Search Species
Search for fish species by common or scientific name, or use filters to browse by water type, size, temperament, and difficulty.
Found 654 species
Chikame daruma-garei
Engyprosopon multisquama
This is a small lefteye flounder from sandy-muddy bottoms around Japan and Taiwan. Its vibe is classic flatfish - it buries in the substrate and vanishes until food shows up, and the long, filament-y pectoral fin rays are a neat little detail you do not see on every flounder.
Chinese hillstream loach
Jinshaia sinensis
Jinshaia sinensis is one of those slick, fast-water loaches built for life clinging to rocks in strong current - big fins, low profile, and always looking for biofilm to pick at. It can do great in a purpose-built river tank with tons of oxygen and flow, but it is not the kind of loach that tolerates "average community tank" conditions for long.
Chinese zebra goby
Ptereleotris zebra
Ptereleotris zebra is one of those slick, torpedo-shaped dartfish that likes to hover in the water column, then instantly zip back into a bolt-hole when it gets spooked. In the wild it hangs out on exposed seaward reefs in groups, often in current, and in a tank the big thing is giving it open swim room plus tight cover because it is absolutely a jumper.
Chocolate-colored catfish
Rineloricaria lanceolata
This is a slim little whiptail (a Loricariid) that spends most of its time gliding over sand and leaves, picking at biofilm like a tiny vacuum cleaner. Give it driftwood, caves, and calm tankmates and it turns into a super chill, sneaky-bottom-dweller with that awesome long whip tail and high dorsal fin.
Circular stingaree
Urolophus circularis
This is a small-ish temperate Australian stingray that likes rocky reef and kelp zones, so it tends to stay tucked in and out of sight. The really cool bit is the dorsal pattern - pale spots and rings plus a dark central circle of spots - it looks like someone hand-painted it. Also worth respecting: it has a venomous tail spine, so its "hands-off" by nature.
Citrine goby
Bollmannia litura
Bollmannia litura (citrine goby) is a western Atlantic goby associated with soft substrates; published records place it over mud and mixed-mud bottoms at roughly 12.8–71 m depth in the western Caribbean.
Cobalt blue goby
Stiphodon semoni
Stiphodon semoni is one of those little river gobies that spends its whole day perched on rocks, scooting around, and grazing biofilm/aufwuchs like a tiny underwater goat. Give it clean, oxygen-rich water and a nice algae-y rockscape, and the males especially can look unreal with that blue-green sheen and bands.
Codheaded rattail
Bathygadus cottoides
This is a true deep-sea rattail that lives way down the continental slope - like 1000+ meters deep. In the wild its cruising cold, dark bottom water from Mozambique over toward Australia and New Zealand, topping out around 24 cm. Neat fish, but its basically impossible to keep long-term in a normal aquarium because it needs near-freezing temps and deepwater conditions.
Comb flounder
Marleyella bicolorata
Marleyella bicolorata is a small, bottom-hugging marine flatfish from the western Indian Ocean that spends its life laid up on sand or mud. Its eyed side is dark with blotches and bars, so it blends in really well, and it can handle cooler-to-warm tropical temps depending on where it settles. This is a deepwater demersal species, so its needs line up way more with a chilled, specialized marine setup than a typical home reef tank.
Common fusegoby
Fusigobius neophytus
This is a tiny reef-associated sand goby that hangs out over sand and rubble patches near coral, usually solo or in loose little groups. Its semi-translucent gray body is peppered with fine spots and it blends in amazingly well, then you catch that little black spot on the first dorsal fin and go, oh there it is. In a tank it is all about having sand to perch on and plenty of calm, peaceful neighbors so it is not bullied.
Common otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus
O. vittatus is that tiny little "oto" you see plastered to plant leaves and the glass, just quietly vacuuming up soft algae and biofilm all day. The big trick with them is they're amazing grazers, but they can absolutely run out of food in a too-clean/new tank, so you've got to plan on supplementing with algae wafers/blanched veg.
Common stinkfish
Foetorepus calauropomus
This is a southern-Australia dragonet with a super long tailfin and a sneaky camouflage look, and the males can actually show some really neat color and filament action when theyre feeling bold. The whole "stinkfish" thing is real too - they have a strong-smelling body slime that can taste bitter and may be toxic, so its not a fish you handle unless you have to.