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.

Plecos446 fish

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

The fishes 446 fish · new every day

Watermelon pleco

L330

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Plecos · Panaque

24–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Wood!

Watermelon pleco

L330

Panaque nigrolineatus laurafabianae

Río Orinoco, Venezuela · river

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

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Photo: pl:user:lcamtuf, CC BY SA

Golden cloud

L048

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Plecos · ScobinancistrusRare

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

Fine pale spots on black.

Golden cloud

L048

Scobinancistrus cf. pariolispos

Xingu and Tapajós basins, 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

Fine pale spots on black. Large and rarely available.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Red-fin cactus

L024

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Plecos · PseudacanthicusRare

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

Dark body with red fin edges.

Red-fin cactus

L024

Pseudacanthicus pitanga

Rio Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 16 in · 40 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Rarely
Typical price: $130–400
In Canada: Rare
Rarity: Rare or hard to breed

Dark body with red fin edges. Large and aggressive.

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Photo: B. Phalan, CC BY 4.0

Thresher pleco

L116

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Thresher pleco

L116

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

Beige Royal Pleco

L488

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Plecos · Panaque

24–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Wood!

Beige Royal Pleco

L488

Panaque cf. nigrolineatus 'aripuana'

Rio Aripuana, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: pl:user:lcamtuf, CC BY SA

Shampupa Royal Pleco

L418

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Plecos · Panaque

24–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Wood!

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

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Photo: Brent Tibbatts, CC BY 3.0

Para Pleco

L124

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

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

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Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bluespotted Pleco

L315

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Plecos · Spectracanthicus

26–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Bluespotted Pleco

L315

Spectracanthicus punctatissimus

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Omnivore

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Gold spot pleco

L001

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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.

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.

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Photo: 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0

Golden Cloud Pleco

L133

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Plecos · Scobinancistrus

27–31°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Snail

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

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Bluespotted Pleco

L016

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Plecos · Spectracanthicus

26–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Bluespotted Pleco

L016

Spectracanthicus punctatissimus

Rio Tapajós, Brazil · river

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Swims: Bottom
Diet: Omnivore

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Aphanotorulus horridus

L291

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Aphanotorulus horridus

L291

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

Orange tiger pleco

L243

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

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

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Photo: M.H. Sabaj Pérez., CC BY 4.0

Para Pleco

L301

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

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

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Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Candy stripe

L015

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Plecos · PeckoltiaUncommon

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

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands.

Candy stripe

L015

Peckoltia vittata

Lower Amazon and Xingu basins, Brazil · river

Temperature: 25–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 4 in · 10 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Moderate
Typical price: $30–70
In Canada: Occasional
Rarity: Uncommon

A small Peckoltia with bold yellow and dark bands. Peaceful, and a different genus from L236.

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Photo: Gabriel Lelis Togni, CC BY 3.0

Sailfin pleco

L165

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Plecos · Pterygoplichthys

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Sailfin pleco

L165

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps

Río Orinoco, Venezuela · river

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

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Photo: Wisky, CC BY-SA 3.0

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