Explore all cyprinids in our database. Browse detailed care guides, compatibility information, and species data to find the perfect fish for your aquarium.
Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Despite its name, the Bala Shark is a peaceful, schooling cyprinid. They are extremely active, fast swimmers that grow very large and startle easily. They are notorious for injuring themselves by crashing into the aquarium glass if kept in small tanks or easily spooked. They must be kept in groups and eventually require massive, custom-sized aquariums.
Danio margaritatus
A breathtaking nano fish native to small, vegetated ponds in Myanmar. They feature a midnight blue body covered in pearlescent spots with striking red and black striped fins. CPDs are notoriously shy and require heavily planted aquariums to feel secure. Males will constantly display and mock-spar with each other, so a larger group is essential to disperse this behavior.
Puntius titteya
A peaceful, schooling cyprinid endemic to the shaded streams of Sri Lanka. Unlike many of its barb cousins, the Cherry Barb is not a fin-nipper and makes an excellent community fish. They thrive in heavily planted aquariums with subdued lighting and leaf litter. Males display a striking cherry-red color, especially during spawning.
Boraras brigittae
A striking, deeply red nano fish native to the blackwater streams and peat swamps of southern Borneo. They are extremely peaceful and require a mature, densely planted aquarium with soft, acidic water. Due to their tiny size, they are completely safe with adult dwarf shrimp and are ideal for nano setups.
Sahyadria denisonii
An endangered, stunningly colored cyprinid endemic to the fast-flowing streams of the Western Ghats in India. Characterized by a torpedo-shaped body with a striking red line and black stripe. They are highly active, fast swimmers that require highly oxygenated water, strong flow, and cooler tropical temperatures. They are strictly shoaling fish and can be skittish if kept in small numbers.
Devario aequipinnatus
The Giant Danio is a robust, incredibly active schooling fish native to fast-flowing streams in South Asia. Known for their striking blue and gold horizontal stripes, they are constantly in motion and require long tanks with strong water flow. Due to their boisterous nature, they make excellent 'dither fish' for mild-mannered cichlids but should not be kept with slow, shy, or long-finned species as they will easily outcompete them for food.
Barbodes semifasciolatus
A highly active, peaceful schooling fish. The common 'Gold' variant is a captive-bred color morph (Schuberti) of the wild Green Barb. They are remarkably hardy and prefer slightly cooler sub-tropical water, making them excellent candidates for unheated indoor aquariums.
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
A highly popular, peaceful schooling fish recognizable by its metallic copper/orange body and the distinct black triangular 'porkchop' patch on its hindquarters. Originating from peat swamps and blackwater streams in Southeast Asia, they are active swimmers that thrive in heavily planted aquariums with gentle to moderate water flow.
Pethia padamya
A highly active, stunning schooling fish known for the brilliant red lateral stripe running across the males. Originating from central Myanmar, they thrive in slightly cooler, sub-tropical water compared to typical tropical fish. They are robust and peaceful when kept in proper shoals, but may nip fins if stressed or kept in numbers too small.
Garra flavatra
A highly active, beautifully patterned benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish native to the fast-flowing, highly oxygenated streams of Myanmar. They are excellent biofilm and algae grazers. While peaceful towards other species, they establish a strict, sometimes physical pecking order among themselves. They are notorious climbers and jumpers, requiring a tight-fitting lid.
Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
A popular, active freshwater 'shark' (actually a cyprinid) known for its striking red fins contrasting with a dark or albino body. They are highly territorial bottom-dwellers. Only keep one per tank, as they are notoriously aggressive toward their own kind, other 'sharks' (like the Red Tail Shark), and similar-looking bottom feeders.
Epalzeorhynchos bicolor
A striking and highly active bottom-dwelling cyprinid known for its jet-black body and vibrant red tail. While beautiful, they are notoriously territorial, especially toward their own kind, similar-looking species (like Rainbow Sharks), and sometimes other bottom-dwellers. They must be kept as the only 'shark' in the tank and require a large footprint with plenty of caves and broken sightlines.
Pethia conchonius
A hardy, active, and colorful subtropical schooling fish. Known for the male's striking rosy-red breeding dress, while females are more golden/silver. They are voracious eaters, very active swimmers, and can be fin-nippers if kept in too small a group. Best kept in cooler water compared to tropical species. The Long Finned morph is also popular but requires gentler flow.
Crossocheilus oblongus
Famous for being one of the few freshwater fish that actively consumes Black Beard Algae (BBA). A torpedo-shaped, active bottom-to-midwater swimmer native to Southeast Asian streams. True Siamese Algae Eaters feature a distinct black horizontal stripe that extends all the way through the tail fin. As they mature, they can become lazy, preferring prepared foods over algae, and may occasionally chase other bottom dwellers.
Puntigrus tetrazona
A highly active, schooling cyprinid famous for its striking black stripes and infamous reputation as a fin-nipper. They are boisterous and must be kept in larger groups (6+) to keep their pecking order internal. They should never be housed with slow-moving or long-finned tankmates like Bettas, Guppies, or Angelfish.
Barbonymus schwanenfeldii
A large, active, and schooling riverine species that quickly outgrows standard aquariums. Known for their metallic silver scales and red fins. They are notoriously skittish, robust eaters, and will consume almost any live plant or small fish that fits in their mouths. A massive tank with strong filtration is strictly required.
Tanichthys albonubes
A hardy, peaceful, and active schooling fish famous for its ability to thrive in unheated, sub-tropical aquariums. Native to the mountain streams of China, they feature a bronze body with a striking neon-like lateral stripe and red-tipped fins. They are strictly schooling fish and must be kept in groups to feel secure and display their best colors.
Danio rerio
One of the most robust and active aquarium fish available. Native to South Asia, they are a model organism in science due to their genetics. They are extremely active top-level swimmers that must be kept in schools to prevent stress and fin-nipping. They prefer cooler, oxygen-rich water with a current.
