List of freshwater aquarium fish species

A vast number of freshwater species have successfully adapted to live in aquariums. This list gives some examples of the most common species found in home aquariums.

Catfish">Siluriformes">Catfish

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water hardness
Brown-Point Shield Skin	Aspidoras fuscoguttatus		3.8 cm		30 Gallons		5.5–6.8
Aspidoras Cory-Cat Pygmy Aspidoras	Aspidoras lakoi				28 Gallons		6.5-7.5
Sixray corydoras, false corydoras	Aspidoras pauciradiatus				20 Gallons		6.0-7.2
Loach catfish	Aspidoras rochai		maximum length		20 Gallons	21–25°C	6.0-7.5
Britski's catfish	Corydoras britskii						6.5-7.2
Hognosed brochis	Corydoras multiradiatus					70–75 °F	6.0–7.2
Emerald catfish	Corydoras splendens			The Emerald Cory Catfish is a very hardy and resilient fish. Disease should not be a concern provided that you maintain the aquarium to standards.	20 Gallons	72 – 82 F	5.8-8.0
Cascarudo	Callichthys callichthys					64–83 °F.	5.8–8.3
Blacktop corydoras	Corydoras acutus					22–28 °C	6.0–7.5
Adolfo's catfish/corydoras	Corydoras adolfoi						6.0–7.0
Bronze corydoras, Emerald green cory	Corydoras aeneus						6.0–8.0
Agassiz's corydoras	Corydoras agassizii					22–26 °C	6.0-8.0
Spotted corydoras, longnose corydoras	Corydoras ambiacus				27 gal	22–25 °C	6.5–7.2	71.43 - 392.86ppm
Caracha Fairy Cory	Corydoras atropersonatus				20 gal	21–27 °C	5.0–7.0	36 – 179 ppm
Pink corydoras Axelrod's Cory	Corydoras axelrodi				21 gal	22–26 °C	6.0–8.0
Masked corydoras, bandit corydoras	Corydoras metae						6.0-7.0
Blackstripe corydoras	Corydoras bondi					20–26 °C	6.0–7.5
Tailspot corydoras	Corydoras caudimaculatus					20–26 °C	6.0–7.0	36 – 179 ppm
Barred-tail corydoras	Corydoras cochui					70–75 °F	6.0 – 7.0
False blochi catfish	Corydoras delphax					22–27 °C	5.5–7.5	36 – 215 ppm
Ehrhardt's corydoras	Corydoras ehrhardti					18-23 °C	6.5–7.5
Elegant corydoras	Corydoras elegans
Horseman's cory	Corydoras eques
Evelyn's cory	Corydoras evelynae					22–26 °C	6.0-8.0
Geoffrey's Corydora	Corydoras geoffroy					22–26 °C	6.0-8.0
Skunk corydoras	Corydoras granti
Guapore corydoras	Corydoras guapore
Salt and pepper catfish/corydoras	Corydoras habrosus
Mosaic corydoras, reticulated corydoras	Corydoras haraldschultzi
Dwarf corydoras	Corydoras hastatus
Julii corydoras	Corydoras julii
	Corydoras latus					22–26 °C	6.0-8.0
False spotted catfish	Corydoras leucomelas
Loxozonus cory	Corydoras loxozonus					21-24 °C	6.0-7.2
Bluespotted corydoras spotted cory	Corydoras melanistius					22–26 °C	6.0-7.0
Gold laser cory	Corydoras melanotaenia
Long nosed arched cory Long-nosed Skunk Cory	Corydoras narcissus					23-45 °C	6.0-7.0
Blue corydoras Natterer's Cory	Corydoras nattereri					20-23 °C	6.0-7.6
	Corydoras ornatus					22–26 °C	6.0-7.2
	Corydoras osteocarus
Peppered corydoras, salt and pepper catfish	Corydoras paleatus
Panda corydoras	Corydoras panda						6.0-8.0
Pastaza corydoras	Corydoras pastazensis
	Corydoras polystictus
Pygmy corydoras	Corydoras pygmaeus			A very peaceful species, that does not make an ideal community fish due to its small adult size. It is easily intimidated by larger tank mates and will not compete well with them for food.	42.4 L	72 to 79 °F	6.4 to 7.4
Rust corydoras	Corydoras rabauti
Mosaic corydoras, reticulated corydoras	Corydoras reticulatus
Banner-tail corydoras, flagtail corydoras	Corydoras robineae
Schwartz's catfish	Corydoras schwartzi
	Corydoras semiaquilus
	Corydoras septentrionalis
	Corydoras simulatus
False network catfish	Corydoras sodalis
Sterba's corydoras	Corydoras sterbai
Sychr's catfish	Corydoras sychri
Threestripe corydoras, leopard catfish, false julii cory	Corydoras trilineatus
	Corydoras undulatus
Xingu corydoras	Corydoras xinguensis
Corydoras nain	Corydoras nanus					22–26 °C	6.0-8.0
Flagtail catfish	Dianema urostriatum						6.0-8.0
Spotted hoplo	Megalechis thoracata					64–83 °F.	6-8
	Scleromystax prionotos
Sailfin corydoras	Scleromystax macropterus						6.0 – 8.0
Banded corydoras	Scleromystax barbatus					68-82 °F	6.0-8.0

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Three-striped African catfish	Pareutropius buffei
Giraffe catfish	Auchenoglanis occidentalis
Electric catfish	Malapterurus electricus
Eel catfish	Channallabes apus
Black lancer catfish	Bagrichthys macracanthus
Harlequin lancer catfish	Bagroides melapterus
Crystal-eyed catfish	Hemibagrus wyckii
Shadow catfish	Hyalobagrus flavus
	Mystus bimaculatus
Dwarf bumblebee catfish	Pseudomystus leiacanthus
	Pseudeutropius moolenburghae
Glass catfish	Kryptopterus vitreolus		.
Striped glass catfish	Kryptopterus macrocephalus		.
Goonch	Bagarius lica
Chocolate frogmouth catfish	Chaca bankanensis
Asian banjo catfish	Acrochordonichthys rugosus
Walking catfish	Clarias batrachus			The albino form is common in the aquarium trade. This fish can survive out of the water and "walk" as long as kept wet, for a very long time.
Black catfish, Narrowfront tandan	Neosilurus ater
Stinging catfish	Heteropneustes fossilis
Sun catfish	Horabagrus brachysoma
Asian redtail catfish	Hemibagrus wyckioides
Asian upside down catfish	Mystus leucophasis
Asian bumblebee catfish	Pseudomystus siamensis
Indawgyi stream catfish	Akysis prashadi
Asian stone catfish	Hara jerdoni
Iridescent shark	Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
Chao Phraya giant shark, giant pangasius	Pangasius sanitwongsei
Colombian shark catfish	Ariopsis seemanni
Blue whale catfish	Cetopsis coecutiens
Banjo catfish	Bunocephalus coracoideus
Giant raphael catfish	Megalodoras uranoscopus
Ripsaw catfish	Oxydoras niger
Striped raphael catfish	Platydoras armatulus
Spotted raphael catfish	Agamyxis pectinifrons
Bottlenose catfish	Ageneiosus inermis
Gulper catfish	Asterophysus batrachus
Midnight catfish	Auchenipterichthys coracoideus
Oil catfish	Duringlanis perugiae
Jaguar catfish	Liosomadoras oncinus
	Tatia intermedia
Pygmy driftwood catfish	Trachelyichthys exilis
	Trachelyopterus fisheri

Characoids">Characiformes">Characoids

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Silver dollar	Metynnis argenteus			The name "silver dollar" may also refer to Metynnis hypsauchen, Metynnis maculatus, or other related fishes.
Schreitmuller's metynnis	Metynnis hypsauchen
Spotted silver dollar	Metynnis lippincottianus
Red-bellied pacu	Colossoma bidens
Red piranha	Pygocentrus nattereri
Redeye piranha, black piranha	Serrasalmus rhombeus
Wimple piranha	Catoprion mento
	Mylossoma aureum
Disk tetra	Myleus schomburgkii					23 °C to 27 °C	5.0–7.0

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
African pike characin	Hepsetus odoe
Goliath tigerfish	Hydrocynus goliath
Spotted pike-characin	Boulengerella maculata
Hujeta gar	Ctenolucius hujeta
Slender hemiodus	Hemiodus gracilis
Kissing prochilodus, flagtail Prochilodus	Semaprochilodus insignis
Marbled headstander	Abramites hypselonotus
Banded leporinus	Leporinus fasciatus
Striped headstander	Anostomus anostomus
	Synaptolaemus latofasciatus
Siver distichodus	Distichodus affinis
Six-banded distichodus	Distichodus sexfasciatus
	Neolebias ansorgii
Payara	Hydrolycus scomberoides
Pink-tail chalceus	Chalceus macrolepidotus
Red wolf fish	Erythrinus erythrinus
Red tail barracuda	Acestrorhynchus falcatus
Spotted headstander	Chilodus punctatus

Cyprinids">Cyprinidae">Cyprinids

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Harlequin rasbora	Trigonostigma heteromorpha			Also known as Harlequin tetra or Harlequin barb.
Glowlight rasbora	Trigonostigma hengeli
Red-striped rasbora	Trigonopoma pauciperforatum
Graceful Rasbora	Trigonopoma gracile
Chili rasbora	Boraras brigittae			Should be kept in acidic water which can be difficult to maintain for most beginners in the aquarium hobby.			5-6
Dwarf rasbora	Boraras maculatus
Phoenix rasbora	Boraras merah
Eyespot rasbora	Brevibora dorsiocellata
Brittans Rasbora	Kottelatia brittani
Porthole Rasbora	Rasbora cephalotaenia
Brilliant rasbora	Rasbora einthovenii
Clown rasbora	Rasbora kalochroma
Patrick's Rasbora	Rasbora patrickyapi
Scissortail rasbora	Rasbora trilineata
Volcano rasbora	Rasbora vulcanus
Kubotai Rasbora, Green Kubotai Rasbora, Green Neon Rasbora, Yellow Neon Rasbora	Microdevario kubotai
Blackline rasbora, red-tailed rasbora	Rasbora borapetensis
Espei rasbora	Trigonostigma espei
Fire rasbora	Rasboroides vaterifloris						-	-
Least rasbora	Boraras urophthalmoides						-	-

[Killifish]

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Broken-line killifish	Aphyosemion ogoense
Gabon killifish	Aphyosemion gabunense
Gabon jewelfish	Aphyosemion cyanostictum
Lyretail panchax	Aphyosemion australe
Red-striped killifish	Aphyosemion striatum
Two-striped killifish	Aphyosemion bitaeniatum
Twostripe lyretail	Aphyosemion bivittatum
Blue lyretail	Fundulopanchax gardneri
Blue gularis	Fundulopanchax sjostedti
	Fundulopanchax scheeli
Clown Killifish, rocket killifish	Epiplatys annulatus						6 - 7 pH
Redchin panchax	Epiplatys dageti
Bluefin Notho, Rachow's Notho, Rainbow Notho	Nothobranchius rachovii
Redtail notho	Nothobranchius guentheri
	Nothobranchius eggersi
	Nothobranchius korthausae
	Nothobranchius palmqvisti

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Blue panchax	Aplocheilus panchax
Ceylon killifish	Aplocheilus dayi
Striped panchax, Golden Wonder	Aplocheilus lineatus
Madagascar panchax	Pachypanchax sakaramyi
Playfair's panchax	Pachypanchax playfairii
Powder-blue Panchax	Pachypanchax omalonotus
American flagfish	Jordanella floridae			Native to SE United States
Golden topminnow	Fundulus chrysotus
Arabian toothcarp	Aphaniops dispar
Argentine pearl	Austrolebias nigripinnis
	Laimosemion xiphidius
Lyrefin pearlfish	Simpsonichthys boitonei
Saberfin killie	Terranatos dolichopterus
Medaka	Oryzias latipes
Javanese ricefish	Oryzias javanicus
Daisy's Ricefish	Oryzias woworae

Rainbowfish">Melanotaeniidae">Rainbowfish

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Bleher's rainbowfish	Chilatherina bleheri
Red rainbowfish	Glossolepis incisus			Almost all rainbowfish species are bred in captivity and wild populations may be protected.
Threadfin rainbowfish	Iriatherina werneri
New Guinea rainbowfish	Melanotaenia affinis
Boeseman's rainbowfish	Melanotaenia boesemani
Lake Kurumoi rainbowfish	Melanotaenia parva
Neon rainbowfish	Melanotaenia praecox
Lake Wanam rainbowfish	Glossolepis wanamensis
Western rainbowfish	Melanotaenia australis
Duboulayi's rainbowfish	Melanotaenia duboulayi			a.k.a. Crimson-Spotted rainbowfish
Australian rainbowfish	Melanotaenia fluviatilis
Lake Tebera rainbowfish	Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi
Lake Kutubu rainbowfish	Melanotaenia lacustris
Parkinson's rainbowfish	Melanotaenia parkinsoni
Eastern rainbowfish	Melanotaenia splendida splendida
Banded rainbowfish	Melanotaenia trifasciata
Celebes rainbow	Marosatherina ladigesi
Spotted blue-eye	Pseudomugil gertrudae
Red neon blue-eye	Pseudomugil luminatus
Delicate blue-eye	Pseudomugil tenellus
Forktail blue-eye	Pseudomugil furcatus			These fish need a larger aquarium than their size suggests. Though they only grow to a length of about 2 inches, they are happiest in groups of 8 – 10 or more, and they appreciate lots of swimming space.		75 - 79 °F	6.5 - 8.0
Neon blue-eye	Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis
Pacific blue-eye	Pseudomugil signifer
Madagascar rainbowfish	Bedotia madagascariensis

[Gobies] and sleepers">Eleotridae">sleepers

Common name	Scientific name	Image	Size	Remarks	Tank size	Temperature range	pH range	Water Hardness
Bumblebee goby	Brachygobius doriae
	Mugilogobius rexi
Knight goby	Stigmatogobius sadanundio
Barred mudskipper	Periophthalmus argentilineatus
	Stiphodon annieae
Rainbow stiphodon	Stiphodon ornatus
Cobalt blue goby	Stiphodon semoni
	Sicyopus exallisquamulus
	Sicyopus zosterophorus
Bearded worm goby	Taenioides cirratus
Banded mogurnda	Mogurnda cingulata
Tropical carp-gudgeon	Hypseleotris cyprinoides
Crazy fish	Butis butis
Marbled goby	Oxyeleotris marmorata
	Rhinogobius duospilus
	Stiphodon percnopterygionus
Golden-red stiphodon	Stiphodon rutilaureus
Atlantic mudskipper	Periophthalmus barbarus
Desert goby	Chlamydogobius eremius
Dragon goby, Violet goby	Gobioides broussonnetii						-	-
Empire gudgeon	Hypseleotris compressa
Purple sleeper gudgeon	Mogurnda mogurnda
Peacock gudgeon, Peacock goby	Tateurndina ocellicauda			A little territorial with its own kind but is suitable for many communities of small, peaceful fish. Ideal tankmates are other species from Papua New Guinea, such as Popondetta sp. rainbowfishes; but tetras, rasboras, Corydoras cats and virtually any other small peaceful species are also suitable.			6.5 7.5 pH
Striped sleeper goby	Dormitator maculatus