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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.

EndangeredRarePopularPeacefulSmall (6 cm or less)Calm waterStrong flowSchoolingL-numbersWith photo ✓ Basic profiles too
Showing: River & region: Orinoco ✕

Orinoco 28 fish

Clown pleco

L104
Clown pleco ≈

Plecos · PanaqolusStaple

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 4 in
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
  • Peaceful

A small wood-eater with orange bands.

Orinoco basin, Venezuela and Colombia

Clown pleco

L104

Panaqolus maccus

Orinoco basin, Venezuela and Colombia · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 9 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$15–35
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

A small wood-eater with orange bands. Needs driftwood to rasp and tops out around 28°C.

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Photo: Jarne Colman, CC0

Blue phantom

L128
Blue phantom ≈

Plecos · HemiancistrusRare

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 8 in!
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Territorial!

Blue-grey with fine white dots.

Upper Orinoco, Venezuela

Blue phantom

L128

Upper Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate–hard
Typical price
$80–200
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Blue-grey with fine white dots. Grows larger than it looks in the store.

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Photo: EnjiBenji, CC0

Royal pleco

L190
Royal pleco ≈

Plecos · PanaqueRare

  • 24–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 16 in!
  • Bottom
  • Wood!
  • Territorial!

Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.

Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela

Royal pleco

L190

Panaque nigrolineatus

Orinoco basin, Colombia and Venezuela · river

Temperature
24–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
16 in · 40 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Wood
Breeding
Rarely
Typical price
$50–200
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Red eyes and pinstripes, but it grows to about 40 cm and eats a lot of wood.

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Photo: Neale Monks, CC BY-SA 3.0

Green phantom

L200
Green phantom ≈

Plecos · HemiancistrusUncommon

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 7 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Territorial!

Olive-green with yellow dots, a colour nothing else in the tank has.

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela

Green phantom

L200

Hemiancistrus subviridis

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
7 in · 18 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$60–150
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Olive-green with yellow dots, a colour nothing else in the tank has. Grazes algae and likes strong flow.

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Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY SA

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf
Hi-fin green phantom ≈

Plecos · BaryancistrusRare

  • 27–30°C!
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 6 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Territorial!

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal.

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf

Baryancistrus demantoides

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Hard
Typical price
$100–250
In Canada
Rare
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal. Territorial, and rarely bred.

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Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Orinoco angel

L201
Orinoco angel ≈

Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 5 in
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Peaceful

Crisp white dots and white fin edges.

Middle Orinoco, Venezuela

Orinoco angel

L201

Hypancistrus contradens

Middle Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Easy
Typical price
$25–60
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Crisp white dots and white fin edges. A classic first Hypancistrus.

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Photo: thepigeongirl, CC BY NC

German blue ram

German blue ram ≈

Cichlids · Mikrogeophagus

  • 27–30°C!
  • pH 5–7
  • Calm
  • 2.4 in
  • Bottom/mid
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 2+ group
Llanos savanna streams, Orinoco basin

German blue ram

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi

Llanos savanna streams, Orinoco basin · stream

Temperature
27–30°C
pH
5–7
Adult size
2.4 in · 6 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Typical price
$12–25
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Photo: Eric Mengel, Public domain

Three-beacon vampire

L091
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · LeporacanthicusRare

  • 26–30°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Strong!
  • 8 in!
  • Bottom
  • Meat
  • Territorial!

Eats snails and holds a cave firmly.

Orinoco, Venezuela

Three-beacon vampire

L091

Leporacanthicus triactis

Orinoco, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
8 in · 20 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Hard
Typical price
$60–150
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Rare or hard to breed

Eats snails and holds a cave firmly. Can be rough with smaller plecos.

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Para Pleco

L075
Para Pleco ≈

Plecos · Peckoltia

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

Para Pleco

L075

Peckoltia sabaji

Rio Orinoco and Essequibo, Venezuela and Guyana · river

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
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Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

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
View full profile

Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sailfin pleco

L165
Sailfin pleco ≈

Plecos · Pterygoplichthys

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Río Orinoco, Venezuela

Sailfin pleco

L165

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps

Río Orinoco, Venezuela · river

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

Photo: Wisky, CC BY-SA 3.0

Orange tiger pleco

L243
Orange tiger pleco ≈

Plecos · Peckoltia

  • 25–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Río Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela

Orange tiger pleco

L243

Peckoltia wernekei

Río Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · river

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

Photo: M.H. Sabaj Pérez., CC BY 4.0

Para Pleco

L301
Para Pleco ≈

Plecos · Peckoltia

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

Para Pleco

L301

Peckoltia sabaji

Rio Orinoco and Essequibo, Venezuela and Guyana · river

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

Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

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
View full profile

Photo: pl:user:lcamtuf, CC BY SA

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