Search Species
Search for fish species by common or scientific name, or use filters to browse by water type, size, temperament, and difficulty.
Water Type
Search for fish species by common or scientific name, or use filters to browse by water type, size, temperament, and difficulty.
Found 356 species
Ambassis miops
Ambassis miops is a small, see-through little perchlet from Indo-Pacific estuaries and river mouths - you can often see the silvery organs and spine line inside the body when it turns just right. They tend to hang out in loose groups along weedy edges in slow-to-moderate flow, and that flag-like tail pattern is the quick giveaway once you spot it.
Fowleria amblyuroptera
Fowleria amblyuroptera is a very small Indo-Pacific/Western Pacific cardinalfish (to about 4 cm SL) associated with coastal reefs/bays and is primarily nocturnal. Like many cardinalfishes, the male mouthbroods the eggs; in captivity it should be provided with ample shelter and offered appropriately sized meaty foods/planktonic items.
Nothobranchius foerschi
Nothobranchius foerschi is an annual killifish from coastal Tanzania that lives in temporary pools, so it is basically built to grow up fast, spawn hard, and not hang around forever. The males are ridiculously colorful and do a lot of little sparring and display posturing, which is half the fun of keeping them in a species tank.
Yunnanilus forkicaudalis
This is a tiny Chinese stone loach that sticks close to the bottom and cruises around like a little mouse, poking into sand and between small rocks. Its wild home is pretty localized in Yunnan, so its more of a "cool oddball" than something you will reliably see at every fish shop. Treat it like a small, peaceful stream/edge-of-lake loach and it will reward you with nonstop foraging behavior.
Pseudomugil furcatus
Pseudomugil furcatus is one of those little fish that never sits still-in a good way. When you keep a proper group, the males do these harmless fin-flaring "showdowns" and the forked tail + blue eyes really pop, especially in a planted tank with some open swimming room. It's a peaceful, small schooling fish from Papua New Guinea rainforest streams, and it's an easy way to add constant movement to a tank.
Pterophyllum scalare
Pterophyllum scalare is that classic tall, triangle-shaped cichlid that just glides around like it owns the midwater. Give it some vertical space, plants/wood to weave through, and it'll reward you with tons of personality-especially once a pair forms and starts guarding a spawn site.
Icelinus oculatus
Frogmouth sculpin is a little coldwater, bottom-hugging marine sculpin from the Pacific coast. It spends its time sitting on the substrate and blending in like a living rock, then darts short distances when food shows up. Super cool fish, but it is absolutely not a warm reef tank animal - it really wants chilly, oxygen-rich water and a calm setup.
Vanderhorstia fulvopelvis
This is a tiny little shrimpgoby from Okinawa (Japan) that lives down on sand and rubble and does the classic prawn-goby thing - hanging at a burrow entrance and relying on a snapping/pistol shrimp roommate for the digging. Its name literally points at a shiny yellow mark on the male's pelvic fin, and the fish itself is patterned with yellow spotting and a clean stripey/barred look.
Gobio fushunensis
Gobio fushunensis is a little bottom-hugging gudgeon from China that spends its time nosing around the substrate for tiny foods. FishBase lists it topping out around 5.6 cm standard length, so think of it as a small, subtle stream fish rather than a flashy centerpiece.
Yunnanilus ganheensis
This is a tiny little stone loach from a single area in Yunnan, China (Ganhe, Xundian County). Its description mentions a neat pattern of square-ish dark spots along the sides, and like most small nemacheilid loaches it is basically a bottom-hugging, cover-loving micro-predator that will spend its time picking around the substrate and crevices.
Fundulopanchax gardneri
Gardneri are those little West African killies that look like someone painted neon speckles and flag-fins onto a 2-inch fish. The males will posture and flare at each other but its more drama than damage, and they will absolutely reward you with constant spawning if you give them mops or fine plants. Biggest things to know: keep a tight lid (they jump) and do not cook them warm - they do best in the low-to-mid 20s C.
Yirrkala gjellerupi
This is a tiny little freshwater snake eel (worm eel family) that lives a pretty un-eel-like life, turning up in streams well away from the sea. It is one of those obscure oddballs you will mostly see in scientific papers rather than aquarium shops, and that rarity is honestly part of what makes it so interesting.