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

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Ecuador Pleco

L109

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Plecos · Aphanotorulus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Ecuador Pleco

L109

Aphanotorulus cf. unicolor

Ecuador · river

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

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Photo: Whaldener Endo, CC0

Xingu royal

L027

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Plecos · PanaqueRare

26–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Strong!
16 in!
Bottom
Wood!
Territorial!

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins.

Xingu royal

L027

Panaque armbrusteri

Rio Xingu and Tocantins, Brazil · rapids

Temperature: 26–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 16 in · 40 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Territorial
Diet: Wood
Breeding: Rarely
Typical price: $100–300
In Canada: Rare
Rarity: Rare or hard to breed

A large royal pleco from the Xingu and Tocantins. Needs a very big tank.

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Photo: JSutton93, 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

Bluespotted Pleco

L030

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Plecos · Spectracanthicus

26–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Bluespotted Pleco

L030

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

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf

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Plecos · BaryancistrusRare

27–30°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Strong!
6 in
Bottom
Mixed
Territorial!

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal.

Hi-fin green phantom

L200hf

Baryancistrus demantoides

Upper Orinoco and Ventuari, Venezuela · rapids

Temperature: 27–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 6 in · 16 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Territorial
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Hard
Typical price: $100–250
In Canada: Rare
Rarity: Rare or hard to breed

The hi-fin version, with a tall dorsal. Territorial, and rarely bred.

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Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Starlight bristlenose

L183

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Plecos · AncistrusUncommon

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Gentle
6 in
Bottom
Mixed
Peaceful

Black with white stars and white fin edges.

Starlight bristlenose

L183

Ancistrus dolichopterus

Rio Negro, Brazil · river

Temperature: 23–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 6 in · 15 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Easy–moderate
Typical price: $25–80
In Canada: Occasional
Rarity: Uncommon

Black with white stars and white fin edges. The prettiest bristlenose, but it prefers cooler, soft water.

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Photo: Alberto Mejia-Paniagua, CC BY NC SA

Hypostomus cochliodon

L310

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Plecos · Hypostomus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Hypostomus cochliodon

L310

Hypostomus cochliodon

Rio Paraná, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: Douglas Lopes, CC BY 4.0

Tangerine tiger

L397

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Plecos · PanaqolusUncommon

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

Orange-and-dark banded Panaqolus, also sold as the Alenquer tiger.

Tangerine tiger

L397

Near Alenquer, lower Amazon, Brazil · river

Temperature: 24–28°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 4 in · 10 cm
Flow: Gentle
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Wood
Breeding: Moderate
Typical price: $50–100
In Canada: Occasional
Rarity: Uncommon

Orange-and-dark banded Panaqolus, also sold as the Alenquer tiger. Needs driftwood.

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Photo: Fish Tank Society, CC BY-SA 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

Zebra

L046

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Plecos · HypancistrusCR

28–31°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Strong!
3 in
Bottom
Meat
Peaceful

Brazil banned wild export, so Canadian stock is tank-bred.

Zebra

L046

Hypancistrus zebra

Volta Grande of the Rio Xingu, Brazil · rapids

Temperature: 28–31°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 3 in · 8 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet: Carnivore
Breeding: Moderate, slow
Typical price: $150–500
In Canada: Occasional
Status in the wild: Critically endangered

Brazil banned wild export, so Canadian stock is tank-bred. Clean, even stripes where L236 are broken and patchy.

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Photo: Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0

Common pleco

L021

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Plecos · Pterygoplichthys

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Common pleco

L021

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

Amazon basin · river

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

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Photo: NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0

Megalancistrus parananus

L113

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Plecos · Megalancistrus

24–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Meat

Megalancistrus parananus

L113

Megalancistrus parananus

Rio Paraná and Uruguay, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: xenujavr, CC BY-SA 4.0

Paraguay Pleco

L051

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Plecos · Hypostomus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Paraguay Pleco

L051

Hypostomus latifrons

Unknown origin · river

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

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Photo: Julia Mantinian, CC BY NC

Coffee & cream pleco

L160

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Plecos · Pseudacanthicus

26–30°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Meat

Coffee & cream pleco

L160

Pseudacanthicus spinosus

Amazon basin · river

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

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Photo: François-Louis Laporte, PD

Peckoltia sp.

L218

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Peckoltia sp.

L218

Peckoltia sp.

Unknown origin · river

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

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

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

L022

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Plecos · Pterygoplichthys

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

L022

Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus

Rio Tocantins, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0

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