Etroplus maculatus
Blood parrot cichlid	- Hybrid -			In the scientific community it is not considered a cichlid (or any species of fish) because it does not occur naturally in the wild (created by man), for this reason it will not be given a scientific name.
Flowerhorn cichlid	- Hybrid -		25 cm (9.8 in)	In the scientific community it is not considered a cichlid (or any species of fish) because it does not occur naturally in the wild (created by man), for this reason it will not be given a scientific name. This is also an aggressive fish and does best in a species-only setup.
Flowerhorn Kingkamfa	Hybrid	Kingkamfa flowerhorn	20 cm (8")	Adult size. This male flowerhorn is result of many cross breeding. Many male flowerhorns are sterile^[16]
Wolf cichlid	Parachromis dovii

Cyprinids

Barbs

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Arulius barb	Dawkinsia arulius	12 cm (4.7 in)
Bigspot barb, Duncker's barb	Barbodes dunckeri	13 cm (5.1 in)	Peaceful when small but should not be kept with other species at adulthood.
Black ruby barb	Pethia nigrofasciatus	6.5 cm (2.6 in)
Checker barb	Oliotus oligolepis	5 cm (2.0 in)
Cherry barb	Puntius titteya	4.8 cm (1.9 in)	very peaceful, and works well with white clouds and neon tetras
Clipper barb	Enteromius callipterus	7.5 cm (3.0 in)
Clown barb	Barbodes everetti	15 cm (5.9 in)
Denison's barb, red line torpedo barb	Sahyadria denisonii	15 cm (5.9 in)
Fiveband barb, pentazona barb	Desmopuntius pentazona	5 cm (2.0 in)	this species may be confused with tiger barb due to similarities
Gold barb	Barbodes semifasciolatus	8 cm (3.1 in)
Golden barb	Pethia gelius	5 cm (2.0 in)
Greenstripe barb	Puntius vittatus	5 cm (2.0 in)
Indian Glass Barb	Laubuca laubuca	6.7 cm (2.6 in)
Melon barb	Puntius fasciatus	15 cm (5.9 in)
Odessa barb	Puntius padamya	8 cm (3.1 in)
Onespot barb	Puntius terio	15 cm (5.9 in)
Panda barb	Puntius fasciatus	5 inches
Pool barb	Puntius sophore	18 cm (7.1 in)
Partipentazona barb	Puntigrus partipentazona	3.8 cm (1.5 in)
Rosy barb	Pethia conchonius	13 cm (5.1 in)
Shortfin barb	Barbus brevipinnis	4.6 cm (1.8 in)
Snakeskin barb	Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus	3.5 inches
Spanner barb, t-barb	Barbodes lateristriga	20 cm (7.9 in)
Spotted barb, common barb	Barbodes binotatus	19.5 cm (7.7 in)
Spottedsail barb, dwarf barb	Pethia phutunio	7.8 cm (3.1 in)
Swamp barb	Puntius chola	15 cm (5.9 in)
Ticto barb	Barbus ticto	10 cm (3.9 in)
Tic-tac-toe barb	Puntius stoliczkanus	5 cm (2.0 in)
Tiger barb, sumatra barb	Puntius tetrazona	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	There are many varieties as well as hybrids with other barbs. Good community schooling fish. Can be aggressive if kept in small numbers, aim for a group of 6 or more.
Tinfoil barb	Barbonymus schwanenfeldii	36 cm (14 in)	This species is much larger than most other barbs

Cold-water cyprinids

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Goldfish	Carassius auratus	15+ cm (6+ in)	variations: Black Moor, Bubble Eye, Butterfly Tail, Calico, Celestial Eye, Comet, Common, Fantail, Lionchu, Lionhead, Oranda, Panda Moor, Pearlscale, Pompom, Ranchu, Ryukin, Shubunkin, Telescope eye, Veiltail
Koi, common carp	Cyprinus carpio	30+ cm (12+ in)	the fancy variations of common carp are known as koi.
Bitterling	Rhodeus amarus	10 cm (4 in)
White Cloud Mountain minnow	Tanichthys albonubes	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	lutino variety can also be found in the aquarium trade
Common dace	Leuciscus leuciscus	40 cm (16 in)		39 to 72 °F (4 to 22 °C)	6.0 to 8.0
Rosy red minnow, fathead minnow	Pimephales promelas	5–7.5 cm (2.0–3.0 in)	sold as feeder fish; the gold variety known as "rosy red" is very common (the image is of the "rosy red" strain)	10–21 °C (50–70 °F)	7.0 - 7.5
European minnow	Phoxinus phoxinus
Southern redbelly dace	Phoxinus erythrogaster	7.5–10 cm (3.0–3.9 in)
Tench	Tinca tinca		A few color varieties have been made from the wild species, even some multicolored.
Golden orfe	Leuciscus idus

Danios and other danionins

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Bengal danio, Sind danio	Devario devario
Giant danio	Devario aequipinnatus
Malabar danio	Devario malabaricus	11.5–14 cm (4.5–5.5 in)
Pearl danio	Danio albolineatus	6.5 cm (2.6 in)	subspecies:blue-redstripe danio, Kedah danio
Queen danio	Devario regina
Spotted danio	Danio nigrofasciatus
Turquoise danio	Danio kerri
Zebra danio	Danio rerio	5 cm (2.0 in)	there are many variations of this fish: leopard danio, the spotted colour morph, and GloFish, the genetically modified fluorescent fish.

Rasboras

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range
Harlequin rasbora	Trigonostigma heteromorpha	5 cm (2.0 in)	Also known as Harlequin tetra or Harlequin barb.
Espei rasbora		5 cm (2.0 in)
Hengeli rasbora		5 cm (2.0 in)
Blackline rasbora, red-tailed rasbora	Rasbora borapetensis
Red-striped rasbora	Rasbora pauciperforata	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	Range: Sumatra	22–29 °C (72–84 °F)
Volcano rasbora	Rasbora vulcanus

Other cyprinids

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Bala shark	Balantiocheilus melanopterus	40 cm (16 in)
Black shark	Labeo chrysophekadion	2'
Flying fox (fish)	Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus		this species may be sold as Siamese algae eater
Red-tailed black shark	Epalzeorhynchos bicolor	6 in	albino variation available. aggressive with fish of same species. best kept alone or in groups of 5 or more.
Rainbow shark	Epalzeorhynchos frenatum	6 in	albino variation available. aggressive with other fish of same species. best kept either alone, or in groups of 5 or more individuals.
Cambodian log sucker, false Siamese algae eater	Garra cambodgiensis		this species may be sold as Siamese algae eater
Chinese algae eater	Gyrinocheilus aymonieri		This species may be sold as Siamese algae eater. A gold colored form also exists. Could be territorial
Siamese algae eater	Crossocheilus siamensis	6 in	Many other cyprinids are sometimes mistakenly sold under this name. Very likely to jump out of the aquarium especially after reaching adult size. Very useful for getting rid of algae when it is young but prefer fish food upon reaching adulthood.

Darters

Common name	Taxonomy	Picture	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
African striped darter	Nannocharax fasciatus
Banded darter	Etheostoma zonale
Gilt darter	Percina evides
Orangethroat darter	Etheostoma spectabile
Rainbow darter	Etheostoma caeruleum
Splendid darter	Etheostoma barrenense

Gobies and sleepers

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Black toraja goby	Mugilogobius sarasinorum
Bumblebee goby	Brachygobius doriae
Dragon goby, Violet goby	Gobioides broussonnetii
Emerald river goby	Gobionellus smaragdus
Empire gudgeon	Hypseleotris compressa	12 cm (4.7 in)	omnivorous
Empire goby	Hypseleotris maculatus
Knight goby	Stigmatogobius sadanundio
Marbled sleeper	Oxyeleotris marmorata
No Common Name	Rhinogobius duospilus
Peacock goby	Tateurndina ocellicauda
Purple sleeper goby	Mogurnda mogurnda
Striped sleeper goby	Dormitator maculatus

Killifish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
American Flagfish	Jordanella floridae
Arabian Killifish	Aphanius dispar
Argentine Pearl	Austrolebias nigripinnis
Blue Lyretail	Fundulopanchax gardneri	2 in
Bluefin Notho, Rachow's Notho, Rainbow Notho	Nothobranchius rachovii	6 cm (2.4 in)	Considered most beautiful freshwater fish by some killifish enthusiasts.
Clown Killifish	Epiplatys annulatus
Golden Toppminnow	Fundulus chrysotus
Red-seam Killifish	Aphyosemion calliurum
Striped panchax, Golden Wonder	Aplocheilus lineatus		Golden Wonder is the more yellowish variant.

Labyrinth fish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Chocolate gourami	Sphaerichthys osphromenoides	7 cm (2.8 in)
Croaking gourami	Trichopsis vittata	6.5 cm (2.6 in)	Often confused with the pygmy gourami
Dwarf gourami	Colisa lalia	5 cm (2.0 in)	the dwarf gourami is perfect for small to mid-sized aquariums as it will not grow as large as its larger relatives. A beautiful, peaceful gourami. Prone to bacterial infections . When harassed by species other than its own it will not make any effort to defend itself often leading to death.
Giant gourami	Osphronemus goramy	60 cm (24 in)	Occasionally, some other gouramis are also referred to as "giant gouramis"
Paradise fish	Macropodus opercularis	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	One of the few freshwater aquarium fish that survive in cold water. Most common variety is the Blue Paradise.
Pearl gourami	Trichopodus leerii	11.5 cm (4.5 in)
Pygmy gourami, Sparkling gourami	Trichopsis pumila	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	Often confused with the croaking gourami
Kissing gourami	Helostoma temminckii	15 cm (5.9 in)	The pink variety is more popular than the natural green one. They are called Kissing Gouramis because the seem to pucker their lips outwards. they require aquarium salt in the water or hard water
Moonlight gourami	Trichopodus microlepis	15 cm (5.9 in)
Snakeskin gourami	Trichopodus pectoralis	20 cm (7.9 in)
Three spot gourami	Trichopodus trichopterus	10 cm (3.9 in)	Various color varieties each given a different name (blue gourami, gold gourami, and opaline gourami)
Siamese fighting fish (sometimes Betta, esp. US)	Betta splendens	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	Numerous color and fin pattern varieties. Betta is the name of the genus that includes more than 60 species other than the Siamese fighting fish. Multiple males in a tank will result in conflicts and possibly death. Females can be housed together in groups of 5+ in a tank, though they may become territorial and attack each other. Males have long flowing fins with vibrant colors, and females have shorter fins. This fish is best put with fish that do not nip fins, as the fins of the betta are easy to attack. They should also not be housed with other fish with long, flowing fins as the Betta may confuse it with another male, and attack. Minimum tank size for one male or female and maybe a few shrimp or snails is 5 gallons. Minimum tank size for a female betta sorority is 20 gallons.
Giant betta	Betta anabatoides	12 cm (4.7 in)	Sometimes refers to a giant mutant of betta splendens. Multiple males in a tank will result in conflicts and possibly death. Females can be housed together in groups of 5+ in a tank, though they may become territorial and attack each other. Males have longer fins and a larger head. Females have shorter fins. This fish is best put with fish that do not nip fins, as the fins of the betta are easy to attack. Because of their size they need a larger aquarium

Live-bearers

Guppies and mollies

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Guppy	Poecilia reticulata	5 cm (2.0 in)	Many color and tail pattern varieties exist. They generally need a ratio of 1 male to 2 females or more.
Endler's livebearer	Poecilia wingei	3.8 cm (1.5 in)
Black molly	Poecilia sphenops	5 cm (2.0 in)
Sailfin molly	Poecilia latipinna	5 cm (2.0 in)	Gold and silver varieties commonly found; also thrive in brackish water
Dalmatian molly	hybrid	5 cm (2.0 in)	The dalmatian molly is a hybrid color variation that can be generated by crossing some species of Poecilia, like P. sphenops and P. latipinna. The variety "Dalmatian" is spotted alike to a Dalmatian dog.
Lyretail Molly	Variety	5 cm (2.0 in)	Lyretail Mollies are available in all of these species, can be cross bred with any species of Molly.

Platies and swordtails

Common name	Taxonomy	Remarks
Southern platy	Xiphophorus maculatus	Many color varieties exist
Variable platy	Xiphophorus variatus	Sometimes called Feeder platy because can be used to feed larger fish like Stingrays, Payara, Cichlida, Pickerel, Catfish, Sunfish, Arowanas, Gar, Arapaima, and other predator fish. Many color varieties exist
Green swordtail	Xiphophorus hellerii	Many color varieties exist

Other Livebearers, like Gambusia

Common name	Taxonomy	Remarks
Western mosquitofish	Gambusia affinis
Eastern mosquitofish	Gambusia holbrooki
Celebes half beak	Nomorhamphus liemi
Cuban lima	Limia vittata
Tangunyika pearl killifish	Lamprichthys tanganicus	Not actually a type of killifish but a livebearer.
Knife livebearer	Alfaro cultratus
Least killifish	Heterandria formosa	Not as common as other livebearers in the aquarium trade. One of the smallest fish in the world.

Loaches and related cypriniformes

Loaches

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Bengal loach	Botia dario	6 in (15 cm)	Also known as the Queen loach. They hide during the day. They like river sand in the tank because they like to cover themselves in it.
Blue botia	Yasuhikotakia modesta
Burmese border loach	Botia kubotai	5 in (13 cm)
Clown loach	Chromobotia macracanthus	7-15 in	Clown loach has a sociable personality and should be kept in at least groups of 5. They may eat pond snails kept in aquariums. Clown loaches will eventually need a 6' long aquarium
Dwarf loach	Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki		formerly named Botia sidthimunki
Dojo loach, weather loach	Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Horseface loach	Acantopsis choirorhynchus
Kuhli loach, coolie loach	Pangio kuhlii		a number of similar Pangio species are sold under the same name
Longnose loach	Acantopsis octoactinotos
Skunk loach	Yasuhikotakia morleti		formerly named Botia morleti
Yoyo loach	Botia almorhae
Zebra loach	Botia striata

Other related cypriniformes

Common name	Taxonomy	Picture	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Chinese high fin banded shark	Myxocyprinus asiaticus		90+ cm (36+ in)	the highfin shark is a truly unique fish. At youth, the shark has a high dorsal fin, a plump body, and radiant colors. However, as the fish matures, the characteristics of the fish changes drastically. The dorsal fin becomes shorter, the fish achieves a more cylindrical shape, and the color fades to a dark brown. The fish is not suitable for fish tanks because of the size it can grow to. The highfin cannot be housed with tropical fish due to their lower temperature preferences. The highfin prefers to be in a school, so more than one should be housed together. The "shark" is a peaceful fish, and will not openly attack others. Highfins are bottom dwellers and omnivorous. They will eat invertebrates and scrape algae off rocks.
Chinese hillstream loach	Beaufortia kweichowensis		3 in	Eats a mainly algae. High oxygen level required in addition to a strong current

Neotropical electric fish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Black ghost knifefish	Apteronotus albifrons	20 in	Not to be confused with the featherback "knifefish" of the Bonytongue group (see above) Very aggressive to other knifefish, but otherwise peaceful.	23-28C (73-82F)	6.0-8.0
Brown ghost knifefish	Apteronotus leptorhynchus		Very hard to feed it anything but live food
Elephant nose	Gnathonemus petersii
Electric eel	Electrophorus electricus		Despite the name, this is not an "eel" but rather a huge knifefish; illegal to possess in some areas; dangerous; very large adult size
Glass knifefish	Eigenmannia virescens

Pufferfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Amazon puffer	Colomesus asellus
Fahaka puffer	Tetraodon lineatus	1-foot 5 inches
Figure 8 pufferfish	Tetraodon biocellatus	6 cm (2.4 in)	often sold as freshwater fish, but this species prefers brackish water
Green spotted puffer	Tetraodon nigroviridis	15 cm (5.9 in)	often sold as freshwater fish, but this species actually thrives in brackish water and may even require saltwater when reaches adulthood
Giant freshwater pufferfish	Tetraodon mbu	75 cm (30 in)	This fish also occurs in estuaries.
Dwarf pufferfish	Carinotetraodon travancoricus	2.9 cm (1.1 in)
Congo pufferfish	Tetraodon miurus	15 cm (5.9 in)

Rainbowfish

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Salmon-red rainbowfish	Glossolepis incisus	13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)	a.k.a. Red rainbowfish. These are very hardy fish and get along with almost any fish. They aren't aggressive and love to follow fingers! When these fish get stressed out they tend to turn a more gray color. It will regain its color when it becomes more relaxed
Tami River rainbowfish	Glossolepis pseudoincisus	7.5 cm (3.0 in)	a.k.a. Millennium rainbowfish
Lake Wanam rainbowfish	Glossolepis wanamensis	13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)	a.k.a. Emerald rainbowfish
Threadfin rainbowfish	Iriatherina werneri		Threadfins have very tiny mouths and cannot compete well with other fish for food. Keep in species only tanks or with small Pseudomugil (i.e.: gertrudae)
New Guinea rainbowfish	Melanotaenia affinis	13 cm (5.1 in)
Boeseman's rainbowfish	Melanotaenia boesemani	10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in)
Duboulayi's rainbowfish	Melanotaenia duboulayi	13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)	a.k.a. Crimson-Spotted rainbowfish
Australian rainbowfish	Melanotaenia fluviatilis	13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)
Lake Kurumoi rainbowfish	Melanotaenia parva	7.5–8 cm (3.0–3.1 in)	a.k.a. Flame rainbowfish
Madagascar rainbowfish	Bedotia madagascariensis	7.5–8 cm (3.0–3.1 in)
Neon rainbowfish	Melanotaenia praecox	6–7.5 cm (2.4–3.0 in)
Eastern rainbowfish	Melanotaenia splendida splendida	13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)

Spiny eels

Common name	Taxonomy	Size
Fire eel	Mastacembelus erythrotaenia	100 cm (39 in)
Spotfinned spiny eel	Macrognathus siamensis	30 cm (12 in)
Tire track eel	Mastacembelus armatus	90 cm (35 in)
Lesser spiny eel	Macrognathus aculeatus

Sunfish and relatives

Common name	Taxonomy	Picture	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Orangespotted sunfish	Lepomis humilis
Pumpkinseed	Lepomis gibbosus
Dollar sunfish	Lepomis marginatus
Redbreast sunfish	Lepomis auritus
Redear sunfish	Lepomis microlophus
Longear sunfish	Lepomis megalotis
Blackbanded sunfish	Enneacanthus chaetodon
Blue-spotted sunfish	Enneacanthus gloriosus
Bluegill	Lepomis macrochirus
Green sunfish	Lepomis cyanellus
Warmouth	Lepomis gulosus
Pygmy sunfish	Elassomatidae

Gar

Common name	Taxonomy	Size	Remarks
Spotted Gar	Lepisosteus oculatus	70 cm (27.5 in)	One species of the gars, the Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) can attain an astounding length of 3m in the wild. On average, gars can attain a length of not less than 70 cm in captivity. They are aggressive fish by nature, however, they are also frightened easily. These fish are generally piscivorous in the wild, but will take a variety of meaty foods in captivity. Therefore, a strong filtration system must be ensured for a healthy gar tank. Housing a 6-inch gar may require at least a 50 US gallons (190 L) tank with width of 12 inches. As the gar grows, it must be moved to a larger tank. The tank length to house a sub-adult gar should be at least 72 inches, but longer is even better. The width of the tank should not be less than 36 inches. (otherwise, the gar may feel uncomfortable making turns while it swims) A minimum of 24 inches of water depth will suit the gar well. Gars are strong jumpers, hence the tank lid should be weighted down. Gars are hardy fish. They have the ability to breathe atmosphere air by means of vascularised gas bladder that act as lung. They are generally peaceful, usually keeping to themselves and not disturbing others. Hence, if space allows, they can be kept in a group. Large gars are capable of inflicting a painful wound. If possible, try not to handle them with bare hands. Always use a net.
Florida Gar	Lepisosteus platyrhincus	70 cm (27.5 in)
Longnose Gar	Lepisosteus osseus
Shortnose Gar	Lepisosteus platostomus
Alligator Gar	Atractosteus spatula	300 cm (118 in)
Cuban Gar	Atractosteus treacherous	200 cm (78.5 in)
Tropical Gar	Atractosteus tropcius	150 cm (59 in)

Other fish

Common name	Taxonomy	Picture	Size	Remarks	Temperature range	pH range
Clown knifefish	Chitala ornata
Ocellate river stingray	Potamotrygon motoro
Black devil stingray	Potamotrygon leopoldi
Freshwater pipefish	Doryichthys martensii
Sterlet	Acipenser ruthenus
Shovelnose Sturgeon	Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
Freshwater blenny	Salaria fluviatilis
Freshwater needlefish	Xenentodon cancila
Pickerel	Esox americanus
Freshwater sole	Brachirus panoides
Brook stickleback	Culaea inconstans
Medaka	Oryzias latipes
European Perch	Perca fluviatilis
Lungfish	subclass Dipnoi

Sources

Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish (2005) (David Alderton)
500 Aquarium Fish: A Visual Reference to the Most Popular Species

References

1 2 3 "Polypterus senegalus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
↑ "Polypterus (bichirs)". www.thetropicaltank.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
1 2 "Polypterus ornatipinnis summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
↑ "Polypterus retropinnis summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
1 2 3 "Erpetoichthys calabaricus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
1 2 3 "Aspidoras fuscoguttatus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
↑ "Aspidoras lakoi summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
1 2 3 "Aspidoras rochai summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
1 2 "Aspidoras pauciradiatus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
↑ "Corydoras splendens summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
↑ http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Corydoras-haraldschultzi.html Fishbase:haraldschultzi
↑ "Corydoras panda summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
↑ http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Corydoras-sterbai.html Fishbase:sterbai
↑ http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=12199&AT=Threestripe+corydoras Fishbase:thilineatus
↑ "Everything You Need to Know About the Bristlenose Catfish". The Spruce. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
↑ "More flowerhorn guides on caring, breeding, determining sex". Thai FH - Supplier of flowerhorn fish international. Retrieved 2016-02-05.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[:0-1] 1 2 3 "Polypterus senegalus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[2] "Polypterus (bichirs)". www.thetropicaltank.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-01-26.

[:3-3] 1 2 "Polypterus ornatipinnis summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[4] "Polypterus retropinnis summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[:1-5] 1 2 3 "Erpetoichthys calabaricus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[:2-6] 1 2 3 "Aspidoras fuscoguttatus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[7] "Aspidoras lakoi summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-12.

[:4-8] 1 2 3 "Aspidoras rochai summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-14.

[:5-9] 1 2 "Aspidoras pauciradiatus summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-14.

[10] "Corydoras splendens summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-11.

[haraldschultzi-11] ttp://www.fishbase.org/summary/Corydoras-haraldschultzi.html Fishbase:haraldschultzi

[12] "Corydoras panda summary page". FishBase. Retrieved 2017-12-11.

[sterbai-13] ttp://www.fishbase.org/summary/Corydoras-sterbai.html Fishbase:sterbai

[trilineatus-14] ttp://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=12199&AT=Threestripe+corydoras Fishbase:thilineatus

[15] "Everything You Need to Know About the Bristlenose Catfish". The Spruce. Retrieved 2018-01-26.

[16] "More flowerhorn guides on caring, breeding, determining sex". Thai FH - Supplier of flowerhorn fish international. Retrieved 2016-02-05.

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