Explore our growing database of freshwater fish species. Each profile includes detailed care requirements, compatibility data, and environmental needs to help you build the perfect aquarium.
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.
Corydoras sp. 'CW010'
The Gold Laser Cory is a highly sought-after, undescribed species (or variant of the C. aeneus complex) native to Peru. They are renowned for the striking, neon-like golden-orange stripe running along their flanks. Like all Corydoras, they are peaceful, highly social bottom-dwellers that require a sandy substrate to safely sift for food without damaging their delicate sensory barbels.
Baryancistrus xanthellus
A stunning, highly sought-after Loricariid native to the fast-flowing, highly oxygenated waters of the Rio Xingu in Brazil. They feature a dark body covered in bright yellow spots with thick yellow seams on their dorsal and caudal fins. They require high temperatures, high water flow, and a diet rich in biofilm, aufwuchs, and fresh vegetables. They are notoriously territorial towards other bottom-dwellers.
Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus
A robust, highly attractive sailfin pleco featuring a dark body adorned with striking gold or yellowish spots. Like other Pterygoplichthys species, it grows very large and produces a massive amount of waste. While peaceful toward mid-and-top dwelling fish, it can be territorial with other large bottom dwellers. It requires driftwood in its diet for proper digestion.
Hemigrammus rodwayi
A peaceful, active schooling fish perfect for community planted tanks. Fascinatingly, the brilliant metallic gold coloration of wild specimens is a harmless immune response (guanin deposits) to a trematode parasite. Captive-bred specimens lack this parasite and display a silvery-yellow sheen instead. They thrive in mature, dimly lit aquariums with soft water.
Ancistrus sp. L144
A highly popular, smaller pleco morph known for its bright yellow/gold coloration and striking blue/black eyes. Unlike the common pleco, Bristlenoses stay relatively small and are superb algae eaters. They produce a massive amount of waste and absolutely require driftwood in their tank, as they consume the lignin for digestion.
Pethia gelius
The Golden Dwarf Barb is a diminutive, peaceful schooling fish native to South Asia. It is often confused in name with the much larger 'Golden Barb' (Barbodes semifasciolatus), but it is a distinct nano species. Due to their small size and slightly timid nature, they do best in heavily planted, peaceful setups and are considered safe to keep with adult dwarf shrimp. They prefer slightly cooler, sub-tropical water temperatures.
Nannacara anomala
A striking South American dwarf cichlid known for its metallic sheen and fascinating behavior. While generally peaceful and excellent for community tanks, they exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism. Females are infamous for becoming hyper-aggressive 'terrors' when guarding eggs or fry, willing to attack fish many times their size.
Julidochromis ornatus
A small, striking rock-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. They feature a bright yellow body adorned with dark, distinct horizontal stripes. They are crevice spawners that form strong monogamous pairs. While they mind their own business regarding mid-water schooling fish, they are fiercely territorial over their rock piles, especially towards other Julidochromis or similar rock-dwellers.
Macrotocinclus affinis
A highly popular nano suckermouth catfish, prized in planted tanks for their voracious appetite for diatoms and soft brown algae. They are incredibly peaceful but notoriously delicate during acclimatization, requiring well-established, mature aquariums with plenty of biofilm and stable water parameters. They are highly social and must be kept in groups.
Aplocheilus lineatus
A large, incredibly hardy, surface-dwelling killifish. The 'Golden Wonder' is a selectively bred bright yellow morph of the wild Striped Panchax. They are notorious predators with surprisingly large, trapdoor-like mouths; they will easily consume neon tetras, guppies, and dwarf shrimp. They are completely peaceful with fish too large to eat, but require a tight-fitting lid as they are expert jumpers.
Carassius auratus
One of the most commonly kept and misunderstood fish in the hobby. Single-tailed goldfish (Comets, Commons, Shubunkins) are fast-growing, highly active coldwater fish that produce enormous amounts of waste. They are best suited for ponds or massive aquariums. They will uproot plants, sift substrate constantly, and eat anything that fits in their mouths.
Melanotaenia goldiei
The Goldie River Rainbowfish is a vibrant, highly active schooling fish native to the clear rainforest streams and backwaters of southern New Guinea. As rapid swimmers, they require significant open swimming space. They are voracious mid-water and surface feeders that will readily eat insects and standard aquarium foods. While peaceful, their exuberant energy can intimidate shy tank mates.
Aulonocara stuartgranti
A stunning endemic cichlid from Lake Malawi known as a 'Peacock'. They feature specialized sensory pores on their lower jaw to hunt small invertebrates in the sand. Requires hard, alkaline water and a soft sandy substrate to prevent damage to their gills during natural sifting behavior.
Aphyocharax rathbuni
The Green Fire Tetra is a lively, schooling fish originating from South America. They are characterized by their metallic green bodies and a striking red coloration on their lower flanks and anal fins. They are generally peaceful but highly active, requiring plenty of swimming space and a group of conspecifics to feel secure and display their best colors.
Paracheirodon simulans
A striking, nano-sized schooling fish native to the blackwater habitats of the upper Rio Negro and Orinoco basins. Distinct from standard Neon Tetras, the Green Neon has a dominant, brilliant blue-green iridescent stripe running the entire length of its body, with little to no red pigmentation. They are extremely peaceful, somewhat timid, and require soft, acidic water with subdued lighting to thrive.
Hemiancistrus subviridis
A stunning, vibrant green Loricariid native to the fast-moving rapids of the Orinoco River. Known for its yellowish-green body dotted with light spots. It requires highly oxygenated, warm water with strong flow. While peaceful to mid- and top-dwelling fish, they are heavily armored and fiercely territorial toward other bottom dwellers, especially other plecos. They are also known to chew on broad-leaved plants like Amazon Swords.
Dichotomyctere nigroviridis
The Green Spotted Puffer is a highly intelligent but notoriously aggressive fish. While frequently (and incorrectly) sold as a freshwater species, they strictly require brackish water that increases in salinity as they mature, eventually needing high-brackish or full marine conditions as adults. They have beak-like teeth that grow continuously and must be worn down by a diet of hard-shelled foods. Best kept entirely alone.
Lepomis cyanellus
A robust, highly adaptable, and extremely aggressive North American native fish. Known for its vivid blue-green iridescent facial lines and yellow-margined fins. Due to its large mouth, heavy build, and extreme territoriality, it is often considered the 'Oscar of native fish' and should be kept singly or with large, robust tank mates in spacious setups.
Andinoacara rivulatus
A large, incredibly colorful, and highly aggressive South American cichlid. Known for their striking metallic green/blue scales and vibrant orange or white tail margins. As their name suggests, they are highly territorial and require very careful tankmate selection, usually only coexisting with other large, robust cichlids or armored catfish in very large tanks.
Glossolepis dorityi
A rare and highly active schooling fish native to the Grime River system in New Guinea, currently listed as Critically Endangered in the wild. Widely known in the hobby as Dority's Rainbowfish, they are prized for the male's unique zigzag lateral striping. They are peaceful community fish that require spacious, well-oxygenated tanks with plenty of open swimming room.
Polypterus ansorgii
An exceptionally rare, large-growing 'lower jaw' bichir native to West Africa. Known for its prehistoric appearance and striking dark vertical blotches. While early scientific records logged their size much smaller, modern hobbyist and field consensus acknowledges they can reach nearly 3 feet (75-85cm) in length. They are ambush predators; while peaceful to large tankmates, they will consume any fish that fits in their surprisingly large mouths.
Asterophysus batrachus
Famous for its astonishingly large mouth and highly expandable stomach, the Gulper Catfish is a fascinating 'monster fish'. It can and will consume tank mates that are equal to or even slightly larger than its own body size. While generally peaceful toward fish that are definitively too large to swallow, its extreme predatory capabilities mean it is best kept in a dedicated species tank or with heavily armored, oversized companions.
Poecilia reticulata
One of the most iconic and widely kept aquarium fish. Renowned for their incredible colors, hardiness, and prolific breeding. As livebearers, they give birth to fully formed, free-swimming fry. Males constantly pursue females for mating; therefore, a ratio of at least 2 females per male is strongly recommended to disperse stress.
