Common freshwater fish
The chart below details a few common species of freshwater fish that can be found in many aquarium shops.
The pictures are representative of the species, but do not include the many color variations that are available. Your aquarium shop may have many more varieties of fish for a particular species. Look for a color combination that you enjoy and select that variety.
The table identifies the size, age, temp, and pH for each species. The general nature of the fish is also provided as is the reproduction method.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Size | Life | Thermal | pH | Reproduction | Behavior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mickey Mouse Platy | Xiphophorus maculatus | 2-2.5" | 2-3 yrs | 75-82 F | 7.0 - 8.0 | Livebearing | Peaceful, Social, Playful |
 | Guppy | Poecilia reticulata | 1.5-2.5" | 2-3 yrs | 72-82 F | 7.0 - 8.0 | Livebearing | Peaceful, Social |
 | Goldfish | Carassius auratus | 6-12" | 10-20 yrs | 65-75 F | 6.0 - 8.0 | Egg laying (oviparous | Peaceful |
 | Zebra Danio | Danio rerio | 2" | 2-5 yrs | 64-75 F | 6.5 - 7.2 | Egg layer | Active, School 6+ |
 | Neon Tetra | Paracheirodon innesi | 1.5" | 5-8 yrs | 70-81 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, School 6+ |
 | White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Tanichthys albonubes | 1.5-2" | 3-5 yrs | 64-72 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, Social |
 | Sailfin Pleco | Hypostomus plecostomus | 2-24 " | 10-15 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful |
 | Harlequin Rasbora | Trigonostigma heteromorpha | 1.5-2" | 4-8 yrs | 73-81 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful Schooling |
 | Serpae Tetra | Hyphessobrycon eques | 1.5-2" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Active, Schooling |
 | Panda Corydoras | Corydoras Panda | 1.5-2" | 5-8 yrs | 72-79 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, Social |
 | Glowlight Tetra | Hemigrammus erythrozonus | 1.5-2" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful |
 | Dwarf Puffer | Carinotetraodon travancoricus | 1-1.5" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Territorial, aggressive |
 | Tiger Barb | Puntigrus tetrazona | 2-3" | 5-7 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Active, School 6+ |
 | Swordtail | Xiphophorus hellerii | 3-4" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 7.0 - 8.0 | Livebearing | Peaceful |
 | Blue Ram | Mikrogeophagus ramirezi | 2-3" | 2-3 yrs | 78-85 F | 6.0 - 7.0 | Egg Spawner | Peaceful, Territorial |
 | Buenos Aires tetra | Hyphessobrycon anisitsi | 2.5-3" | 5-7 yrs | 68-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Active, School 6+ |
 | Dwarf Gourami | Trichogaster lalius | 2-3" | 4-6 yrs | 7.5-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Bubble Nest builder | Peaceful |
 | China barb | Puntius semifasciolatus | 2-3" | 4-6 yrs | 68-78 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, Active |
 | Betta/ Siamese fighting | Betta splendens | 2-3" | 2-4 yrs | 78-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Bubble Nest Builder | Aggressive |
 | Hatchet fish | Carnegiella strigata | 2-4" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, School 6+, jumper |
 | Congo Tetra | Phenacogrammus interruptus | 3-4" | 4-6 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg later | Peaceful, School 6+ |
 | Beacon tetra | Hemigrammus ocellifer | 1.5-2" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, School 6+ |
 | Black Phantom Tetra | Hyphessobrycon megalopterus | 2-2.5" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.0 | Egg layer | Peaceful, School 6+ |
 | Black Ruby Barb | Pethia nigrofasciata | 2.5-3" | 4-6 yrs | 73-81 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg layer | Peaceful, School 6+ |
 | Angelfish | Pterophyllum scalare | 6" | 8-12 yrs | 76-82 F | 6.6 - 7.8 | Egg layer | Territorial, graceful |
 | Black molly | Poecilia sphenops | 4" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 7.5 - 8.5 | Livebearers | Active, good community fish |
 | Kuhli Loach | Pangio kuhlii | 4" | 5-10 yrs | 75-86 F | 5.5 - 6.5 | Egg layer | Nocturnal, bottom dweller, hiding spots |
 | Rainbow fish | Melanotaenia spp. | 4-6 " | 5-8 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg scatterers | Active schooling |
 | Giant Danio | Devario aequipinnatus | 4" | 5-8 yrs | 73-81 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg scatterers | Active, fast swimmer, spacious tank needed |
 | Bumblebee Goby | Brachygobius spp. | 1.5" | 2-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Cave breeder | peaceful, but territorial |
 | Paradise fish | Macropodus opercularis | 4" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 8.0 | Bubble nest builder | Territorial |
 | Silver dollar fish | Metynnis spp. | 6" | 8-10 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg scatterers | Active, schooling |
 | Black Skirt tetra | Gymnocorymbus ternetzi | 2.5" | 3-5 yrs | 72-80 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg scatterers | Active, Schooling |
 | Red Eyed tetra | Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae | 3" | 4-6 yrs | 72-80 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Peaceful, schooling |
 | Glowlight Danio | Danio choprae | 1" | 3-5 yrs | 73-79 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, peaceful, schooling |
 | Dalmation Molly | Poecilia latipinna | 4" | 3-5 yrs | 70-82 F | 7.5 - 8.5 | Livebearers | Active, adaptable |
 | Rainbow shark | Epalzeorhynchos frenatum | 6" | 5-8 yrs | 73-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Territorial, active, prefer hiding spots |
 | Silver Shark | Balantiocheilos melanopterus | 14" | 10-15 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, Peaceful, needs large tank |
 | Tinfoil Barb | Barbonymus schwanenfeldii | 14" | 8-12 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active Schooling, needs large tank |
 | Glass Catfish | Kryptopterus bicirrhis | 4" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Peaceful, schooling |
 | Threadfin Rainbowfish | Iriatherina werneri | 2" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Peaceful |
 | Kribensis Cichlid | Pelvicachromis pulcher | 4" | 5-8 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Cave Breeder | Peaceful, prefer planted tanks |
 | Red Wag Platy | Xiphophorus maculatus | 2.5" | 2-3 yrs | 70-78 F | 7.0 - 8.2 | Livebearers | Active adaptable |
 | Honey Gourami | Trichogaster chuna | 2.5" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Bubble nest builder | Peaceful, social, prefer calm environments |
 | Rummy Nose Tetra | Hemigrammus rhodostomus | 2" | 3-5 yrs | 75-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, schooling |
 | Pearl Danio | Danio albolineatus | 2" | 3-5 yrs | 64-75 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, peaceful, schooling |
 | Yo-Yo Loach | Botia almorhae | 4" | 8-10 yrs | 75-85 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Layer | Active, social |
 | Green Corydoras | Corydoras aeneus | 3" | 5-10 yrs | 72-78 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Layer | Bottom dwelling |
 | Odessa Barb | Puntius padamya | 2.5" | 3-5 yrs | 72-79 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, Schooling |
 | Lemon Tetra | Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis | 2" | 3-5 yrs | 73-80 F | 5.5 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Peaceful, schooling |
 | Pictus Catfish | Pimelodus pictus | 5" | 8-12 yrs | 72-79 F | 6.5 - 7.5 | Egg Layer | Active, Nocturnal, School |
 | Penguin Tetra | Thayeria boehlkei | 2.5" | 3-5 yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Active, Schooling |
 | Clown Loach | Chromobotia macracanthus | 12" | 10-20 yrs | 75-86 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Scatterers | Peaceful, needs large tank |
 | Bolivian Ram | Mikrogeophagus altispinosus | 3" | 3-5 Yrs | 72-82 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Cave Breeder | Peaceful |
 | Albino Corydoras | Corydoras paleatus | 3" | 5-10 yrs | 72-78 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Layer | Bottom Dwelling |
 | Emerald Corydoras | Corydoras splendens | 2.5" | 5-10 Yrs | 72-78 F | 6.0 - 7.5 | Egg Layer | Bottom Dwelling |
 | Firemouth Cichlid | Thorichthys meeki | 6" | 8-10 Yrs | 75-82 F | 6.5 - 8.0 | Substrate Spawner | Territorial, prefer planted tank |