Search Species
Search for fish species by common or scientific name, or use filters to browse by water type, size, temperament, and difficulty.
Found 337 species
darter characin
Melanocharacidium rex
A chunky little bottom-hopper from the upper Amazon, this species perches on stones and makes short dashes to snatch drifting insects. It grows bigger than most of its relatives, so it really shines in a longer tank with good flow and a sandy, rock-strewn layout. Watching a group scoot and perch in the current is half the fun.
Datangzi Marsh Yunnan loach
Yunnanilus macrogaster
This is a little Chinese stone loach from a weedy marsh system in Yunnan, and it tops out around 7 cm (under 3 inches). Its name literally points at the chunky, swollen-belly look (macrogaster = large stomach), and it is an insect-and-worm picker that hangs along the bottom.
Denison barb
Sahyadria denisonii
This is that sleek "torpedo" barb with the red racing stripe and black line-built for constant cruising in the middle of the tank. They're happiest in a proper group with lots of open swim room and really clean, oxygen-rich water with some flow. Get a school going and they look like a little pack of mini river missiles.
Densely scaled Yunnan loach
Yunnanilus polylepis
Yunnanilus polylepis is a tiny, newly-described stone loach from Yunnan, China that lives over plants in a deep pool, not a raging riffle. Males and females even look different (males show a dark side stripe), and the species name is literally about having lots of scales, which is a fun oddball trait for this group.
Diamond Barb (trade name; confirm ID carefully—name is inconsistently applied)
Hypsibarbus pierrei
This is one of those barbs that starts out looking fairly "normal" as a youngster, then turns into a big, fast river fish with a really cool diamond-sheen when it colors up. It does best in a big, well-oxygenated setup and really looks its best when you keep it in a proper group instead of a pair or solo.
Diamond Tetra
Moenkhausia pittieri
Diamond tetras are one of those fish that look kind of plain in the bag, then you get them settled in and they start throwing off this glittery, diamond-like shine when the light hits them-super satisfying to watch. They're active, always cruising around the midwater, and in a nice little school they'll do that tight, synchronized swimming thing that makes the tank feel alive.
Dianchi stone loach
Sphaerophysa dianchiensis
This is a tiny Chinese nemacheilid (stone loach) that lived on the bottom in Lake Dianchi, Yunnan. Sadly, its whole story in the hobby is basically that it is a super-local endemic that is listed as Critically Endangered and may even be gone from the wild, so it is not something you should expect to ever see for sale.
Discolored Yunnan loach
Yunnanilus discoloris
A small nemacheilid (stone loach) endemic to Yunnan, China, known from a single tributary spring (White Dragon Spring) in the Lake Dianchi drainage. The species is named for strong sexual dimorphism in coloration and is assessed as Critically Endangered, with threats including habitat modification and introduced species; it is not a standard aquarium-trade species and species-specific husbandry information is scarce.
Doce River moenkhausia (lambari)
Moenkhausia doceana
Moenkhausia doceana is a Brazilian characin from the Doce and Mucuri river basins - basically a regional "lambari" type tetra. In the wild it hangs in the water column of clear, moving streams and picks off insect larvae and other little buggy bits, so it tends to do best in a roomy tank with good flow and a group of its own kind.
Dragon fin tetra
Diapoma terofali
This is a little South American characin from the Parana-Uruguay system that stays pretty small but has a neat "glandulocaudine" twist - males have a special caudal gland tied to breeding. In a calm planted setup they act like a typical small tetra-ish fish, cruising midwater and looking best in a group.
Dwarf chain loach
Ambastaia sidthimunki
This is the little "Sid" loach people fall in love with once they see a whole group doing their goofy zoomies and clicking at each other. They stay tiny but act like big loaches - always busy, always social, and way more confident when you keep them in a proper gang. Give them sand, hiding spots, and lots of buddies and they really shine.
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia praecox
These little rainbows are like living sparks-electric blue bodies with those punchy red/orange fins, and they look even better the more you keep together. They're constantly cruising the mid-water, flashing at each other and doing that classic rainbowfish "look at me" shimmy, especially when the lights first come on or at feeding time.