Fish That Start With N
Browse all aquarium fish species with common names beginning with "N". Each profile includes care requirements, water parameters, tank size recommendations, and compatibility information for freshwater, marine, and brackish species.
In the letter 'N', you will find a diverse assortment of aquarium fish, including popular community species and striking ornamentals. Examples include the peaceful Golden pencilfish (Nannostomus beckfordi) and the vibrant Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica), which adds color to reef tanks. The Emperor tetra (Nematobrycon palmeri) offers a unique beauty that makes it a favored choice among aquarists.
Naked-bellied schizothorax
Schizothorax nudiventris
This is a high-altitude Asian river carp (a schizothoracine) from the upper Mekong (Lancang Jiang) drainage in China. It is built for cool, fast, oxygen-rich water, and adults develop that neat scaleless "naked" patch on the belly/thorax that the name nudiventris is calling out. Not really an aquarium trade fish - more of a wild river species that would need a big, cold, high-flow setup to thrive.
Namak barbel
Barbus miliaris
Barbus miliaris is a real-deal Middle Eastern barbel from Iran's Namak Lake and Kavir basins, built for river life with that classic barb mouth and an elongated body. It is not an aquarium-trade species, so if you see the name in a shop list its usually a mis-ID or a totally different barb. Think cool regional native fish, not a "community tank barb."
Nebulous snake eel
Xestochilus nebulosus
Xestochilus nebulosus is a slender marine snake eel that spends a lot of its time buried in sand or tucked into weed bottoms, usually popping out when its ready to hunt. It is the kind of fish you set up for its secretive, burrower lifestyle rather than constant open-water swimming, and it absolutely rewards a tank with a deep, soft sand bed and tight fitting lid.
Needlespine coral goby
Gobiodon acicularis
This is that tiny, jet-dark coral goby with the cool needle-like first dorsal spine - it basically lives tucked into branching corals and just perches all day like it owns the place. Super cryptic and chill, but it is way happier (and easier to keep eating) when it has a real coral head or tight branching structure to call home.
Neon Green Rasbora
Microdevario kubotai
This is that tiny, glassy-yellow fish that turns into a little green highlighter once it settles into an aquarium-especially over a dark substrate and under decent lighting. They're super active mid-water shoalers, and the whole group "flashing" that neon stripe together is the main event. Keep them in a proper group and they get way bolder and look a lot more intense.
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
The Neon Tetra is a small, brightly colored fish known for its vibrant blue and red stripes that run the length of its body. It is a favorite among aquarists due to its striking appearance and peaceful nature. Neon Tetras are schooling fish that thrive in groups, adding a lively and colorful presence to any aquarium.
New Zealand rough skate
Zearaja nasuta
Zearaja nasuta is a big, cold-water skate from New Zealand that spends its time on the bottom, often half-buried in sand. It is an egg-layer that drops those classic "mermaid's purse" capsules in sandy or muddy areas, and it hunts down fish, crabs, shellfish, and worms. Super cool animal, but not something that belongs in a normal home aquarium due to its size and cold marine needs.
Nine-bar Tropheops
Tropheops novemfasciatus
Tropheops novemfasciatus is a Lake Malawi mbuna that hangs around rocky, sheltered bays in the shallows, where it grazes on algae and picks at the rock surfaces. It has that classic banded mbuna look (the name literally points to the bars), and it is the kind of fish that stays busy all day patrolling and browsing. Like most mbuna, it is way more fun (and less drama) when kept in a proper rock-heavy setup with a harem-style group.
Ninespine Stickleback
Pungitius pungitius
The ninespine stickleback is a small, slender stickleback with multiple short dorsal spines and a silvery to brownish body that often shows subtle mottling. Males can develop darker coloration and enhanced contrast during breeding and may become more territorial while guarding a nest. It is adaptable to cool, well-oxygenated water and is best kept with similarly temperate species rather than tropical community fish.
Niulan Yunnan loach
Yunnanilus niulanensis
Yunnanilus niulanensis is a small freshwater stone loach (Nemacheilidae) described from the upper Niulanjiang River (a branch of the Jinsha River) in Songming County, Yunnan, China. It is characterized by large brown spots on the upper two-thirds of the body and head; aquarium availability and husbandry are not well-documented in authoritative sources.
Nomi stone loach
Schistura nomi
Schistura nomi is one of those little river loaches that wants brisk, clean, oxygen-rich water and a bottom full of rounded gravel and stones to poke around in. Its whole vibe is hanging in riffles and darting between rock cracks, so it really shines in a high-flow, hillstream-style setup.
Northern blue melanochromis
Melanochromis kaskazini
This is a Lake Malawi mbuna with a really slick look: males go a deep cobalt blue without the usual light stripes, and the females stay pale/whitish with a yellow-orange anal fin. In the wild they cruise the intermediate rocky zones in small foraging groups, picking off bigger inverts and even small fish, so they have that busy, prowling mbuna vibe in the tank too.
Northern smoothtongue
Leuroglossus schmidti
This is a coldwater deep-sea smelt from the North Pacific that spends its days deep and comes up at night to hunt zooplankton. Super cool little "midwater" fish from the dark zone - but its near-freezing temps and deepwater lifestyle mean its basically not an aquarium species at all.
Northern studfish
Fundulus catenatus
Northern studfish are big, tough native killifish from clear creeks and rivers in the southcentral US, and the males get absolutely wild colors when they're in breeding mode. They cruise the midwater and surface like little torpedoes, but they are still stream fish at heart - clean, well-oxygenated water and room to swim makes all the difference. If you like active fish with real personality (and a bit of attitude), this one is a blast.
Notched mud carp
Henicorhynchus entmema
This is a small river carp from the Mekong region that spends its life on the move - huge seasonal migrations, with the school basically "taking turns" leading as they push upstream. In the wild it is super important as forage for bigger fish, and it does best in a roomy tank with lots of swimming space and good oxygenation rather than a tiny community setup.