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

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Common pleco

L023

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Plecos · Pterygoplichthys

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Common pleco

L023

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

Coal pleco

L350

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Coal pleco

L350

Peckoltia pankimpuju

Río Marañón, Peru · river

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

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Photo: Matubula, CC BY SA

Gold nugget

L081

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Plecos · BaryancistrusRare

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

Black with yellow spots and gold fin edges.

Gold nugget

L081

Baryancistrus xanthellus

Rio Xingu, and the Rio Iriri for L177 · rapids

Temperature: 27–30°C
pH: 5.5–7.5
Adult size: 8 in · 20 cm
Flow: Strong
Swims: Bottom
Temperament: Territorial
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Hard
Typical price: $60–250
In Canada: Occasional
Rarity: Rare or hard to breed

Black with yellow spots and gold fin edges. Grows larger than Hypancistrus and holds a territory.

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Photo: Anne Blindheim, CC BY-SA 3.0

Spotted Cochliodon

L050

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Plecos · Hypostomus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Spotted Cochliodon

L050

Hypostomus cf. cochliodon

Unknown origin · 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

Orange Cheek Pinecone Pleco

L095

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Plecos · Pseudorinelepis

24–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Orange Cheek Pinecone Pleco

L095

Pseudorinelepis genibarbis

Rio Branco, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: Usenetpostsdotcom, PD

Magnum pleco

L047

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Plecos · Baryancistrus

27–30°C!
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Magnum pleco

L047

Baryancistrus chrysolomus

Rio Xingu, Brazil · river

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

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Photo: 5snake5, PD

Paraguay Pleco

L281

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Plecos · Hypostomus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Paraguay Pleco

L281

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

Para Pleco

L075

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Plecos · Peckoltia

25–29°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

Para Pleco

L075

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

Blue eyed red fin pleco

L137

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Plecos · Hypostomus

23–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Mixed

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

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Photo: FCBThunder, CC BY-SA 4.0

Pears' Rubbernose Pleco

L187b

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Plecos · Chaetostoma

20–25°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Veg

Pears' Rubbernose Pleco

L187b

Chaetostoma pearsei

Unknown origin · river

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

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Photo: AndreaH 12, CC BY-SA 4.0

Megalancistrus parananus

L234

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Plecos · Megalancistrus

24–28°C
pH 5.5–7.5
Bottom
Meat

Megalancistrus parananus

L234

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

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

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

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

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