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.

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

Showing: Rarity: Pet-store staple ✕

Pet-store staple 8 fish

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

Clown pleco

L104

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Plecos · PanaqolusStaple

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

A small wood-eater with orange bands.

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

Leopard frog

L134

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Plecos · PeckoltiaStaple

25–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Gentle
4 in
Bottom
Mixed
Peaceful

Yellow with black saddles.

Leopard frog

L134

Peckoltia compta

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature: 25–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 4 in · 11 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Moderate
Typical price: $30–120
In Canada: Common
Rarity: Pet-store staple

Yellow with black saddles. A different genus from L236, so no hybrid risk in the display.

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Photo: Frank M Greco, CC BY 3.0

Blue-eye lemon bristlenose

L144

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Plecos · AncistrusStaple

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

Yellow bristlenose with blue eyes.

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.

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Photo: Corydoras-adolfoi, CC BY-SA 4.0

Orinoco angel

L201

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Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

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

Crisp white dots and white fin edges.

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

King tiger

L066

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Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

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

Bold cream worm-lines on black.

King tiger

L066

Rio Xingu, Brazil · 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: $40–80
In Canada: Common
Rarity: Pet-store staple

Bold cream worm-lines on black. Every fish is different, and it breeds readily.

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Colombian zebra

L129

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Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

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

Small and busy, with thin black-and-white stripes.

Colombian zebra

L129

Hypancistrus debilittera

Rio Guaviare and upper Orinoco, Colombia · rapids

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 4 in · 9 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Easy
Typical price: $35–70
In Canada: Common
Rarity: Pet-store staple

Small and busy, with thin black-and-white stripes. Easy to breed.

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King tiger (Xingu)

L333

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Plecos · HypancistrusStaple

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

Yellow-cream maze that changes from fish to fish.

King tiger (Xingu)

L333

Hypancistrus seideli

Rio Xingu and Rio Iriri, Brazil · rapids

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 5 in · 13 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Easy
Typical price: $40–150
In Canada: Common
Rarity: Pet-store staple

Yellow-cream maze that changes from fish to fish. High-grade fish cost more. Very productive, so fry are easy to rehome.

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