Tropical Fish Encyclopedia

Colorful cichlids from Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika. Marine-like beauty in freshwater. Active and full of personality.

Iconic triangular silhouette synonymous with tropical fish. Many selectively bred varieties. Pair breeding is rewarding.

Small South American cichlid. Males display vivid colors and unique behaviors. Over 100 species available.

A dwarf cichlid spreading vivid orange fins. Male fin spreading display is spectacular.

A fish with amazing hunting behavior, shooting water jets to knock down insects above water.

King of ancient fish. Gold and red varieties are stunningly beautiful. Majestic swimming near the surface is breathtaking.

Small tetra with characteristic thin pencil-like body. Beautiful gold and black longitudinal stripes running along the body, with mature males developing red coloration on the belly. Peaceful and popular for community tanks.

Small shrimp with beautiful red-white or black-white banding. High-quality specimens command premium prices. Strict water quality needs.

Stunning fins and endless color varieties. Can breathe air via labyrinth organ, allowing small container keeping. Males must be kept separately.

A vivid rainbowfish with blue front half and orange back half. Spectacular when schooling.

A small pleco with distinctive bristle-like growths around the mouth. Popular tank cleaner with strong algae-eating ability.

A deep crimson shrimp endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Beautiful with white spots scattered like stars.

Similar to neon tetra but red band extends full length for more vibrant color. Stunning in large groups. Prefers soft water.

A tiny fish with jewel-like body scattered with white pearl patterns. A gem for planted tanks.

A small cyprinid where males turn vivid cherry red. Also valued for controlling pest snails.

Small bright red freshwater shrimp. Excellent algae cleaner. Easy to breed and popular in planted tanks.

One of world's smallest freshwater fish turning deep red. Schooling looks like a ruby jewelry box.

A beautiful gourami with chocolate body and gold vertical stripes. Challenging but charming.

An ultra-small killifish with black-yellow stripes and distinctive rocket-shaped tail fin.

Beautiful bottom-dweller with orange and black bands. Sleeps on its side — unique behavior. Very active in groups.

Cute small catfish that sifts through substrate. More active in groups. Peaceful for community tanks. Many collectors.

Popular Corydoras variety with beautiful white dot pattern and orange belly. Known as a bottom-dwelling fish that eats leftover food from substrate, valued as a tank cleaner. Relatively tolerant of higher temperatures and easy to keep.

A tetra with scales sparkling like diamonds. Mature males have elegantly elongated fins.

The 'King of Tropical Fish.' A disc-shaped cichlid with delicate coloration and graceful movement. Demands strict water quality — warm, soft, slightly acidic water. Many captive-bred strains.

Beautiful small anabantid with red and blue stripes. Breathes air with labyrinth organ. Builds bubble nests. Peaceful and popular.

A small freshwater puffer with beautiful leopard pattern. High intelligence, some recognize owners.

Tiny tetra that glows ember-orange. Beautiful contrast against green plants. Perfect for small tanks.

Close relative of guppy with wild beauty. Small body with metallic coloring. Purists dedicated to maintaining bloodlines.

Small tetra with vivid flame-like red rear half. Hardy and easy to keep, prefers slightly acidic water. Particularly beautiful in schools, popular beginner species that looks stunning in planted tanks.

Large cichlid with massive head hump and vivid coloring. Artificially bred variety. Bonds with owners like a pet.

Jewel-like small cichlid with blue iridescence. Peaceful for community tanks but prefers warm water. Many variants.

A unique catfish with transparent body showing visible skeleton. Fantastical appearance when swimming in groups.

Improved variety of Honey Gourami with vivid golden color throughout the body. More vivid coloration than the original species, popular for adding color to aquariums. Peaceful temperament suitable for community tanks.

Similar to neon tetra but blue-green line runs entire body. Ultra-small, most beautiful in large schools.

The fish that 'begins and ends' the tropical fish hobby. Livebearing makes breeding easy. Endless tail color and shape varieties.

A beautiful small fish with orange body and black triangle mark. Schooling looks best in planted tanks.

Distinctive hatchet-shaped body. Surface-dwelling fish that swims just below water line. Jumping risk — lid essential.

A small gourami with warm honey-colored body. Gentle temperament ideal for community tanks.

Small beautiful fish found worldwide. Males display incredibly vivid colors like gems. Over 1000 species, popular with enthusiasts.

Cute eel-like banded loach. Shy and hides often but active in groups. Fun to watch wriggling through substrate.

Surface fish with distinctive axe (hatchet) -shaped body. 'Flying fish' that glides on water surface flapping pectoral fins like wings. Unique marble pattern and distinctive silhouette make it a striking accent in planted tanks.

Livebearing fish like platy but slightly larger. Many varieties including balloon and black molly. Tolerates brackish water.

A small rainbowfish shining in neon blue. Male morning flashing display is spectacular.

The quintessential tropical fish. Beautiful neon blue and red coloring. Stunning when kept in schools. Hardy and beginner-friendly.

A large cichlid that bonds like a dog. Charming begging behavior makes it the representative pet fish.

Small catfish that eats algae on glass and plants. Peaceful and essential for planted tanks. More secure in groups.

Worlds smallest freshwater pufferfish at 2-3cm. Eats pest snails in tanks. Expressive face and bonds with owners.

A small gudgeon with beautiful peacock-like blue dot pattern. Peaceful, breeding enjoyable.

Colorful and hardy livebearing fish. Perfect for beginners and easy to breed. Highly adaptable to various water conditions.

Catfish with sucker mouth known as tank cleaners. Huge variety from small to large. Highly collectible.

African ancient fish with dinosaur-like appearance and air-breathing ability. Hardy and long-lived. Nocturnal.

An ultra-small corydoras. Unusual habit of mid-water schooling, perfect for nano tanks.

Beautiful fish from Australia/New Guinea that shine rainbow colors in morning light. Spectacular in schools.

Small schooling fish from Southeast Asia. Espei and harlequin rasbora most popular. Perfect for planted tanks.

Red nose tip and black-white tail distinctive. Most uniform schooling among tetras. Better water quality means brighter red.

A gem-like tiny fish with beautiful red coloration. Known as a micro predator.

One of few fish that eats black beard algae. Valued for planted tank algae control. Becomes somewhat aggressive when mature.

A small gourami with jewel-like sparkle. Unusual fish that makes croaking sounds.

A livebearer where male tail extends like a sword. Active swimmer adding movement to the tank.

Small rainbowfish with thread-like elongated fins. Each fin extends like thread, with an elegant swaying appearance in water. Ideal for single-species small tanks or as an accent in planted tanks. Prefers gentle water flow.

An extremely hardy small fish from China. Can be kept without a heater, a classic first fish for beginners.

A hardy small fish with beautiful stripes that adds energy to the aquarium.

A loach with beautiful black-white stripes. Bottom-dweller also useful for snail control.