Save the Little Fish

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

Sign in

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: Unknown origin ✕

Unknown origin 286 fish

Red lizard whiptail

L010a
Red lizard whiptail ≈

Plecos · RineloricariaStaple

  • 22–27°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Calm
  • 5 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful

Lays eggs in the open, and the male guards them where you can watch.

Aquarium-bred colour strain

Red lizard whiptail

L010a

Aquarium-bred colour strain · river

Temperature
22–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Easy
Typical price
$10–25
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Lays eggs in the open, and the male guards them where you can watch. Prefers cooler water.

View full profile

Photo: Kaden Slone, CC BY 4.0

Blue-eye lemon bristlenose

L144
Blue-eye lemon bristlenose ≈

Plecos · AncistrusStaple

  • 22–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 5 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful

Yellow bristlenose with blue eyes.

Aquarium-bred strain. Its wild origin isn’t well documented.

Blue-eye lemon bristlenose

L144

Aquarium-bred strain. Its wild origin isn’t well documented. · river

Temperature
22–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Easy
Typical price
$10–35
In Canada
Common
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Yellow bristlenose with blue eyes. Easy and cheap, but happier below 28°C. L144a is the longfin form.

View full profile

Photo: Corydoras-adolfoi, CC BY-SA 4.0

Wormline peckoltia

L135
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · PeckoltiaUncommon

  • 25–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Gentle
  • 5 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful

Dark body covered in fine gold worm-lines.

Unknown origin

Wormline peckoltia

L135

Unknown origin · river

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 12 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$40–80
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Dark body covered in fine gold worm-lines. Peaceful and easy to keep.

View full profile

Peppermint bristlenose

L181
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · AncistrusUncommon

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

Black with white spots and bright white fin edges.

Unknown origin

Peppermint bristlenose

L181

Unknown origin · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
5 in · 13 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$60–120
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Black with white spots and bright white fin edges. A standout bristlenose, but it prefers slightly cooler water than L236.

View full profile

Stardust

L262
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · HypancistrusUncommon

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

Black with a fine dusting of white dots.

Unknown origin

Stardust

L262

Unknown origin · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Moderate
Typical price
$40–90
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

Black with a fine dusting of white dots. It can cross with L236.

View full profile

Moon pleco

L368
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

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

Large white spots on black.

Unknown origin

Moon pleco

L368

Unknown origin · 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

Large white spots on black. A big snail-eater that grows to about 30 cm, so it needs a large tank.

View full profile

Dwarf snowball

L471
Give us a picture and get credit! ≈

Plecos · HypancistrusUncommon

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

A small, white-spotted Hypancistrus.

Unknown origin

Dwarf snowball

L471

Unknown origin · rapids

Temperature
26–30°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
3 in · 8 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Carnivore
Breeding
Easy–moderate
Typical price
$25–60
In Canada
Occasional
Rarity
Uncommon

A small, white-spotted Hypancistrus. It can cross with L236, so only mix them in a tank you won’t sell fry from.

View full profile

Pearlscale whiptail

L042
Pearlscale whiptail ≈

Plecos · Rineloricaria

  • 22–27°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Pearlscale whiptail

L042

Rineloricaria cf. platyura

Unknown origin · river

Temperature
22–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
View full profile

Photo: Julien Renoult, CC BY 4.0

Spotted Cochliodon

L050
Spotted Cochliodon ≈

Plecos · Hypostomus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Spotted Cochliodon

L050

Hypostomus cf. cochliodon

Unknown origin · river

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

Photo: Douglas Lopes, CC BY 4.0

Paraguay Pleco

L051
Paraguay Pleco ≈

Plecos · Hypostomus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Paraguay Pleco

L051

Hypostomus latifrons

Unknown origin · river

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

Photo: Julia Mantinian, CC BY NC

Hypostomus cf. nematopterus

L060
Hypostomus cf. nematopterus ≈

Plecos · Hypostomus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Hypostomus cf. nematopterus

L060

Hypostomus cf. nematopterus

Unknown origin · river

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

Photo: Maël Lemaitre, CC BY NC

Ecuador Pleco

L109
Ecuador Pleco ≈

Plecos · Aphanotorulus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Ecuador

Ecuador Pleco

L109

Aphanotorulus cf. unicolor

Ecuador · river

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

Photo: Whaldener Endo, CC0

Pears' Rubbernose Pleco

L187b
Pears' Rubbernose Pleco ≈

Plecos · Chaetostoma

  • 20–25°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Veg
Unknown origin

Pears' Rubbernose Pleco

L187b

Chaetostoma pearsei

Unknown origin · river

Temperature
20–25°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Grazer
View full profile

Photo: AndreaH 12, CC BY-SA 4.0

Peckoltia sp.

L218
Peckoltia sp. ≈

Plecos · Peckoltia

  • 25–29°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Peckoltia sp.

L218

Peckoltia sp.

Unknown origin · river

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

Photo: Frank-Christian Baum (user Fcbaum), CC BY-SA 3.0

Paraguay Pleco

L281
Paraguay Pleco ≈

Plecos · Hypostomus

  • 23–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Paraguay Pleco

L281

Hypostomus latifrons

Unknown origin · river

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

Photo: Julia Mantinian, CC BY NC

Lasiancistrus cf. caucanus

L312
Lasiancistrus cf. caucanus ≈

Plecos · Lasiancistrus

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
Unknown origin

Lasiancistrus cf. caucanus

L312

Lasiancistrus cf. caucanus

Unknown origin · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Swims
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
View full profile

Photo: Ictiologia Universidad Católica de Oriente, CC BY 2.0

Showing 16 of 286