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Fish, shrimp, snails & corals

Aquarium

607 aquarium species organized the way fishkeepers shop: cichlids by lake and region, freshwater community groups, saltwater reef fish, and invertebrates. Every sheet has water temperature, pH and hardness where FishBase records them.

Beginner-friendly aquarium animals

Classic, hardy, widely available species that forgive small mistakes. Cycle your tank first, and check each sheet’s adult size and water needs.

Neon tetra
No federal permit

Neon tetra

Paracheirodon innesi

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Cardinal tetra
No federal permit

Cardinal tetra

Paracheirodon axelrodi

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Ember tetra
No federal permit

Ember tetra

Hyphessobrycon amandae

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Black neon tetra
No federal permit

Black neon tetra

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Glowlight tetra
No federal permit

Glowlight tetra

Hemigrammus erythrozonus

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Black tetra
No federal permit

Black tetra

Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Harlequin rasbora
No federal permit

Harlequin rasbora

Trigonostigma heteromorpha

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Zebra danio
No federal permit

Zebra danio

Danio rerio

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Pearl danio
No federal permit

Pearl danio

Danio albolineatus

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Cherry barb
No federal permit

Cherry barb

Puntius titteya

Aquarium hobby

Intermediate
Rosy barb
No federal permit

Rosy barb

Pethia conchonius

Aquarium hobby

Intermediate
White Cloud Mountain minnow
No federal permit

White Cloud Mountain minnow

Tanichthys albonubes

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Guppy
No federal permit

Guppy

Poecilia reticulata

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Endlers guppy
No federal permit

Endlers guppy

Poecilia wingei

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Molly
No federal permit

Molly

Poecilia sphenops

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Southern platyfish
No federal permit

Southern platyfish

Xiphophorus maculatus

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Green swordtail
No federal permit

Green swordtail

Xiphophorus hellerii

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Variable platyfish
No federal permit

Variable platyfish

Xiphophorus variatus

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Bronze corydoras
No federal permit

Bronze corydoras

Corydoras aeneus

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Panda corydoras
No federal permit

Panda corydoras

Corydoras panda

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Sterba's corydoras
No federal permit

Sterba's corydoras

Corydoras sterbai

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Peppered corydoras
No federal permit

Peppered corydoras

Corydoras paleatus

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Kuhli loach
No federal permit

Kuhli loach

Pangio kuhlii

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Siamese fighting fish
No federal permit

Siamese fighting fish

Betta splendens

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Honey gourami
No federal permit

Honey gourami

Trichogaster chuna

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Dwarf gourami
No federal permit

Dwarf gourami

Trichogaster lalius

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Pearl gourami
No federal permit

Pearl gourami

Trichopodus leerii

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Paradise fish
No federal permit

Paradise fish

Macropodus opercularis

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Goldfish
No federal permit

Goldfish

Carassius auratus

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Rainbow krib
No federal permit

Rainbow krib

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Convict cichlid
No federal permit

Convict cichlid

Amatitlania nigrofasciata

Aquarium hobby

Intermediate
Boeseman's rainbowfish
No federal permit

Boeseman's rainbowfish

Melanotaenia boesemani

Aquarium hobby

Intermediate
Forktail blue-eye
No federal permit

Forktail blue-eye

Pseudomugil furcatus

Aquarium hobby

Easy
Cherry shrimp
No federal permit

Cherry shrimp

Neocaridina davidi

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Amano shrimp
No federal permit

Amano shrimp

Caridina multidentata

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
Spike-topped apple snail (mystery snail)
No federal permit

Spike-topped apple snail (mystery snail)

Pomacea diffusa

Aquarium hobby

Beginner
AxolotlIn-depth
Federal restrictions

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

The forever-young salamander that regrows its limbs.

Pet trade

Easy

Cichlids

11 species · 9 commonly keptLake Malawi mbunaBlue mbuna, Blue streak hap, Cynotilapia afra33 species · 31 commonly keptLake Malawi peacocks & hapsCopadichromis azureus, Deep-water hap, Fairy cichlid57 species · 48 commonly keptLake Tanganyika cichlidsAltolamprologus calvus, Benthochromis tricoti, Big-eyed Mouthbrooder2 species · 0 commonly keptLake Victoria & East African hapsHaplochromis nyererei, Haplochromis latifasciatus20 species · 8 commonly keptWest & Central African cichlids, tilapiasBone Back, Egyptian mouthbrooder, Guenther's mouthbrooder28 species · 20 commonly keptCentral & South American cichlidsBlackbelt cichlid, Blue acara, Convict cichlid44 species · 16 commonly keptOscars, eartheaters, pike cichlids & peacock bassDemon eartheater, Greenstreaked eartheater, Monoculus Peacock Bass41 species · 18 commonly keptSouth American dwarf cichlidsAgassiz's dwarf cichlid, Banded dwarf cichlid, Biotoecus opercularis1 species · 1 commonly keptDiscusBlue discus3 species · 1 commonly keptFreshwater angelfishFreshwater angelfish, Altum Angel, Dwarf Angelfish5 species · 3 commonly keptAsian & Malagasy cichlidsGreen chromide, Marakely, Orange chromide2 species · 0 commonly keptOther cichlidsPindu, Pungu

Freshwater fish

3 species · 3 commonly keptTetras & characinsBiara, Payara, Spotted headstander16 species · 13 commonly keptLivebearersBlackbelly limia, Dusky millions fish, Green swordtail103 species · 53 commonly keptCorydoras & armored catfishAdolfo's catfish, Agassiz's corydoras, Banded corydoras42 species · 7 commonly keptPlecosBushymouth catfish, Chocolate-colored catfish, Leopard pleco5 species · 5 commonly keptOther catfishAngler catfish, Giant pangasius, Iridescent shark1 species · 1 commonly keptGoldfish & koiGoldfish54 species · 31 commonly keptGouramis & labyrinth fishBrown Spike-tailed Paradise Fish, Cape kurper, Ceylonese combtail59 species · 18 commonly keptBettasBlue betta, Borneo betta, Edith's Mouthbrooder23 species · 12 commonly keptPiranhas, pacus & silver dollarsCachama, Metynnis argenteus, Metynnis lippincottianus8 species · 3 commonly keptFreshwater stingraysLargespot river stingray, Ocellate river stingray, Xingu River ray1 species · 1 commonly keptBichirs, gars, sturgeon & lungfishBowfin3 species · 3 commonly keptArowanas, knifefish & elephantnosesBanded knifefish, Electric eel, Freshwater butterflyfish22 species · 10 commonly keptSnakeheadsAssamese snakehead, Barca snakehead, Bluefinned snakehead12 species · 12 commonly keptOther freshwater fishBanded archerfish, Barramundi, Chinese algae-eater

Saltwater fish

1 species · 1 commonly keptSeahorses & pipefishLined seahorse

Shrimp, snails, corals & more

4 species · 4 commonly keptFreshwater shrimpAmano shrimp, Bamboo shrimp, Cherry shrimp1 species · 1 commonly keptAquarium snailsSpike-topped apple snail (mystery snail)1 species · 1 commonly keptSPS coralsStaghorn coral (Acropora)1 species · 1 commonly keptTriops, brine shrimp & daphniaBrine shrimp (sea monkeys)

Aquatic amphibians