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.

Plecos79 fish

Endangered Rare Popular Peaceful Small (6 cm or less)Calm water Strong flow Schooling ✓ L-numbers ✓ With photo ✓ Basic profiles too

The fishes 79 fish · new every day

Red lizard whiptail

L010a

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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.

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.

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Photo: Kaden Slone, CC BY 4.0

Peppermint pleco

L031

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Plecos · Parancistrus

27–31°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Peppermint pleco

L031

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Green phantom

L200

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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.

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

Leopard cactus

L114

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Plecos · PseudacanthicusRare

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

Cream with bold black spots and a spiny body.

Leopard cactus

L114

Pará, Brazil. Sources differ on the exact river. · rapids

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 14 in · 35 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Rarely
Typical price: $250–800
In Canada: Rare
Rarity: Rare or hard to breed

Cream with bold black spots and a spiny body. Grows to about 35 cm and is aggressive.

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Photo: Whaldener Endo, CC0

Zebra pleco

L098

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Plecos · Hypancistrus

27–30°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Meat

Zebra pleco

L098

Hypancistrus zebra

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

Temperature: 27–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Carnivore

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Photo: Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0

Shortspined Wing Pleco

L041

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Plecos · Guyanancistrus

24–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Shortspined Wing Pleco

L041

Guyanancistrus brevispinis

Rio Oyapock and Suriname, French Guiana and Suriname · river

Temperature: 24–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Omnivore

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Photo: Julien Renoult, CC BY 4.0

Baryancistrus niveatus

L026

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Plecos · Baryancistrus

27–30°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Baryancistrus niveatus

L026

Baryancistrus niveatus

Rio Tocantins, Araguaia and Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature: 27–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Grazer

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY

Blonde rubbernose bulldog pleco

L187bbb

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Plecos · Chaetostoma

20–25°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Blonde rubbernose bulldog pleco

L187bbb

Chaetostoma formosae

Río Guaviare, Colombia · river

Temperature: 20–25°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Grazer

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Photo: Frank M. Greco, CC BY 3.0

Thresher pleco

L108

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Thresher pleco

L108

Aphanotorulus emarginatus

Rio Suriname, Suriname · river

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

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Photo: Sidnei Dantas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sunshine pleco

L014

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Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

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

Yellow spots and orange fin edges.

Sunshine pleco

L014

Scobinancistrus aureatus

Rio Xingu, 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

Yellow spots and orange fin edges. A big snail-eater that needs a large tank.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Peppermint pleco

L300

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Plecos · Parancistrus

27–31°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Peppermint pleco

L300

Parancistrus nudiventris

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Aphanotorulus horridus

L290

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Aphanotorulus horridus

L290

Aphanotorulus horridus

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

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

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Photo: no rights reserved, CC0

Royal pleco

L190

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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.

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

Lyretail pleco

L155

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Plecos · Acanthicus

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Lyretail pleco

L155

Acanthicus hystrix

Rio Branco, Madeira and Xingu, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Blackfinned Rubbernose Pleco

L187

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Plecos · Chaetostoma

20–25°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Blackfinned Rubbernose Pleco

L187

Chaetostoma dorsale

Rio Guaviare and Apure, Colombia and Venezuela · river

Temperature: 20–25°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Grazer

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Photo: Gustavo A. Ballen, CC BY NC

Papa Panaque

L090

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Plecos · Panaque

24–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Wood!

Papa Panaque

L090

Panaque bathyphilus

Rio Purús, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: armbrjw, CC BY NC

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