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.
Pterygoplichthys scrophus
The Alligator or Rhino Pleco is a large, heavily armored catfish easily identified by the prominent ridge along its back and its flared nasal passages. While an excellent algae eater and scavenger, it grows massive and produces an extreme amount of waste. It requires driftwood for grazing and digestion.
Geophagus altifrons
The Altifrons Eartheater is a large, graceful South American cichlid famous for its benthophagous feeding behavior. It constantly takes mouthfuls of sand, sifting it through its gills to extract small food particles. This natural behavior requires a fine sand substrate to prevent gill damage. While generally peaceful and best kept in groups, their constant digging will uproot most planted vegetation.
Altolamprologus calvus
A highly specialized predator endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Famous for its scaleless forehead ('calvus' meaning bald) and an extremely laterally compressed body, which allows it to slip into narrow rock crevices to hunt fry and steal eggs. They are notoriously slow growers, taking years to reach full size. While they are lethal to fry and small nano-fish, they are remarkably peaceful towards similarly-sized tank mates.
Altolamprologus compressiceps
A highly specialized, predatory African Cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It features an extremely laterally compressed (paper-thin) body and steep forehead, designed to slip into narrow rocky crevices to hunt fry and invertebrates. They are notorious for their very slow growth rate and heavily 'armored' scales.
Pterophyllum altum
The True Altum Angelfish is the 'holy grail' of freshwater angelfish. Native to the Orinoco river basin, they are known for their extreme vertical height (often exceeding 35cm/14 inches), striking vertical bars, and notched upper snout. They are true blackwater fish requiring highly acidic, warm, pristine water, and very tall aquariums. They are predatory toward small fish like neon tetras.
Caridina multidentata
A highly popular, industrious freshwater shrimp renowned for its unmatched algae-eating abilities. Popularized by aquascaper Takashi Amano, they are significantly larger and hardier than most dwarf shrimp (like Cherry Shrimp). They are notorious food-thieves during feeding time and excellent escape artists, requiring a tight-fitting lid. Their larvae require saltwater to develop, so they will not overpopulate in a freshwater aquarium.
Monocirrhus polyacanthus
A master of camouflage that perfectly mimics a dead leaf drifting in the water. This species is an extreme ambush predator with a protruding jaw that can swallow prey up to 75% of its own size. It is a 'specialist' species because nearly all specimens require live food (small fish/shrimp) and refuse dry or frozen foods. Requires acidic, blackwater conditions and zero flow.
Colomesus asellus
One of the few truly freshwater, community-safe pufferfish. Native to the Amazon basin, these energetic swimmers are known for their bumblebee-like stripes and erratic swimming patterns. Unlike most puffers, they are social and prefer to be kept in groups. CRITICAL WARNING: This species has the fastest-growing teeth of any puffer. They REQUIRE a daily diet of hard-shelled foods (snails, clams, crustaceans) or they will require manual dentistry (trimming) to prevent starvation.
Palaemonetes kadiakensis
A completely freshwater shrimp native to North America. Often sold interchangeably with Ghost Shrimp (P. paludosus), the American Grass Shrimp is hardier, breeds more easily in entirely freshwater, and is an excellent, active scavenger for community tanks. They have a completely transparent body and prefer planted aquariums.
Andinoacara sp. "Gold Saum"
Commonly sold in the aquarium trade as the 'Green Terror', the Gold Saum (technically Andinoacara rivulatus) is a stunning but highly aggressive Neotropical cichlid. Males develop magnificent iridescent scales, orange/gold-edged fins, and a pronounced nuchal hump. Due to their territorial nature and large adult size, they are best kept as solitary centerpiece fish or with highly robust, similarly-sized tank mates. They are avid diggers and will uproot or destroy most live plants.
Botia kubotai
A strikingly patterned and highly active river loach native to Myanmar. As they mature, their distinct stripes break into intricate golden 'polka dots' over a dark body. Highly social, they must be kept in groups to establish complex pecking orders; keeping them in too small numbers leads to hiding or aggressive lashing out. They are excellent at controlling snail populations but require well-oxygenated water and a spacious footprint.
Hypancistrus sp. L073
A stunning, small black-and-white spotted pleco native to the fast-flowing tributaries of the lower Amazon. Unlike many plecos, the Angelicus is a Hypancistrus species, meaning it is an omnivore that heavily prefers a meaty, protein-rich diet and will generally ignore algae. They require warm, highly oxygenated water with strong flow.
Melanotaenia angfa
A beautiful and active schooling fish native to the Yakati River system in West Papua. Named in honor of the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association (ANGFA). Like many large rainbowfish, they are vigorous swimmers that require long aquariums to thrive. They display their best colors in well-planted tanks with clean, well-oxygenated water.
Plesiotrygon iwamae
The Antennae Stingray is a delicate, rare freshwater ray native to the Amazon basin. It is distinctive for its extremely long, whip-like tail that can be more than twice its disc width. They require a massive aquarium with an enormous footprint, pristine water quality, and a soft, fine sand substrate to bury themselves. As large piscivores, they will consume any tank mate small enough to fit in their mouths.
Apistogramma allpahuayo
A stunning dwarf cichlid from the blackwaters of Peru, formerly known as Apistogramma sp. 'Black-Chin' until it was scientifically described as A. allpahuayo in 2012. It is famous for the male's distinct pitch-black chin and its unique ability among Apistogrammas to undergo functional sex change (a female can morph into a functional male if the dominant male dies). They are harem breeders that require pristine, highly acidic water with leaf litter and a sandy substrate.
Apistogramma breitbinden
A stunning South American dwarf cichlid from the upper Orinoco basin, formally described in 2011 as Apistogramma megaptera. They are named for the broad, dark band extending across their face. As a blackwater species, they demand warm, soft, highly acidic water to thrive. While generally peaceful in a community setting, they are fiercely territorial substrate-spawners.
Apistogramma erythrura
Formally described as Apistogramma erythrura in 2008, this species was heavily traded for years under the name Apistogramma sp. 'Mamoré'. Native to the Mamoré River basin in Bolivia, they are highly sought after for the adult male's vibrant red caudal fin and elongated finnage. As benthophagous cichlids, they require a soft, sandy substrate to sift through, along with ample visual barriers like leaf litter and driftwood to feel secure.
Apistogramma erythrura
The Marbled Apisto is a beautiful, diminutive South American dwarf cichlid. Like most Apistogramma species, they are bottom-dwelling micropredators that naturally sift through fine sand and leaf litter for food. They require soft, acidic water, gentle flow, and plenty of visual barriers like driftwood and caves to feel secure. As harem breeders, a typical setup includes one male and several females.
Apistogramma barlowi
Formally described as Apistogramma barlowi, this species is highly unique among Apistogramma. Unlike its cousins who are strict cave-spawners, the Maulbrüter is a facultative larvophilous mouthbrooder. They spawn in caves, but once the eggs hatch, the female (and occasionally the male) will gather the larvae in their mouths to protect them. They require soft, acidic blackwater conditions and sandy substrate.
Apistogramma cf. eunotus "Orange-tail"
A beautiful South American dwarf cichlid known for its personality and stunning coloration. They are micropredators that naturally inhabit slow-moving tributaries with sandy bottoms and leaf litter. While generally peaceful towards non-cichlid tank mates (like tetras and pencilfish), they are highly territorial among their own kind and will readily hunt dwarf shrimp.
Apistogramma sp. "Parrot"
Apistogramma sp. 'Parrot' (often traded under its German name, 'Papagei') is a beautiful South American dwarf cichlid from the Peruvian Amazon. Like most Apistogrammas, they are bottom-dwelling micropredators that thrive in soft, slightly acidic water with a sandy substrate and leaf litter. Males are highly colorful and territorial, while females are smaller and turn an intense, warning yellow during breeding.
Apistogramma cf. resticulosa Mamor
The Apistogramma cf. resticulosa 'Mamor' is a peaceful but territorial dwarf cichlid originating from the Mamoré River basin in South America. Known as the 'Thin-line Dwarf Cichlid', they require soft, sandy substrates for sifting and complex environments with driftwood and leaf litter to establish territories. While generally peaceful in community tanks, they become highly aggressive during spawning and will hunt dwarf shrimp.
Apistogramma cf. resticulosa "Marmor"
A striking, small South American dwarf cichlid originating from the Rio Mamoré basin. The 'Marmor' (marbled) variant is highly sought after for its metallic colors. They are peaceful community fish but become highly territorial when breeding. They require a soft, sandy substrate which they sift for food, and thrive in soft, acidic water with plenty of cover.
Apistogramma atahualpa
A striking dwarf cichlid native to the blackwater streams of the Peruvian Amazon (Rio Nanay basin). They require soft, acidic water and a sandy substrate, as they naturally sift sand for food. While generally peaceful in community tanks, they become highly territorial during breeding. Leaf litter and driftwood are essential to mimic their natural habitat.
