FISH SPECIES ATLAS

Freshwater

Paracheirodon innesi

A small, peaceful schooling tetra from the Amazon basin, known for its blue iridescent stripe and red lower body. Keep a group of at least 6, with 8-10 or more often providing more natural schooling behavior.

Freshwater

Poecilia reticulata

A colorful, active livebearer that is adaptable and beginner-friendly. Guppies reproduce readily, so mixed-sex groups can quickly increase the aquarium's population.

Freshwater

Betta splendens

A tropical freshwater labyrinth fish known for its flowing fins and territorial behavior. Individual temperament varies, and male Bettas should not be housed together.

Freshwater

Corydoras spp.

Peaceful, bottom-oriented catfish that use their barbels to search the substrate for food. Corydoras are social and generally do best in groups of their own species, with 6 or more being a useful target for many commonly kept species.

Freshwater

Pterophyllum scalare

A tall-bodied South American cichlid that can be peaceful when young but may become territorial as it matures, especially when pairing and spawning. Adult size and body shape make tank height and footprint important.

Freshwater

Astronotus ocellatus

A large, intelligent South American cichlid that can become territorial and predatory. Oscars grow quickly, produce substantial waste, and may eat fish small enough to fit in their mouths.

Freshwater

Symphysodon species

A warm-water South American cichlid with a laterally compressed body and demanding water-quality requirements. Discus are social and generally do best in groups, with high temperature and consistent water quality being especially important.

Freshwater

Danio rerio

A hardy, fast-swimming schooling fish that is comfortable in relatively cool freshwater. Zebra Danios are active and need horizontal swimming space and a secure lid.

Freshwater

Puntius titteya

A peaceful Southeast Asian barb whose males develop a rich red coloration. Cherry Barbs are generally much less prone to fin-nipping than many other barbs, although individual behavior can vary.

Freshwater

Trigonostigma heteromorpha

A beautiful, peaceful schooling fish displaying a metallic copper-red body and a distinctive black lambchop-shaped wedge on their posterior. They form tight schools and bring high energy and color to planted community tanks.

Saltwater

Amphiprion ocellaris

A hardy and widely kept marine clownfish that adapts well to aquarium life. Ocellaris Clownfish can live without an anemone and are generally peaceful, although established pairs may defend a small territory.

Saltwater

Zebrasoma flavescens

A striking, bright yellow marine fish native to Hawaiian coral reefs. Yellow Tangs are highly active swimmers and constant grazers, helping control algae growth. They can be territorial, especially toward other tangs of similar shape.

Saltwater

Paracanthurus hepatus

Famous for its vibrant royal blue body, yellow tail, and black palette markings. Hippo Tangs are active swimmers that add magnificent color to large reef tanks. However, they are highly sensitive to stress and susceptible to skin parasite infections.

Saltwater

Gramma loreto

A breathtaking marine fish featuring a double coloring—deep purple front half and a vibrant yellow back half. Royal Grammas are peaceful, reef-safe cave dwellers that add incredible color. They are hardy and do excellent in smaller marine setups.

Saltwater

Centropyge loricula

One of the most popular dwarf angelfish, showing off a fiery orange-red body with vertical black bars and blue-tipped fins. Flame Angelfish are highly active and visually striking, but can sometimes nip at fleshy corals and clams.

Saltwater

Centropyge bispinosa

An attractive, hardy dwarf angelfish featuring a deep royal blue body overlaying a shimmering orange or yellow core. They are generally more peaceful and less likely to nip at corals than the Flame Angelfish.

Saltwater

Synchiropus splendidus

A brilliantly patterned marine dragonet that spends much of its time picking tiny prey from rock and sand. Its specialized feeding behavior makes food availability the main challenge in captivity.

Saltwater

Pterapogon kauderni

An elegant, slow-moving cardinalfish with vertical black bars, white spots, and long tasselled fins. Banggai Cardinalfish are peaceful, hover in place, and are famous mouthbrooders (males carry fertilised eggs in their mouths until hatching).

Saltwater

Sphaeramia nematoptera

A colorful and quirky marine schooling fish showing a yellow face, a dark vertical band, and a spotted red pajama-pattern tail. They are peaceful, slow-moving, and hardy reef citizens that do best in loose groups.

Saltwater

Nemateleotris magnifica

A beautiful, slender marine dartfish with a white head shading into a bright red-orange tail, and a long, white dorsal fin. They are timid, peaceful fish that hover just above the substrate and flick their dorsal fin to communicate.

Freshwater

Pelvicachromis pulcher

A beautiful dwarf cichlid from West Africa. They show off colorful bellies (pink/purple in females) and are generally peaceful community fish, but can become fiercely territorial when breeding and protecting a cave.

Freshwater

Melanotaenia praecox

An active, schooling rainbowfish known for their brilliant iridescent blue coloration and reddish fins. They are energetic swimmers that bring constant movement and color to the middle-to-upper levels of the aquarium.

Saltwater

Cryptocentrus cinctus

A popular marine goby known for its bright yellow color and interesting symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp, sharing burrows and acting as a lookout.

Saltwater

Ctenochaetus strigosus

An excellent utility fish for marine aquariums, known for constantly grazing on film algae and detritus. They have a striking dark body with fine lines and a bright yellow ring around the eye.

Freshwater

Poecilia sphenops

A hardy livebearing freshwater fish available in many color and body-form varieties. Mollies prefer mineral-rich, generally alkaline freshwater and can reproduce rapidly in mixed-sex groups.

Freshwater

Osteoglossum bicirrhosum

A very large surface-feeding predatory fish that can exceed 3 feet in length. Silver Arowanas require an enormous aquarium footprint, excellent filtration, and a secure lid because they are powerful jumpers.

Freshwater

Hypostomus plecostomus

The Common Pleco is a large suckermouth catfish that can reach roughly 15 inches and produce substantial waste. It is often sold simply as a 'pleco,' but many different species are traded under that name, so species identification matters before choosing a tank.