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

Siamese algae eater

Siamese algae eater ≈

Other fish · CrossocheilusStaple

  • 24–26°C
  • pH 6.5–7
  • Gentle
  • 6 in
  • Bottom/mid
  • Veg
  • Peaceful
  • 3+ group
Streams of Thailand and the Malay Peninsula

Siamese algae eater

Crossocheilus oblongus

Streams of Thailand and the Malay Peninsula · stream

Temperature
24–26°C
pH
6.5–7
Adult size
6 in · 15 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom and mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Grazer
Group
3+
Typical price
$4–8
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: User:Ark pl wiki, CC BY 3.0

Blue eyed red fin pleco

L137
Blue eyed red fin pleco ≈

Plecos · Hypostomus

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

Blue eyed red fin pleco

L137

Hypostomus soniae

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

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

Photo: FCBThunder, CC BY-SA 4.0

Glowlight tetra

Glowlight tetra ≈

Tetras · HemigrammusStaple

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Calm
  • 1.6 in
  • Mid
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 6+ group!
Essequibo River, Guyana

Glowlight tetra

Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Essequibo River, Guyana · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
1.6 in · 4 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
6+
Typical price
$2–5
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: h080, CC BY-SA 2.0

Kribensis

Kribensis ≈

Cichlids · Pelvicachromis

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • Calm
  • 4 in
  • Bottom/mid
  • Mixed
  • Territorial!
  • 2+ group
Coastal rivers of Nigeria and Cameroon

Kribensis

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Coastal rivers of Nigeria and Cameroon · river

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom and mid-water
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Omnivore
Group
2+
Typical price
$8–15

Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

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

Photo: Eric Mengel, Public domain

Pygmy corydoras

Pygmy corydoras ≈

Corydoras · CorydorasStaple

  • 22–26°C
  • pH 6–7.5
  • Calm
  • 1 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 8+ group!
Rio Madeira basin, Brazil

Pygmy corydoras

Corydoras pygmaeus

Rio Madeira basin, Brazil · river

Temperature
22–26°C
pH
6–7.5
Adult size
1 in · 2.5 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
8+
Typical price
$4–7
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: AquaTuer, CC BY-SA 4.0

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

Photo: AndreaH 12, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bronze corydoras

Bronze corydoras ≈

Corydoras · CorydorasStaple

  • 22–28°C
  • pH 6–8
  • Gentle
  • 2.8 in
  • Bottom
  • Mixed
  • Peaceful
  • 6+ group!
Widespread in South America

Bronze corydoras

Corydoras aeneus

Widespread in South America · stream

Temperature
22–28°C
pH
6–8
Adult size
2.8 in · 7 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
6+
Typical price
$3–6
Rarity
Pet-store staple

Photo: Andrew Keller, CC0

Megalancistrus parananus

L234
Megalancistrus parananus ≈

Plecos · Megalancistrus

  • 24–28°C
  • pH 5.5–7.5
  • Bottom
  • Meat
Rio Paraná and Uruguay, Brazil

Megalancistrus parananus

L234

Megalancistrus parananus

Rio Paraná and Uruguay, Brazil · river

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

Photo: xenujavr, CC BY-SA 4.0

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

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

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

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

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