Save the Little Fish

Saving the world’s tropical fish, one tank at a time.

Freshwater fishes

The fish list

499 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 499 fish · new every day

Ember tetra

Ember tetra ≈

Tetras · HyphessobryconStaple

  • 23–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7
  • Calm
  • 0.8 in
  • Mid
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 8+ group!
Rio Araguaia basin, Brazil

Ember tetra

Hyphessobrycon amandae

Rio Araguaia basin, Brazil · river

Temperature
23–29°C
pH
5.5–7
Adult size
0.8 in · 2 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
8+
Typical price
$3–5
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: Cedricguppy - Loury Cédric, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sterba's corydoras

Sterba's corydoras ≈

Corydoras · Corydoras

  • 24–29°C
  • pH 6–7.6
  • Gentle
  • 2.8 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 6+ group!
Rio Guaporé, Brazil and Bolivia

Sterba's corydoras

Corydoras sterbai

Rio Guaporé, Brazil and Bolivia · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
6–7.6
Adult size
2.8 in · 7 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
6+
Typical price
$6–12

Photo: Matthew Mannell, Public domain

Watermelon pleco

L330
Watermelon pleco ≈

Plecos · Panaque

  • 24–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
Río Orinoco, Venezuela

Watermelon pleco

L330

Panaque nigrolineatus laurafabianae

Río Orinoco, Venezuela · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Wood

Photo: pl:user:lcamtuf, CC BY SA

Golden cloud

L048
Golden cloud ≈

Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 12 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Territorial!

Fine pale spots on black.

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

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 16 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Aggressive!

Dark body with red fin edges.

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

Thresher pleco

L116
Thresher pleco ≈

Plecos · Aphanotorulus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Suriname, Suriname

Thresher pleco

L116

Aphanotorulus emarginatus

Rio Suriname, Suriname · river

Temperature
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore

Photo: Sidnei Dantas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Beige Royal Pleco

L488
Beige Royal Pleco ≈

Plecos · Panaque

  • 24–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
Rio Aripuana, Brazil

Beige Royal Pleco

L488

Panaque cf. nigrolineatus 'aripuana'

Rio Aripuana, Brazil · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Wood

Photo: pl:user:lcamtuf, CC BY SA

Shampupa Royal Pleco

L418
Shampupa Royal Pleco ≈

Plecos · Panaque

  • 24–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
Rio Caquetá, Napo and Huallaga, Colombia and Peru

Shampupa Royal Pleco

L418

Panaque titan

Rio Caquetá, Napo and Huallaga, Colombia and Peru · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Wood

Photo: Brent Tibbatts, CC BY 3.0

Para Pleco

L124
Para Pleco ≈

Plecos · Peckoltia

  • 25–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Orinoco and Essequibo, Venezuela and Guyana

Para Pleco

L124

Peckoltia sabaji

Rio Orinoco and Essequibo, Venezuela and Guyana · river

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore

Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bluespotted Pleco

L315
Bluespotted Pleco ≈

Plecos · Spectracanthicus

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Tapajós, Brazil

Bluespotted Pleco

L315

Spectracanthicus punctatissimus

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Gold spot pleco

L001
Gold spot pleco ≈

Plecos · PterygoplichthysRare

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 12 in!
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful

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

  • 21–27°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 2.8 in
  • Mid
  • Mixed
  • Semi-agg.!
  • 6+ group!

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 Pleco

L133
Golden Cloud Pleco ≈

Plecos · Scobinancistrus

  • 27–31°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Snail
Rio Tocantins, Tapajós and Xingu, Brazil

Golden Cloud Pleco

L133

Scobinancistrus pariolispos

Rio Tocantins, Tapajós and Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature
27–31°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Snail

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Bluespotted Pleco

L016
Bluespotted Pleco ≈

Plecos · Spectracanthicus

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Tapajós, Brazil

Bluespotted Pleco

L016

Spectracanthicus punctatissimus

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore

Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Sparkling gourami

Sparkling gourami ≈

Gouramis & bettas · TrichopsisStaple

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • Calm
  • 1.6 in
  • Top/mid
  • Meat
  • Peaceful
  • 4+ group
Rice paddies and ditches of Southeast Asia

Sparkling gourami

Trichopsis pumila

Rice paddies and ditches of Southeast Asia · swamp or paddy

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
1.6 in · 4 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Top and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Group
4+
Typical price
$4–8
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: Zikamoi, CC BY-SA 3.0

Aphanotorulus horridus

L291
Aphanotorulus horridus ≈

Plecos · Aphanotorulus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Rio Madeira, Marañón and Aripuana, Brazil and Peru

Aphanotorulus horridus

L291

Aphanotorulus horridus

Rio Madeira, Marañón and Aripuana, Brazil and Peru · river

Temperature
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore

Photo: no rights reserved, CC0

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