Some Fish Types

African Jewelfish: The jewelfishes from Africa are some of the most beautiful, and most bellicose, of the cichlids. While bimaculatus was the original jewelfish introduced into the hobby many years ago, there are now a number of other species available. They all behave the same and require the same conditions. More >>

Angelfish: Long a favorite among aquarists, the angelfish is a tall fish that can be kept in a community setting, as long as its tankmates are not overly aggressive or habitual fin nippers. Fast-swimming fish may also make an angelfish nervous and may out-compete it for food.More >>

Arowana: The Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) is a long and beautiful fish known for its voracious appetite and constant surface skimming, looking for things to fit into its mouth. It is native to waterways of the Amazon River and other areas in South America as well as Southeast Asia and Australia. More >>

Bala Shark: Also known as the tricolor shark or silver shark, the young bala shark is a staple item in most aquarium stores. However, this fish is a poor choice for most aquaria. More >>

Barb: Barbs are freshwater tropical fish within the genera Barbus and Puntius. They are very popular aquarium inhabitants, and the group includes well-known species such as the tiger barb and cherry barb. More >>

Betta: The betta, also known as the Siamese fighting fish, has become a popular fish among hobbyists primarily because of the male’s beautiful colors and lavish finnage. More >>

Black Molly: The black molly (Poecilia sphenops) is a hybrid variation of the sailfin molly. It is a small fish, with males reaching about three inches in length and females slightly smaller. More >>

Black Tetra: The black tetra has been a popular staple of the aquarium hobby for many years. Commercial breeders have developed different color varieties (unfortunately, including the “blueberry” and other dyed fish), and there are long-finned specimens. More >>

Blackline Penguinfish: The blackline penguinfish is also called Boehlke’s penguinfish, false penguin tetra and hockey sticks. This species needs at least a 20-gallon aquarium for a small group of six or more fish. This fish is hardy and sticks to the upper waters of the community aquarium. More >>

Bleeding Heart Tetra: The bleeding heart tetra is a hardy, peaceful, schooling species that should be kept in groups of six or more. It does extremely well when kept with other peaceful fish, such as Megalamphodus, Corydoras and Nannostomus species. More >>

Blind Cave Tetra: The blind cave tetra is a schooling species that is a little too aggressive for the normal tetra community. It is best kept in a group of three to six individuals in a tank with other robust fish, such as small cichlids, livebearers, barbs and catfish. More >>

Blue Gourami: The blue gourami is a robust fish that should be kept with other hardy, but mildly aggressive, community tank fishes. When kept with active, aggressive fishes it will often retreat to a corner and hide. House only one male per aquarium, as this species has a tendency to fight with one another. More >>

Boesemans Rainbowfish: Description: The front half of Melanotaenia boesemani's body is blue, and the back half is yellow-orange. In some specimens, you may also see a stripe or two of silver-black scales. More >>

Brichardi Cichlid: Description: Neolamprologus brichardi is called brichardi cichlid, princess of Burundi and fairy cichlid. This moderately aggressive pale brown cichlid is elongate and has clearly defined scales. More >>

Bronze Cory: In the wild, most Corydoras swim in schools of several dozen or more, and similar conditions should be duplicated in the home aquarium. The Corydoras aeneus should be kept in a group of six or more with other community tank fish, such as small characins, livebearers and rasboras. More >>

Buenos Aires Tetra: The Buenos Aires tetra is now provided to the hobby almost exclusively from fish farms in Florida, which means it usually has been raised in alkaline, hard water. It will, however, adapt back to its original conditions of neutral soft water. More >>

Cardinal Tetra: The cardinal tetra is probably the world’s favorite tropical fish in terms of numbers kept. Many hobbyists have at some point in time, kept cardinal tetras. And, while they have been bred, they have never been bred in commercial quantities. More >>

Catfish: Catfish are very recognizable and popular aquarium inhabitants. They belong to the order Siluriformes, and include a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater catfish families.More >>

Cherry Barb: As with many other fish, the cherry barb is now almost exclusively raised commercially in the Far East and Florida. If you ever have a chance to procure wild stock, purchase them and you will see what their true colors are. That said, the cherry barb that is in the hobby now is a beautiful fish. More >>

Cichlid: Cichlids are mainly freshwater tropical fish from the family Cichlidae. More >>

Clown Barb: The clown barb is a very active, medium-size, elegant species that should be kept with similar-size species that also prefers warmer water. More >>

Clown Loach: The clown loach is an active schooling fish that is best kept in small groups (three to six fish). It will tolerate tankmates of other species, although docile species may become agitated by the constant activity of this fish. More >>

Convict Cichlid: The convict cichlid is often the first fish a budding aquarist breeds — they are almost impossible to keep from reproducing. More >>

Cory: Cories are South American catfish of the family Corydoradinae. They are temperate and tropical armoured catfish. Cories are the most popular catfish for aquaria, and most species remain relatively small. It is recommended that they be kept in small schools rather than individually. More >>

Danio: Danios are small schooling fish that bring a lot of activity to freshwater aquariums. The most popular type is the zebra danio, which is a very hardy pet species, and long-finned varieties have added to the danios’ popularity. More >>

Diamond Tetra: The diamond tetra’s lack of color is more than made up for by its other attributes. The scales located on the sides of this fish are reflective and almost shimmer. Its overall color is a glittering silver with highlights of greenish-blue. More >>

Discus: Although the discus is a peaceful, schooling species, it is best kept in a species tank because its temperature needs are much higher than most other species can stand. More >>

Dwarf Gourami: The dwarf gourami is a peaceful, timid species that should be kept in pairs with fish of similar size and temperament. Avoid housing this fish with some of the more active characins and barbs. More >>

False Julii Cory Catfish: Description: The false julii catfish is not Corydoras julii. The false julii cory catfish is easy to distinguish from C. julii because it has a darker and more mazelike pattern of black stripes on a white or silvery body. More >>

Firemouth: The firemouth is one of those fish that does not look like much when small, but when they mature — and especially when they are in breeding colors — they are spectacular to behold.More >>

Frontosa Cichlid: Description: Cyphotilapia frontosa is one of the most popular cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, and with good reason. This species is outgoing and will eat out of the aquarist’s hand. It is not as active or as aggressive as other Lake Tanganyika cichlids. More >>

Giant Danio: The giant danio is a fast swimming fish that reaches up to 4 inches in length. In addition, the giant danio is a big bodied fish with a length commensurate with its girth. More >>

Glass Catfish: The glass catfish is one of the most unusual fish commonly kept in the hobby, and it is certainly the most transparent. All of the bones and the sac that holds the internal organs are clearly visible through the transparent flesh of the glass catfish. More >>

Glowlight Tetra: The glowlight tetra is one of the most beautiful and easy to keep fish offered in our hobby. If you want an absolutely spectacular tank, put a school of glowlights in with black gravel, lots of plants and subdued lighting. You will understand the “glow” part of their name.More >>

Goldfish: The goldfish is a form of wild carp that has been kept by humans as pets since at least 970 A.D., which is the first recorded instance of keeping and breeding them. The Chinese have developed different varieties of goldfish since then, as have the Japanese shortly thereafter.More >>

Gourami: Gouramis are freshwater fish in the family Osphronemidae. They are labyrinth fish, having the ability to breathe air through their labyrinth organ. Gouramis are typically found in Asia, India and South East Asia. More >>

Guppy: Although they are ideal community tank residents with fishes of similar size and temperament, if you intend to breed guppies, it is best to house them in a species-only tank. You can house three pairs in a 10-gallon tank or five to six pairs in a 20-gallon tank. More >>

Harlequin Rasbora: These great little colorful fish have been in the hobby for more than 100 years, believed to have been introduced to the aquarium hobby in 1906. More >>

Hatchetfish: Hatchetfish are freshwater fish belonging to the family Gasteropelecidae. They are characterized by their large sternal region, and are known to be excellent jumpers. More >>

Head And Tail Light Tetra: The head and tail light fish has been in our hobby for a very long time, and was probably one of the first tetras to be spawned because it spawns easily. The fish is available from both aquacultured and wild-caught sources. More >>

Jack Dempsey: The Jack Dempsey is one of the most popular “pet” fish (a fish that is often kept alone and develops a relationship with the owner). Oscars are another, probably even more popular, fish that is kept this way. More >>

Jewelfish: Jewelfish, also know as jewel cichlids, are members of the genus Hemichromis. They are native to West Africa, and are known to be aggressive in the aquarium. Generally, jewelfish do best in a monospecies setup, as other species will likely find them too difficult to live with.More >>

Kissing Gourami: The kissing gourami is a peaceful species that should be housed with fish of similar size and temperament. Males will occasionally fight by "pressing" their mouths together — hence the common name. More >>

Koi: Description: Koi are large domesticated carp commonly kept in backyard ponds. Some koi are exceptional specimens, called "show koi" and can be very expensive. Many pondkeepers keep less expensive pet koi; they may not have perfect colors and markings, but they are great pets. More >>

Kribensis: The “krib” is one of the most common and easy to keep of the constellation ofPelmatochromis/Pelvicachromis genera in the hobby. This fish is very hardy, adapt to almost any water conditions and will breed in wet cotton. More >>

Kuhli Loach: Although it will live for several years in an aquarium where it is the only fish of its kind, the kuhli loach will seldom come out in the open under these conditions. More >>