A common question that aquarists ask is what fish to choose for their aquarium. This can be difficult as there are so many different types of fish and each has its own unique set of requirements. For example, some species need a lot of space while others do best in smaller tanks. Even within a species, some Tank Noodles prefer colder water while some Swordtails live in hotter water.
The best way to determine what fish is right for your aquarium is to first take into account your intended use for the tank. If you plan on using the tank mainly for viewing purposes, then an active community fish like a Neon Tetra or Guppy may be ideal. If you are primarily interested in breeding plants and invertebrates, then a more solitary species like an Ancistrus Catfish or Cichlid might be better suited. In general, it is always a good idea to research the specific needs of each fish before adding them to your aquarium as this will ensure they have enough food and water and aren’t stressed out by new surroundings.
Fish from Asia and Europe
Coldwater/Temperate cyprinids
- Bitterling (Rhodeus sericeus)
- Goldfish (Carrasius auratus)
- Sucking catfish (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri)
- White cloud (Tanichthys albonubes)
Barbs
- Cherry barb (Barbus titteya)
- China barb (Barbus semifasciolatus)
- Gold barb (Barbus “schuberti”)
- Longfin barb (Barbus arulius)
- Rosy barb (Barbus conchonius)
- Tiger barb (Barbus tetrazona)
Danios
- Giant danio (Danio aequipinnatus)
- Leopard danio (Brachydanio “frankei”)
- Pearl danio (Brachydanio albolineatus)
- Zebra danio (Brachydanio rerio)
Loaches
- Clown loach (Botia macracanthus)
- Kuhli loach (Acanthophthalamus kuhlii)
Rasboras
- Harlequin rasbora (Rasbora heteromorpha)
- Red-line rasbora (Rasbora pauciperforata)
- Scissortail rasbora (Rasbora trilineata)
Sharks/Foxes
- Albino shark (Epalzeorhyncus frenatus – albino form)
- Flying fox (Epalzeorynchus kallopterus)
- Rainbow shark (Epalzeorhyncus frenatus)
- Red-tail shark (Epalzeorhynchus bicolor)
- Siamese fox (Crossocheilus siamensis)
- Silver shark (Balantiocheilus melanopterus)
Labyrinth fishes
- Blue/Opaline gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus)
- Dwarf gourami (Colisa lalia)
- Gold/Platinum gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus)
- Honey gourami (Colisa sota)
- Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii)
- Lace (pearl) gourami (Trichogaster leeri)
- Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis)
- Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)
Other
- Barramundi (Lates calcarifers)
- Mono (Monodactylus argentus)
- Red scat (Scatophagus argus)
- Silver scat (Selenotoca multifasciata)
- Bumblebee goby (Brachygobius xanthozona)
- Golden medaka (ricefish) (Oryzias latipes)
- Halfbeak (Demogenys pusilus)
- Phantom glass catfish (Kryptopterus bicirrhis)
Fish from Central and Southern America
Tetras
- Black Neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)
- Black Widow tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)
- Blind Cave tetra (Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus)
- Bloodfin tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)
- Blue cochus tetra (Boehikea fredcochui)
- Buenos Aires tetra (Hemigrammus caudovittatus)
- Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
- Diamond tetra (Moenkhausia pittieri)
- Emporer tetra (Nematobrycon palmeri)
- Flame tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus)
- Glolite tetra (Hemigrammus erythrozonus)
- Head and tail light tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer)
- Hockeystick tetra (Thayeria boehlkei)
- Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi)
- Pristella tetra (Pristella maxillaris)
- Red-eye tetra (Moenkhausia sanctafilomenae)
- Rummynose tetra (Hemigrammus bleheri)
- Serpae tetra (Hyphessobrycon callipterus)
- Hatchet fish (Carnigella strigata)
- Silver Dollar (Metynnis argenteus)
Catfish
- Bristlenose catfish (Ancistrus temminckii)
- Otocinclus (Otocinclus affinis)
- Albino catfish (Corydoras paleatus – albino form)
- Bronze catfish (Corydoras aeneus)
- Peppered catfish (Corydoras paleatus)
- Dianema (Dianema urostriatum)
- Hoplo (Hoplosternum thoracatum)
Livebearers
- Guppy (Lebistes reticulatus)
- Molly (Poecilia latipinna)
- Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)
- Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri)
Cichlids
- Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
- Blue Acara (Aequidens pulcher)
- Blue Ram (Papiliochromis ramirezi)
- Discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus)
- Firemouth (Cichlasoma meeki)
- Gold saum (Aequidens rivulatus)
- Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
- Port acara (Aequidens portalegrensis)
- Red-hump (Geophagus steindachneri)
- Severum (Heros severus)
- Spirilum (Cichlasoma spirilum)
- Surinamensis (Geophagus surinamensis)
Other
- Blackghost knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons)
Fish from Africa
Cichlids
- African butterfly (Anomalochromis thomasi)
- Auratus (Melanochromis auratus)
- Blue dolphin (Cyrtocara moori)
- Jewel cichlid (Hemichromis bimaculatus)
- Jewel cichlid – red forest (Hemichromis lifalili)
- Kribensis (Pelvicachromis pulcher)
- Lemon cichlid (Neolamprologus leleupi)
- Peacock cichlid (Aulonocara spp)
- Princess cichlid (Neolamprologus brichardi)
- Venustus (Nimbochromis venustus)
- Zebra – redcheek (Pseudotropheus macropthalmus)
- Zebra – tangerine and blue (Pseudotropheus zebra var.)
Other
- Congo tetra (Phenacogramma interruptus)
- Upside-down catfish (Synodontis nigriventris)
- Black Mono (Monodactylus sebae)
- Butterflyfish (Pantodon buchholzi)
- Elephant nose (Gnathonemus petersii)
Fish from Australia and Papua New Guinea
Brackish water species
- Archerfish (Toxotes oligolepsis)
- Barramundi (Lates calcarifers)
- Mono (Monodactylus argentus)
- Red scat (Scatophagus argus)
- Silver scat (Selenotoca multifasciata)
Glassfish
- Australian glassfish (Ambassis agassizii)
Perches & Grunters
- Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculata)
- Barred grunter (Amniataba percoides)
- Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua)
- Murray cod (Maccullochella peeli)
- Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)
- Sooty grunter (Hephaestus fuliginosus)
- Spangled perch (Leiopotherapon unicolor)
- Western pygmy perch (Edelia vittata)
Gobies and Gudgeons
- Congolli (Tupong) (Pseudaphritis urvilii)
- Crazyfish (Butis butis)
- Empire gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa)
- Peacock goby (Tateurndina ocellicauda)
- Purple spotted gudgeon (Morgunda morgunda)
Australian and New Guinea Rainbowfish
- Banded Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia trifasciata)
- Boesman’s Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia bosemani)
- Macculloch’s Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia maccullochi)
- Murray river Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)
- Western Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida australis)
Other
- Spotted Galaxia (Galaxias maculatus)
