Tag: Freshwater Fish Profiles

Bottom feeder fish are some of the most useful additions you can make to a freshwater community tank, and I’ve kept most of the popular species over the years. The biggest misconception I run into is that they’ll “clean the tank” on their own — they won’t. They’re excellent at their specific jobs, but they still need proper feeding, appropriate tankmates, and the right substrate to thrive.

Bottom feeder fish are among the most misunderstood in the freshwater hobby — and that misunderstanding leads to a lot of preventable problems. After 25 years keeping fish, the thing I hear most often from beginners is that they added a pleco or a cory to “clean up” the tank. It doesn’t work that way. Bottom feeders need to be actively fed just like every other fish, they have specific substrate requirements, and some of them get far larger than their tank can support. This guide covers 9 of the best bottom feeder species for freshwater aquariums, with honest notes on what each one actually needs rather than what the pet store might tell you.

What Are Bottom Feeders?

Bottom feeder fish are fish that spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank. Bottom feeders are some of my favorite species out there because they often have very interesting looks and behaviors.

Some species are fast and active, but many can be pretty inactive and some species are shy and difficult to see. They can be super useful in your aquarium though because they are happy to feed on food that has sunk to the bottom of the tank.

Each species does have its own preferred diet of course, and it’s important that you make sure that they are well fed (more on this later).

The Benefits Of Bottom Feeders

Bottom-feeder species are great for adding activity and life to the bottom of your aquarium. This can make your tank a much more lively environment that is even more fascinating to observe!

Apart from their interesting looks and behaviors, bottom-feeder fish have a bunch of benefits in the tank. Some species like the Otocinclus catfish are master tank cleaners because they feed on the algae that grow on the walls of fish tanks and the ornaments inside them.

Other bottom feeders like Cory Catfish feed by searching the substrate and any tight spaces in the aquarium for uneaten food which helps to keep your tank clean.

The Nine Best to Choose From

There are so many great bottom feeders out there, but these are definitely the favorites that I can recommend to any fishkeeper. Remember to take note of their needs to make sure they will work out in your tank! I’ve also included a few common bottom feeders that you should avoid.

Check out our video below from our YouTube channel. If you like this content, subscribe to our channel for additional videos. We are releasing videos every week. We go into more detail in the blog post below.

1. Corydoras Catfish

• Scientific Name: Corydoras spp.
• Adult Size: 1-3 Inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 + gallons for dwarf species, 20+ gallons for others
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed live and frozen foods, Sinking pellets and wafers
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 72 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Cory Catfish or Corydoras are great little schooling catfish for the community tank. These bottom feeders for freshwater aquariums are a favorite in the aquarium hobby and there are many different species to choose from.

Some species like the Dwarf Cory Catfish and the Pygmy Cory Catfish can be kept in nano aquariums as small as a 10 gallon fish tank. Most Corydoras catfish species will prefer a 20 gallon tank or larger though. They are social fish so be sure to keep at least 6 together in the same aquarium.

Cory cats are great fun to watch as they cruise around the tank together, feeding on food lying on and in the substrate. A common mistake that fishkeepers make is to think that you don’t need to feed these fish. In fact, Cory catfish do best on a balanced diet of dried and live/frozen foods.

2. Otocinclus Catfish

• Scientific Name: Otocinclus spp.
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10+ gallons
• Diet: Algae
• Origin: South America, Venezuela, Argentina
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom, midwater, Top

Otos are very peaceful fish for the community tank. These little catfish are algae eaters, which means they are great for keeping your glass and ornaments clean. These nano fish are very popular in the aquarium trade and will do very well as long as you are able to maintain good water quality.

Mature aquariums with a healthy amount of algae provide the best aquatic environment for this fish species. You can also supplement their diet with algae wafers and slices of vegetables like zucchini.

3. Dojo Loach

• Scientific Name: Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
• Adult Size: 10 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 55+ gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed live and frozen foods, Sinking pellets and wafers
• Origin: Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia
• Temperature: 59-77°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Dojo Loaches are great fish for larger aquariums. These fish have the interesting habit of increasing their activity levels when the weather is changing, kind of like your own little weather forecaster! This has earned them the name of weather loach as well.

Apart from just the regular Dojo Loach, there is also a golden variety available in the hobby. These fish are active bottom feeders that love to search the substrate for uneaten food at the bottom of the tank.

4. Bristlenose Pleco

• Scientific Name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
• Adult Size: 5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Semi-agressive
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 + gallons
• Diet: Vegetarian, Algae
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 73-81°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Bristlenose Pleco fish are super interesting-looking catfish that fit in perfectly with most community tanks. They are peaceful bottom-dwelling fish, although they do tend to be aggressive towards other members of the same species.

For this reason, it’s better not to keep more than one adult in the same tank. These amazing bottom dwellers do a great job of keeping the tank clean by searching the substrate for algae and food leftovers.

5. Clown Pleco

• Scientific Name: Panaqolus maccus
• Adult Size: 3.5 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20+ gallons
• Diet: Vegetarian, feed vegetables and algae wafers
• Origin: South America, Venezuela
• Temperature: 73-82°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

These beautiful bottom-feeder fish (video source) need plenty of driftwood in their tank to feed on. They love slices of vegetables like zucchini and cucumbers and also enjoy frozen foods.

These fish are very peaceful and do great in community tanks. They do produce quite a lot of waste though so the tank does need to have decent filtration.

6. Freshwater Shrimp

• Scientific Name: Caridina & Neocaridina spp.
• Adult Size: 1.5-2 inches
• Care Level: Easy-Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 5+ gallons (20+ gallons recommended)
• Diet: Omnivorous, Algae, Sinking flakes & Pellets
• Origin: Asia, North America
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The freshwater shrimp is an amazing aquatic animal that has become incredibly popular in the modern fish-keeping hobby. There are loads of different species available, and some eat algae while others will prefer pellet foods.

Shrimp will only get along with a few types of fish like Otocinclus catfish. Most carnivorous and omnivorous fish will see your shrimp as a food source, so many hobbyists prefer to keep shrimp-only tanks to be on the safe side.

7. Kuhli Loach

• Scientific Name: Pangio Kuhlii
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20+ gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, Feed sinking pellets, wafers, and frozen foods
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 73-86°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Kuhli Loaches are great-looking little bottom feeders. This fish species has some really silly antics and is great fun to watch when not hiding. They are nocturnal fish and tend to hide out during the day so you won’t see them every time you take a look at your tank.

Kuhli loaches are one of the best bottom-feeder fish in the hobby. They use their whiskers to locate food on the bottom of the tank and do a great job of picking up scraps of uneaten fish food. These fish will do best in a group of at least five. They should be kept on a sand or fine gravel substrate and love plenty of hiding spaces in the tank.

8. Panda Garra

• Scientific Name: Garra flavatra
• Adult Size: 3 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20+ gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed wafers, and frozen foods
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Panda Garras are very peaceful fish that prefer high flow tank conditions (video source). They are pretty new to the fish-keeping hobby but already very popular. They are actually Cyprinids from the carp species family.

Panda Garras get their name from their bold, panda-like stripes. These fish feed on biofilm and algae that grow on rocks at the bottom of the tank, but you should supplement their diet with some frozen foods and wafers for a balanced diet.

9. Clown Loach

• Scientific Name: Botia macracantha
• Adult Size: 12 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous
• Origin: Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Clown Loaches are a really cute bottom-feeder fish species for large aquariums. They are active but very peaceful fish that are great in community tanks. These fish like to school, so make sure you have at least 4 of them in the same aquarium. They are also great snail eating fish.

Other Great Types To Consider

Below is a list of honorable mentions. They are as popular or provide as much utility as the ones above, but are worth mentioning. Check them out below:

• Synodontis catfish- This is a great bottom feeder for African cichlid tanks in particular.
• Siamese Algae Eater– These active algae-eaters are great bottom feeders for community tanks. Keep these fish in groups of 5 or more in a 40-gallon tank or larger.
• Twig Catfish- These are some of the most interesting looking bottom-feeding fish in the hobby. They grow to 6 inches in length but are safe to keep with small, peaceful community fish.
• Pictus Catfish– These interesting little South American catfish are peaceful but very shy fish. They have pretty big mouths and will eat any small fish in your tank, so make sure they are the smallest fish in the aquarium.
• Yoyo Loach-These fish have markings on their sides that look just like the word yoyo. They are mostly peaceful but will love snacking on shrimp and snails in the tank.
• Zebra Loach– These are great little freshwater bottom-feeders for the community tank. The zebra loach is a peaceful fish that grows to just 4 inches or so.

Bottom Feeders To Avoid

Not all bottom feeder fish are suitable for your standard home aquarium. The following few species are not great choices for most fishkeepers:

Common Pleco – Hypostomus plecostomus

The Common Pleco is one of those fish that are probably more popular than they should be. These bottom-feeding fish can grow to sizes of over 20 inches in length which comes as a surprise to many fish keepers.

This is an easy mistake to make because they usually measure just a few inches in length when you see them at your local fish store. Unfortunately, these fish are often released into local ponds and rivers when they get too big, and they have become quite a nuisance in the wild¹.

They are great fish, but only for keepers with very large tanks who can take care of them properly.

Chinese Algae Eater – Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

The Chinese Algae Eater grows to about 10 inches or a little more in length. These fish grow fast and catch a lot of fishkeepers off guard when they get too big for their tank.

They are good algae eaters but have a tendency to get pretty aggressive towards other fish in the tank. In fact, Chinese algae eaters will even attack other fish to eat the slime coating off of their skin and scales.

These aren’t very good-looking fish either and you’re much better off choosing another fish from our list!

Tiger Shovelnose Catfish – Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum

The Tiger Shovelnose Catfish is a really cool-looking fish that many people have made the mistake of buying. It’s hard to imagine that the 4-inch long little cutie you just brought home can grow to over 3 feet in length!

These catfish are carnivorous and have big mouths. This means the rest of your fish are going to be eaten as soon as the Tiger Shovelnose is big enough to swallow them.

Avoid this species unless you have a very large aquarium (200 gallons), and are prepared to care for a very large carnivorous catfish!

How To Set Up Your Tank

Before buying any bottom-feeding fish, it’s really important to read up on its needs. Here is some basic information on setting up for bottom-feeding fish:

Filtration

Running a good quality filter in your aquarium is absolutely essential. Some fishkeepers make the mistake of thinking their bottom feeder fish will keep the tank clean so they don’t need a filter. Big mistake!

But which kind of filter should you choose? There are many options available, but as a general rule, pick a model that can process all the water in your tank at least 4 times every hour.

Some bottom-feeder fish like the Panda Garra like a stronger current in the tank, and for them, you can bump up the flow rate to as much as 10 times your tank volume per hour.

Water Quality

Good water quality is what keeps fish happy and healthy in your aquarium. Remember, your pets rely on you to provide them with a great environment to live in.

Once you’ve set up your tank and got your filter running, you’re going to want to start the process of fishless cycling. Once your tank is cycled and you have stocked it with some great fish, you’re going to want to get into the routine of performing a regular partial water change.

This means taking out a percentage of the water in your tank every week or two and replacing it with new water that you have treated with a conditioner. The amount of water you need to replace is going to depend on a couple of things like:

• The size of your aquarium
• How heavily stocked you are
• The bioload of your fish
• Whether you have live plants in the tank
• How powerful your filtration is

Testing Your Water

In order to know how stable your water quality is in the aquarium, and whether you’ve successfully cycled the tank, you’re going to need to test for a few parameters on a regular basis.

This is easy to do using a liquid test kit. Test the water before you do your regular water changes to know whether you’re performing regular and large enough water changes.

Substrates

Your choice of substrate can be pretty important for the health of your fish. This is especially true when it comes to bottom dwellers because they spend most of their time down on the bottom of the tank.

Sure, bottom-feeder fish can be kept in open bottom tanks, but this prevents them from acting out a lot of their natural behaviors and will probably leave them feeling seriously exposed.

Instead, choose a fine substrate like sand that allows these fish to dig through and forage in safely. Avoid using sharp substrates that can injure your fish.

Many bottom-feeder fish like loaches and cory catfish have fine whiskers known as barbels. Sharp gravel can damage these ultra-sensitive structures that are used to feel the substrate to find food.

Some bottom-feeder fish like the Kuhli Loach do not have scales and can get their skin scratched up on sharp substrates while digging through it. This can cause infections.

Hiding Places and Decorations

Bottom-feeder fish are often shy creatures that love having caves and other hiding places to hang out in. You can build your own caves out of rocks if you like, just make sure that your structure is safe and stable.

Driftwood that has holes in it, clay flowerpots, and purpose-built aquarium cave ornaments are other great ways to provide hiding places for your fish. Some bottom-dwellers, like Kuhli Loaches, will even dig themselves into the substrate to hide away and find shelter.

The Planted Aquarium

Growing live plants is a great way to make a really natural and healthy environment for your freshwater bottom-feeders and other fish. Keeping a planted tank can be really easy if you grow plants like Anubias and Java Ferns that don’t need any special equipment. Plants also create great places for your bottom-feeder fish to hide and look for food.

What To Feed

Bottom-feeder fish need to be fed a high-quality, balanced diet. Of course, different types of fish have different diets, but here are a few of the best food options available for your fish:

Frozen foods

Frozen foods are great for omnivorous and carnivorous bottom-feeder fish. Brine shrimp, bloodworm, and daphnia are all good examples of this food type. Frozen foods should not be the primary food source for your bottom-feeder fish but can be a great supplement.

Live foods

Live foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, micro worms, and mosquito larvae are great food sources for carnivorous and omnivorous fish. Fish love live food so much that it usually doesn’t get to the bottom of the tank before your other fish eat it all!

Live Algae

Algae eaters like Otocinclus Catfish, Siamese Algae Eaters, and Plecos have a natural diet of algae. This is great because they are able to get a healthy meal and keep your aquarium clean at the same time! Algae grow in all mature fish tanks, especially tanks with bright light and a lot of nutrients in the water.

Algae Wafers

Algae wafers can be a great supplementary food source for omnivorous and algae-eating fish like Clown Plecos, Otos, and Siamese Algae Eaters. Look for brands like Hikari when search for a wafer.

Shrimp Food

Most shrimp are omnivorous creatures and there are plenty of excellent products available that are designed specifically for their needs. Shrimp food is available in gel, pellet, wafer, and stick form.

Pellets

These sinking pellets provide balanced nutrition for all sorts of omnivorous aquarium fish. There are plenty of good quality products available on the market, just make sure you choose something that is the right size for your fish.

Vegetables

Herbivorous fish like Otos and Bristlenose Plecos love vegetables. Sliced cucumbers and zucchinis are great options, but you can also use blanched peas, broccoli, and cabbage for variety.

Where To Buy

Most fish stores have a good variety of bottom-feeding fish for freshwater aquariums. These days, many fishkeepers prefer the convenience of buying online.

My favorite online retailer is Flipaquatics because they offer a great range of fish at great prices. They also fully quarantine their livestock. They really care for their stock and their 100% live arrival guarantee takes so much of the stress out of buying and transporting new pets. For larger fish, check out the link above for other fish retailers.

FAQS

Final Thoughts

Bottom feeder fish have a place in pretty much any home aquarium. These fish are fun to watch, look great, and work hard to keep your tank clean. If you don’t already have a few bottom feeders in your fish tank, why not pick some from our list and add them to your tank today?

I hope you’ve enjoyed the article and please comment below if you have any questions!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

The ember tetra is one of the fish I recommend most often to people setting up their first planted tank or nano aquarium. They stay under an inch, they’re completely peaceful, and that vivid orange-red coloration pops against green plants in a way that even experienced hobbyists appreciate. After 25 years in this hobby I’ve kept them multiple times, and I still get asked about them constantly — which tells you everything about how popular they’ve become. They’re also surprisingly hardy and easy to breed once you have a group settled in. This guide covers everything you need to know about ember tetra care: water parameters, tank requirements, ideal group size, diet, and breeding.

If you are looking for a fish that’s easy to care for, look no further than the Ember Tetra.  This brightly colored species is a great addition to any aquarium, especially if you are a beginner.    

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Hyphessobrycon Amandae
Common Names	Fire Tetra, Amanda’s, Dwarf Reds, Reds
Family	Characidae
Origin	Brazil
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Easy
Activity	Very Active
Lifespan	2 – 4 Years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	10 gallons
Temperature Range	72 ° to 80 °F
Water Hardness	4 to 8 dkH
pH Range	6.5 to 7.5
Filtration/Water Flow	Low
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg layer
Difficulty to Breed	Easy
Compatibility	Community tanks
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes

Origins and Habitat

The Ember Tetra was discovered fairly recently in 1987. It was named after Heiko Bleher’s mother, Amanda Bleher¹.

But don’t be fooled.  Heiko Bleher didn’t actually stumble upon this species himself.  Instead, he is known for his work with other South American fish. 

Now back to the Ember Tetra.  These fish come from Brazil, where they mostly reside in the Araguaia River basin.  Its slow-moving waters contain plant materials that decompose, creating an acidic environment. 

These stained waters are called ‘blackwater.’ This dark color makes it easier for Ember Tetras to hide.  

As shoaling fish, Ember Tetras live in groups.  However, they are not to be confused with schooling fish.  

Unlike schooling fish, a group of Ember Tetras doesn’t swim in the same direction.  They just stay close together.    

Ember Tetras are peaceful and can coexist with many other types of wild fish.  Some of those fish include:

• Other Tetras
• Pygmy Rasbora
• Pleco Catfish  

By the early 1900s, Ember Tetras had found their way into freshwater fish tanks.  Since then, they have become a top choice for aquarium enthusiasts.  

And that’s understandable when you consider the Ember Tetra’s beautiful appearance.  Plus, they are easy to care for.         

What Does they Look Like?

Most Ember Tetras are orange, but some have a reddish-orange glow.  In either case, the Ember Tetra’s iridescent scales make this fish shimmer and stand out in an aquarium.     

Usually, their fins are a bit darker than the rest of their body.  Their bodies are thicker in the front and thin out towards the back.   

How Long Do They Live?

With proper care, aquarium Ember Tetras live about 2-4 years. Although some fishkeepers have claimed this species can live for 10 years, that claim has not been proven and is likely inaccurate.   

Their short life span is one disadvantage of keeping this otherwise fantastic fish.  But you can help your Ember Tetras live as long as possible by giving them:

• The ideal tank environment
• A high-quality diet
• Interactions with other fish

Later in this article, we will talk more about those important aspects of Ember Tetra care.  

Ember Tetra Care Guide

Ember Tetra are peaceful fish, making them a great addition to community tanks.  You can also keep them in a species-specific tank.

Whether you choose the former or the latter option, Ember Tetras need to live in a group.  The size of the group depends on how big your tank is, but you should aim for a minimum of 10-15 fish.

Because they are so easygoing, the males are unlikely to show aggression towards each other.  That makes it easy to put together a group of Ember Tetras.  

Although they don’t cause trouble, Ember Tetras are active little fish.  They are always swimming around and aren’t afraid to explore their surroundings.  

While swimming about, they will likely stick to the middle of the tank.  When they want a break, they will seek refuge in the tank’s plants.  That’s why you need to add some to your aquarium.  More on that later.  

And those plants aren’t just a resting spot.  Ember Tetras also have a great time racing through them as they swim after each other.  You will definitely be entertained by these fish!       

What Are Good Tank Mates for Them?

Although Ember Tetras are fine in a species-specific tank, their bright colors and gentle disposition make them an excellent choice for a community tank.  

You just have to choose the right tank mates.  When selecting those tank mates, keep the following pointers in mind:

• Avoid aggressive fish.  Instead, choose fish that have a friendly nature.  

• Big fish might eat your tiny Ember Tetras.  That’s why you need to avoid any species that are larger than Ember Tetras.   

• Ember Tetras are middle-dwellers, so it’s a good idea to select bottom and/or top dwellers for their tank mates.  

Best Tank Mates

Now that we’ve given you some general guidelines, here are some specific ideas for tank mates:

• Pencil Fish
• Cory Catfish 
• Rasboras
• Neon Tetras
• Pygmy Catfishes
• Guppies
• Mollies
• Hatchetfish
• Rosy Tetras
• Bleeding Hearts
• Black Neons
• Flames
• Bettas

And if you are looking for some non-fish mates, nerite snails and other small snails are great options.  Many nano fish are compatible with these fish.

Least Compatible Fish

Here are a few examples of fish you definitely want to keep out of an Ember Tetra tank:

• Goldfish
• Koi
• Cichlids
• Jack Dempseys
• Oscars
• Angelfish
• Tiger Barb
• Clown Loaches
• Any type of carnivorous fish

What Do They Eat?

It’s not hard to find foods that Ember Tetras will gobble up.  The hardest part of feeding this fish is making sure the food is small enough for these tiny creatures to consume.

With that in mind, you may need to break up the food into small pieces.  This will help your Ember Tetras eat the food more easily, which prevents other fish from stealing it.  

Some options include: 

• Micropellets
• Crushed up flakes
• Frozen foods    

And don’t get upset if you catch your fish nibbling on a tank plant.  They are just enjoying a little snack and probably won’t consume enough of the plant to harm it.  A good staple food to consider is Xtreme Aquatic Foods Nano. It’s specially designed for small freshwater fish.

Give Them Live Foods

Wild Ember Tetras live on a diet of plants and very small prey, such as worms, invertebrates, and zooplankton.  

Keeping this natural diet in mind, it would be great if you could incorporate some live foods into your Ember Tetras’ meals.  

Those foods will add some variety to their diet, which ensures all of their nutritional needs are met.      

Furthermore, they will also help prevent digestive issues that can be caused by consuming too much processed food.   

Here are some live foods you can give your Ember Tetra:

• Daphnia
• Tubifex worms
• Baby brine shrimp
• Blood worms
• Insect larvae
• Grindal worms
• Microworms

You can also find these foods in frozen food form if you shop around locally.

How Much and How Often to Feed Them

You should feed your Ember Tetras about 2-4 times each day.  At every meal, carefully avoid overfeeding.

How can you tell if you are feeding the right foods in the right amounts?  It’s not hard to find out.  

All you have to do is observe your fish.  Are they brightly colored?  Are they active?  Do they appear to be at ease?

If you can answer yes to those questions, your Ember Tetras’ diet is meeting their needs.  But if their color begins to fade or they aren’t acting quite right, their diet should be tweaked.    

Setting Up Your Tank

When creating the ideal environment for your fish, you need to keep their natural habitat in mind.  Your goal is to get as close to this habitat as possible.  

But what exactly does that look like?  That’s what we are going to cover in this section.  Read on to learn more.  

Tank Size

Before we talk about the tank’s environment, we need to discuss the tank’s size.  It’s important to choose the right size because Ember Tetras require space for swimming around.  

The right size depends on how big the group is.  If you have 5-8 fish, the tank should be at least 10 gallons.    

For every fish beyond the number 8, increase the tank size by one gallon.  Once you hit the 20-25 fish range, you will need a 20-25 gallon tank.  

Here’s a quick tip.  Maximize swimming space by getting a long tank, rather than a tall one.

Tank Setup

After you choose the right size you need to set up the tank.  The tank should include plants, substrate, and decor.  Read on to learn more.  

Plants

Ember Tetras need plants.  The total amount depends on how large the tank is and how many fish you have.  

You certainly don’t want to crowd your fish.  Instead, give them just enough plants to help them feel secure.  

This will prevent stress.  And when your fish are stress-free, they will stay healthy and beautiful.

Furthermore, when the tank has the right amount of plants, your Ember Tetra will have a blast swimming through them.  Your fish can also use them as resting spots.      

As an added bonus, the plants also house bacteria that your little fish can eat, adding extra nutrition to their diet.  

Some great plants to use are:

• Java Moss
• Hornwort
• Anacharis
• Crypts
• Bladderworts
• Najas Grass
• Peacock moss
• Duckweed

Floating plants work really well with these fish too. They provide another place for them to hide.

Substrate

You can use enriched active soil or mud for substrate.  Whichever one you choose, it’s best to go with a dark color.  This dark tone will make your gorgeous Ember Tetras really stand out!  

Decor

The tank’s finishing touches should include rocks and wood.  Ember tetras are great fish to use in planted aquascapes like Iwagumi and Dutch aquascapes. If you have serious interest in those styles of planted tanks, check out the links.

Water Quality

Okay, now you know what to put in the tank.  Great!  Next, you need to learn how to maintain ideal water conditions.  

Let’s get started. 

Filtration

Wild Ember Tetras live in slow-moving waters, so it’s necessary to replicate this in your aquarium.  

That can be done by installing a sponge filter.  The filter will keep the water clean while also generating the appropriate water flow.    If you need better filtration because you are using a lot of plants, you can consider putting a sponge on the intake and lowering the flow.

Water Parameters

These tiny little freshwater fish can’t handle change very well.  That’s why consistency is key when caring for Ember Tetras.  Avoid large fluctuations by keeping a close eye on the tank’s water temperature and pH.  

Here are the water parameters to aim for:

• Water Temperature: 72-80 degrees Fahrenheit  
• pH:  5.5 – 6.7 
• KH: 4 – 8

As you can see, Ember Tetras prefer acidic water.  You can reduce pH by adding driftwood or Indian almond leaves to the tank.     

Aquarium Maintenance

Although Ember Tetras are very easy to care for, they are sensitive and require regular tank maintenance.  If you fall behind, they might end up with health problems.        

Test Tank Conditions

It’s a good idea to get a test kit and test the water about 1-2 times per week.  Taking this step will help you maintain ideal water conditions, allowing your Ember Tetras to thrive.       

Breeding

Breeding Ember Tetras is fairly easy.  In fact, some of your fish might breed on their own, without any work on your part.  

However, the parents and other fish are likely to eat the fry.  That’s why it’s best to work through a process that involves your oversight.  Let’s talk about that right now.  If you prefer a video, you can check out the one below by MaFishGuy Aquarium Information.

Sexing

First, you will need to select a male and female to place in a separate breeding tank.  Although sexing Ember Tetras can be a bit challenging for newbies, don’t let that intimidate you.  

Just look at the shape and color of the fish.  Females are rounder and males are brighter.   

Getting Your Fish Ready to Breed

Ember Tetras are ready to breed when they are about 4-6 months old.  After you’ve picked out a male and female, place them in a separate breeding tank, away from the other fish.  

The breeding tank’s water conditions should be pretty close to the regular tank’s conditions, with the temperature and pH being on the higher end of the optimal range.

Get your fish in tip-top shape for breeding by feeding larval brine shrimp every day for two weeks.        

The Breeding Process

When the fish are ready to breed, the male will start chasing and nipping the female.  Once the female is carrying eggs, her abdomen will grow larger.  

This species doesn’t lay its eggs in any particular location.  That means your Ember Tetra’s eggs will sink to the bottom of the tank.  

If you put mesh fabric or an egg crate in the tank, these barriers will keep the parents from getting to the eggs.  

Caring for Fry

After the eggs have been laid, the parents might try to eat them.  Prevent this by removing them from the tank immediately after the female lays the eggs.  

The eggs will hatch in approximately 2-3 days, giving you about 100 fry. 

After they hatch, start feeding infusoria.  When they are a week old, give them baby brine shrimp and small worms.  Eventually, you can start feeding crushed fish flakes.   

Health and Disease

Thankfully, Ember Tetras don’t typically have a lot of health problems.  While hardy, that doesn’t mean these fish are invincible.  

If you want to keep them healthy they need high-quality food, the right water conditions, and social interactions with other tetras.

Evaluating Your Ember Tetras’ Health

How can you tell if your Ember Tetras are healthy?  Just take a look at their appearance.  If your fish are brightly colored, they are in great shape!

On the other hand, a pale fish that acts abnormally isn’t doing too well.  This sick fish is quite vulnerable to attacks and should be removed from the tank.  

Common Their Health Issues

Here are the health issues and fish diseases that Ember Tetras are most likely to have:

• White Spot Disease – This appears as white spots and is caused by stress or poor care.  Prevent this disease by maintaining ideal water conditions.  If the disease occurs, there are products to treat it.    

• Fungal and Bacterial Infections – These infections can be fatal.  Be sure to address the issue immediately!  Signs include rotting fins and cloudy masses.   

• Impaction – Too much dry food can block the digestive system.  Prevent impaction by including wet food in the diet or soaking dry foods before feeding.      

Where to Buy

Many fish stores sell Ember Tetras, making them easy to find.  You will probably pay about $2 per fish.  Some online fish stores will also sell them. It may make sense to purchase them online if you cannot find a quality local fish store in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

To sum it all up, Ember Tetras are great fish to keep.  They are easy to care for and get along well with many different types of fish.  Plus, their stunning colors will make your aquarium look amazing!

As long as you continue providing great care, your Ember Tetras will light up the tank.  And that’s why so many aquarium hobbyists love this species.  

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Nano fish are one of my favorite topics to talk about, and I say that after 25+ years in this hobby. I’ve set up countless tanks — from sprawling 125-gallon reef systems down to tiny desktop tanks — and there’s something genuinely special about a well-executed nano aquarium. The challenge is picking the right fish. Small tanks are less forgiving on water quality, so you need species that stay small, tolerate stable-but-modest conditions, and actually thrive rather than just survive. In this guide I’m sharing 21 nano fish I’d personally recommend, along with the honest details on what makes each one work (or not) in a small tank.

Going Nano

The most obvious reason to get into nano aquariums is to save on space. Once the aquarium ‘bug’ bites, a lot of us want just one more tank. Aquariums are big, heavy, and can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. Welcome to the world of nano aquariums!

In the aquarium hobby, nano simply means small. There aren’t really any strict rules about what counts as nano and what doesn’t, but generally, a nano species is one that grows about 2 inches or less in length. Nano tanks would be about 20 gallons or less, but again, just think of the word nano as meaning small.

A common misconception about nano tanks, however, is that they are easier to maintain than larger aquariums. Actually, keeping small tanks with miniature fish can be a very interesting and hands-on hobby. This is because the smaller the aquarium the more sensitive the system will be to changes in water quality.

21 Best Nano Fish For Your Freshwater Tank

Of course, not all fish that are 2 inches or less make great aquarium subjects, so I’ve put together a list of 21 awesome nano fish to get you started. All these fish do really well in nano tanks and are pretty easy to find. For each species, I’ll provide a basic description and some important information like:

• Scientific Name
• Adult Size
• Care Level
• Temperament
• Minimum Tank Size
• Diet
• Origin
• Temperature
• Swimming Level

We have a video below from our YouTube channel. We go into greater detail in the blog post below. If you like our video content, please give us a like and subscribe. We post every week!

So let’s jump right in and get to know the stars of the nano world!

1. Neon Tetra

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon innesi
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed granules or flakes, live and frozen foods
• Origin: South America, Brazil, Peru, Colombia
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

You only have to take a look at the stunning Neon Tetra to understand why they are one of the most popular freshwater fish for nano tanks. These stunning South American fish are easy to feed and care for, even if you are a beginner.

Neon Tetras are peaceful fish that work great in community tanks with aquatic plants. Neons are social little fish, so be sure to keep a group of at least 5 or 6 to keep them happy and confident.

2. Ember Tetra

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon amandae
• Adult Size: 0.8 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed granules or flakes, live and frozen foods
• Origin: South America, Brazil
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Ember Tetras are active and colorful little shoaling fish that look especially good in planted aquariums. They are great fun to watch as they swim around actively in the nano aquarium. These beginner fish are very peaceful, making them a perfect addition to community tanks.

3. Harlequin Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Rasbora heteromorpha
• Adult Size: 1.75 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed granules or flakes, live and frozen food
• Origin: Asia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater, Top

Harlequin Rasboras are neat little shoaling fish for nano tanks. The bold black triangular marking and golden orange colors of these fish look amazing as they move around together. The Harlequin Rasbora is a schooling fish that prefer to be in groups, so keep ten or more if possible.

4. Cardinal Tetra

• Scientific Name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15+ gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed granules or flakes, live and frozen food
• Origin: South America, Brazil
• Temperature: 74-78°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater, Top

The Cardinal Tetra is another great tiny fish for nano tanks. They are often confused with their smaller neon cousins, although cardinals have a lot more red coloration on their sides. A beautiful crimson shade extends from their tails all the way to their gills.

Cardinal Tetras contrast incredibly in heavily planted natural aquariums and get along perfectly with other small and peaceful tankmates in nano aquariums.

5. Pygmy Corydoras

• Scientific Name: Corydoras pygmaeus
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10+ gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed pellets, wafers, frozen and live foods.
• Origin: South America, Brazil
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Pygmy Corydoras are great little nano catfish. Like other schooling fish, they should be kept in groups of 6 individuals or more so that they can display all of their natural social behaviors in the nano aquarium.

Although these little catfish spend most of their time at the bottom of the nano tank, they will also swim around in the midwater, even making occasional trips up to the surface of the water. Cory cats feed by sifting through the substrate, so use sand instead of any sharp gravel that might hurt them.

6. Longfin White Cloud Minnow

• Scientific Name: Tanichthys albonubes
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed granules or flakes, live and frozen foods
• Origin: Asia, China, Vietnam
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

The Longfin White Cloud Minnow is an even more attractive version of a classic aquarium species. These colorful little fish come from an area known as the white cloud mountain and do best in cooler water than your typical tropical aquarium fish. These fish should be kept in groups of ten or more to really enjoy all they have to offer.

7. Cherry Barb

• Scientific Name: Puntius titteya
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed, live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: Asia, Sri Lanka
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Although Cherry Barbs are classified as a nano species, they do need a tank of about 20 gallons or more to be at their happiest. Both the males and females have beautiful orange colors, but the males are definitely the more colorful ones, especially when breeding. It is best to keep these barb fish in groups of 6 or more and in a ratio of one male to two females.

8. Spotted Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Boraras maculatus
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed live or frozen foods and granules
• Origin: Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater, Top

Spotted Rasboras are true nanos (video source). These slim little shoaling fish reach about an inch in length and are some of the smallest freshwater fish in the hobby. Although they are fairly easy to care for, they are shy by nature so keep them only with very calm and peaceful fish, or even better, in large groups with inverts.

9. Gold White Cloud Minnow

• Scientific Name: Tanichthys albonubes
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallon
• Diet: Live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: Asia, China
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Gold white clouds are a familiar favorite with even more color than the regular species (video source). These beginner fish get their name from the white cloud mountain region where they were first found in the wild.

They are shoaling fish that should be kept in cool water tanks, and often do best without heating. These peaceful fish prefer to live in groups of ten or more, although a group of six will also work in a smaller nano aquarium.

10. Bumblebee Platy

• Scientific Name: Xiphophorus maculatus
• Adult Size: 2-3 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Frozen, live, or dried foods
• Origin: North and South America, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Belize
• Temperature: 72-80°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Bumblebee Platys get their name from their boldly contrasting black and yellow markings (video source). They are a great beginner community species for home aquariums.

Keeping more females than males is generally advised. This gives the females a break from the males’ attention. These fish are livebearers, so you can expect plenty of fry if your fish are happy and healthy.

11. Celestial Pearl Danio

• Scientific Name: Celestichthys margaritatus
• Adult Size: 0.75 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed dried, frozen, and live foods
• Origin: Asia, Myanmar, Thailand
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Celestial Pearl Danios are often known as CPDs or the Galaxy Rasbora. The popularity of Celestial Pearl Danios is no surprise because they are some of the most stunning nano fish available in the aquarium trade.

The male fish have bolder markings than the female, but both sexes are really pretty. Celestial Pearl Danios are the perfect species for heavily planted nano tanks.

12. Chili Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Boraras brigittae
• Adult Size: 0.8 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 5+ gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: Asia, Borneo
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater, Top

The Chili Rasbora, Boraras brigittae, is a colorful and active micro Rasbora species that grows to less than an inch in length. This makes them perfect for smaller tanks with shrimp (video source).

They should be kept in groups of at least 6, although a larger tank with an even larger school is a great option too. Chilli Rasboras will feel most at home and look their best in a soft water tank with plenty of aquatic plants.

13. Red Pencil Fish

• Scientific Name: Nannostomus beckfordi
• Adult Size: 1.4 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: carnivorous, Feed live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: South America, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater, top

Red Pencil Fish are peaceful community fish that look and feel their best in a nano tank with plenty of live plants and hardscapes like driftwood and rocks. This species of small freshwater fish do great in community aquariums, as long as its nano tank mates are also peaceful and not too big.

14. Black Neon Tetra

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed, live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: South America, Brazil
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Black Neon Tetras are hardy freshwater shoaling fish that are a great beginner species. If you’re looking for something a little different from the more popular neons and cardinals, this could be just the fish for you. They are a little larger than some other tetras though, so they should be kept in tank sizes of about 20 gallons or more. On average, Black Neons are hardier than Neons and Cardinal tetras.

15. Siamese Algae Eater

• Scientific Name: Crossocheilus oblongus
• Adult Size: 7 inches
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallons
• Diet: Herbivorous, feed pellets and wafers
• Origin: Asia, Malaysia, Thailand
• Temperature: 61-75°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) is a great little species that is very useful in the aquarium. They eat algae, which can really help to keep your aquarium looking great.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you don’t have to feed them regularly as well. SAEs grow to over 6 inches in length, so they do need at least a 40-gallon aquarium to thrive. Not exactly a nano fish, but they work really well in planted tanks.

16. Clown Killifish

• Scientific Name: Epiplatys annulatus
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed live and frozen foods
• Origin: Africa, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia
• Temperature: 68-79°F
• Swimming Level: Top

If you want a great-looking species of fish for the top water levels of your nano aquarium, the Clown Killifish is a great option (video source). These tiny fish are little predators that like to look for tiny insects on the surface of the water. Clown killifish prefer calm water conditions and should be fed small animal foods like baby brine shrimp.

17. Glolight Danio

• Scientific Name: Celestichthys choprae
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed live, frozen, and dried foods
• Origin: Asia, Myanmar
• Temperature: 72-80°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

Glolight Danios are gorgeous little fish for nano tanks, with all-natural colors. This relative of the Celestial Pearl Danio is pretty new to the hobby but has really grown in popularity.

They are an active species that like to be kept in groups of at least 6. Keep these small danio fish in a tank with lots of plants and a dark substrate to really bring out their colors.

18. Panda Cory

• Scientific Name: Corydoras panda
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed live, frozen, and dried pellets/tablets
• Origin: South America, Peru
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

Panda Corys are very distinctive little catfish with their bold black and silvery markings. These active little bottom feeders should be kept in groups so that you can watch them explore the nano tank together with confidence. Panda Corys are very peaceful creatures that work well in community tanks.

19. Dwarf Honey Red Gourami

• Scientific Name: Trichogaster chuna/ Colisa chuna
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive when breeding
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feed frozen, live, or dried foods
• Origin: Asia, India, Bangladesh, Nepal
• Temperature: 72-80°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

The Dwarf Honey Red Gourami is an excellent freshwater fish species with some really fascinating behaviors. These labyrinth fish breathe air from the water surface and they are foam nesters. Dwarf Honey Red Gouramis are great in community tanks if they are kept with other small, peaceful species.

20. Betta Fish

• Scientific Name: Betta splendens
• Adult Size: 2.5 inches
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Tank Size: 5+ gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous
• Origin: Asia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
• Temperature: 74-79°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater

It’s not difficult to see why Betta fish are some of the most popular aquarium fish of all time. These small freshwater fish look amazing and have heaps of personality, making them really great pets. Caring for Betta fish is not as easy as many people think, so be sure to do your homework before bringing one home. Male bettas also have special consideration for tank mates since they are territorial and will fight with other males.

21. Otocinclus Catfish

• Scientific Name: Otocinclus spp.
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Tank Size: 10+ gallons
• Diet: Algae eaters, feed wafers and vegetables like zucchini
• Origin: South America, Argentina, Venezuela
• Temperature: 70-74°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom, midwater, top

Otocinclus are probably the best algae-eating fish species for small tanks. Their vegetarian diet means they can be kept safely with even the smallest shrimp.

Otos spend a lot of the time grazing on algae on the walls of the aquarium and other surfaces like driftwood and leaves. They can be very active though and enjoy swimming around at speed in groups of at least 6.

How To Set Up Your Tank

If there’s a specific type of fish that has caught your eye, it is best to set up your tank to suit the needs of the species. The minimum tank sizes listed for freshwater fish species are a good guideline, but if you have the space, choose a tank a little larger to make sure they will be comfortable in their new home.

Filtration

Good filtration is vitally important for maintaining a healthy environment for the freshwater fish in your nano tank. The general rule is to opt for a filter model that can process the total water volume 4-6 times every hour. For smaller tanks, a power filter may make more sense. When using nano fish in a planted tank or aquascape, a canister filter is a good option to handle the added bioload of plant waste.

Some species, like Betta fish for example, really don’t enjoy a strong current in small tank sizes so you might want to look at directing the filter’s outflow in a way that breaks up the water flow, use an air-powered filter like a sponge filter. You can also put a sponge on the intake to keep the fish’s long fins from getting caught.

The Nitrogen Cycle

One of the most difficult concepts for beginner aquarists is the nitrogen cycle. There are loads of great resources out there to help you understand this process in-depth, but I’ll give you a quick run-down of the basics here.

A chemical known as ammonia is released into the water in fish waste and uneaten fish food. Before this chemical can be made safe for your fish, it has to go through two changes.

First, it is changed into a substance known as nitrite (still dangerous) and finally into nitrate (safe). These changes are made by special bacteria that naturally colonize your tank and your filter.

The process of building up colonies of these helpful bacteria takes a little while, and that’s why you need to cycle your tank for a month or so before introducing your first new fish.

Water Quality

Having a good quality filter set up and let your tank cycle fully are the first steps towards maintaining great water conditions in your nano freshwater aquarium. You’ll also need to perform a regular partial water change because the nitrogen cycle and your filter alone often can’t manage all the waste and uneaten food in your fish tank.

Make sure you use a water conditioner in the new water you’re putting into your aquarium. Some important tips for keeping your water quality high are to make sure to stock your nano tanks appropriately and to be careful not to overfeed your fish.

Growing live plants can also help to maintain good water quality. Many freshwater plants are really good at absorbing excess nutrients which can really help to maintain good water conditions.

Substrates

If you’re keeping an unplanted fish tank, your choice of substrate will mostly come down to what looks best to your eye. Often, darker colored substrates make the beautiful bright colors of freshwater fish like Neon Tetras really pop.

If you plan on setting up a planted tank, you may as well start out with a great aquarium soil like Fluval Stratum. If you’ve already set up your nano tank with gravel or sand, don’t worry, root-feeding aquarium plants can still be fed with root tabs.

One specific point to note is that the cories, which are really popular fish, should not be kept over sharp gravel, and they prefer a sand substrate. This is because they like to dig through the sand to look for food, and sharp edges can really damage their mouths.

Hiding Places

Providing plenty of hiding places in your nano tank can often help to keep your fish more confident and healthy. Live plants work for this, or you can make a cave with driftwood or rocks.

An easy alternative is to use a fish-safe aquarium cave ornament. Hiding places gives any fish that are being bullied or harassed a place to rest, and also keeps fry and baby shrimp safe from hungry fish.

The Planted Aquarium

Freshwater nano fish are probably the best tank mates for aquarium plants because they don’t do any harm to the plants, and many of these little fish just love swimming through and hiding amongst live plants. Some great plant species for nano tanks include:

• Anubias Nana
• Dwarf Hairgrass
• Dwarf Sagittaria

Check out some of my growing guides in the links above for more great information.

Biotopes

Creating a biotype is really just the process of trying to recreate the natural look and feel of the environment where your fish naturally originate. A great biotope would be a community tank with live plants and species of fish that occur together in nature. For example, an Amazon river basin biotope could have fish like tetras, pencilfish, and corydoras, with plants like Amazon Sword.

Where To Buy

The freshwater nano fish in this list are all very popular and most can be found at your local fish store. Nano species can be pretty fragile little creatures, so I recommend a trusted online retailer.

FAQs

Closing thoughts

Does the world of nano aquariums sound interesting to you? If so, any of the 21 amazing fish species in this list would look great in your own nano aquarium. The possibilities are really endless once you begin to explore the world of miniature fishkeeping. Please comment below if you have any questions. Happy fishkeeping!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Harlequin rasboras are a fish I’ve kept in community tanks for years, and they never disappoint. That distinctive black triangle patch makes them instantly recognizable, and a school of 10 or more moving together in a planted tank is genuinely striking. They’re also one of the more peaceful and hardy schooling fish available, which makes them a great pick for hobbyists at any level.

The harlequin rasbora is probably the fish most hobbyists picture when they think of a schooling species — that vivid orange-red body with the distinctive black triangle marking is instantly recognizable. After 25 years in this hobby, I’ve recommended harlequins more times than I can count, especially for people setting up their first planted community tank. When you keep a proper school of 8-10 in a well-planted setup, they create exactly the kind of dynamic, flowing display that makes freshwater fishkeeping so rewarding. They’re peaceful with virtually everything their own size or smaller, and while they prefer soft, slightly acidic water, they adapt well to a wide range of conditions. This guide covers everything you need for a healthy, thriving group.

The last thing you’d want is for this beautiful fish to die on your watch. But thankfully, you’re here. So it will never come to that. 

Species Of Overview

Scientific Name	Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Common Names	Harlequin Rasbora, lamb chop rasbora
Family	Cyprinidae
Origin	South and Southeast Asia
Diet	Omnivore (they aren’t picky eaters)
Care Level	Easy to Care For
Activity	Calm, friendly and active
Lifespan	5 to 8 years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	10 gallons
Temperature Range	71 ° to 80 °F
Water Hardness	6 to 8 dkH
pH Range	6.0 to 7.8, with 6.5 being the optimum
Filtration/Water Flow	Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg spawners
Difficulty to Breed	Very Difficult to Breed
Compatibility	Community tanks
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes

Everyone wants these colorful fish in their aquarium because of its cheerful disposition and glistening patterns. Fortunately, this is a beginner-level tropical fish so it isn’t too difficult to keep it healthy.

Behaviour: What to Expect 

The first principle of keeping this fish healthy is to understand its basic features and behavioral patterns.

Harlequin Rasboras are a peaceful fish. They aren’t wily creatures that will drive the other fish crazy around the aquarium. 

Depending on the company they are kept with, you will see the behavior of these fishes change accordingly. If you pair them with aggressive fish, they will become reclusive. They will find a corner in the aquarium and stay in hiding most of the time. These fishes become somewhat nervous around will exhibit boisterous energy. 

However, if you keep them with friendly company, they will flourish. These shoaling fish like to stay in the middle of the community tank with their gang when they feel safe. 

If they are found near the surface of the water or its substrate, there’s something wrong. 

Sometimes Rasbora becomes timid if new fish are introduced in the aquarium. So it would help if you kept an eye on them after introducing new fish in their tank. If your Rasboras don’t come out of hiding, then the new fish isn’t good company for them. However, there is nothing to worry about if they do come out of hiding. It’s natural for them to take their time before they trust the new fish.  

But don’t be reluctant about introducing new fish into their tank. If there are plenty of fish around to school with, Harlequins are at their best behavior. The more fish in the school, the better. 

If they are in a big school, you might see some of them nibbling at each other occasionally but that is nothing to be concerned about – this behavior is quite playful and typical from time to time. 

However, you might see one or two Rasboras become slightly aggressive is when they are spawning. The pregnant rasbora females need a secure place for their eggs, so that they might become vigilant towards other fish coming too close to their spawning area. 

However, this behavior is rare because it is generally tough to breed Rasboras in the first place. And in any case, if you want to breed Rasboras, transfer them into a separate breeding tank to increase chances of success. 

What Do They Look Like?

Harlequin rasboras look orange but that’s only a gradient on their silver body. The orange hue runs down from dorsal fins and fades away around the mid-region. A little bit of the orange gradient runs from its tail too, but just as well, it fades off beautifully into the rest of the colors. 

Their tall mid-section tapers near the mouth and the tail. In the rear part (abdominal region) of the Rasbora’s body, there is a dark black triangular patch characteristic of their uniqueness. 

Rasboras generally grow around 2 inches in length. They might grow to become slightly bigger than that if you are keeping them in ideal conditions and larger aquariums. 

One curious thing about them is that their fins change in hue depending on their tank’s conditions and mood. Their fins turn darker in color if their water is unclean or if they are under stress. And if the fish contracts any disease, their fins will always be the first part of their body to show signs on it. 

Male and female rasboras are similar in size and description. However, the black patch is slightly bigger on the male. Also, males seem to be a bit more orange than the females. The females have more of a golden hue on their entire bodies. And if you see that the belly of a female harlequin rasbora is turning bright, it means there are eggs in its little pouch. 

The appearance of the harlequin rasbora might not seem too extraordinary to you. Still, since you’re reading this article, we’ll assume that you have seen a school of harlequin rasbora swim together. 

Rasboras are shoaling fish that are at their best when they’re together with their bunch. When a school of harlequin rasboras swim together, the features of their body display cool colors and patterns by corresponding in a peculiar manner that is truly impressive to behold. 

Natural Habitat of Harlequins 

Harlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma Heteromorpha) are freshwater fish from tropical habitats like rivers, swamp forests, and streams. There are many variables involved here but water chemistry, tank water temperature, and pH value stay the same throughout all of these habitats. 

Swamps generally have soil substrates that are full of water, but riverbeds are pretty sandy. So you see, there are quite some differences here. The common denominator in both these habitats are aquatic plants. Harlequins like plants very much; when they become timid, they hide behind plants to feel safe.  

Harlequin Rasbora Care Guide

These small freshwater fish are accustomed to living in shallow water with an abundance of plant life.

In their natural habitat, the pH of the water is pretty low. However, the harlequins that you will find in the market have been bred in higher pH. 

If you got your Rasboras from the store, ask them in which pH these fish were bred. Generally, commercially bred Rasbora stay healthiest if kept in a pH range of 6.8 to 7.8. 

The alkalinity of water should be around 6 to 8 dkH for store-bought Rasbora. If the alkalinity falls or drops, your fish will become weak due to an inability to get rid of metabolic wastes.  

The temperature of the water should be 71 to 80 degrees Farenheit. If the temperature goes above this level, oxygen solubility of the water will decrease and your fish will become lethargic.  

So the water plays the most critical role in keeping the fish healthy. . Make sure always to keep the water conditions at an optimum level. Here’s what you need to do.

Tank Size

You can keep harlequin rasboras in a 10-gallon tank. Bigger tanks are always better, because these are shoaling fish that don’t like to isolate or stay dormant. So whatever you do, make sure that you don’t go with anything smaller than 10 gallons. 

One rule of thumb is to get a pair of harlequin rasbora for every 2 gallons of water. That way, you get to keep 10 in a 10-gallon tank.

However, we would strongly suggest you get a bigger tank because the fish will thrive better in a bigger space where they can swim more freely. 

Tank Preparation

This is the main deal. If you get a decent tank but set it up incorrectly, the health of your Rasbora will still keep deteriorating. 

Make A Substrate: Create a soft substrate at the bottom of the tank. Use soil, sand, or gravel to mimic the riverbed or the swampy substrates. 

The substrate is just to create the same atmosphere as the fish had in their natural habitat. These fish aren’t bottom-dwellers, so you’ll rarely see them poke around near the bottom but you still have to create a suitable habitat for them with the substrate. 

Add Plants: Put some nice, aquatic plants in the tank so that your harlequin rasbora can go into hiding if they feel stressed or threatened in any way. You can also add rocks and other ornamental artifacts in the aquarium to make the tank atmosphere aesthetically pleasing. 

Control Water Parameters: Use a heater to control the temperature of water against the changing temperatures outside. Stick a thermometer onto the tank and keep an eye on it to check the temperature of the water from time to time.  

Setting Up A Breeding Tank For the Harlequin Rasbora

It isn’t easy to breed a rasbora in a regular community tank at home because they need very specific conditions for successful fertilization to occur. 

You need to transfer the breedable Harlequins to a separate tank and create the perfect breeding conditions. 

Put soft water in the tank, aim to stay within 1.5 to 2.5 dkH of their preferred hardness of 7. The temperature should be 71 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Then put in their favorite plants – Cryptocoryne. This plant has broad leaves that are perfect for them to hide behind while they’re spawning. 

Keep the breeding tank in low light, because bright lights make Rasboras somewhat nervous.

If the tank conditions aren’t perfect, then the fish won’t be fully fertile. So learn how to make soft water and how to adjust the pH of water before you attempt this. 

For more information on the intricate details of the actual breeding process, watch this video from Mark’s Aquatics. 

Tank Mates 

Rasboras are schooling fish, so they like to swim around with a lot of tank mates. Don’t keep them on their own because they will become shy and reclusive. While they look to be around many types of fish, you still will need to be meticulous when choosing their company. It will help if they are kept in the company of fish with which they can be cheerful and active but never fall prey.

Good Tank Mates

The good news is that plenty of magnificently colored peace-loving fish can be kept with schools of Harlequin Rasboras. Here are just a few fish and inverts that work well: 

• Others of their own species 
• Shrimp
• Guppies 
• Snails 
• Cory Catfish 
• Tetras (Like Neon, Cardinal, and Black Skirt)
• Mollies 
• Platies
• Plecos
• Danios 
• Dwarf Gourami
• Hatchetfish
• Zebra Loaches 

Bad Tank Mates

Any fish that is twice the size of your Harlequin Rasboras shouldn’t be kept in the same tank with it. They say it’s better to be safe than sorry. So you should keep your fish safe in the tank to avoid feeling stressed out about them during the day. Some of the fish that you should definitely avoid are:

• Betta fish
• Bala Sharks
• Redtail Sharks
• Cichlids
• Barbs
• Fish with different water chemistry requirements like Goldfish

Note: Some Betta fish lovers will argue that Betta fish is too slow a swimmer to ever harm the Harlequin Rasbora. However, this can still be a mixed bag. For one, a school of Rasbora can feed quickly and leave a Betta with very little to eat. There are also more athletic Bettas like Plakats that can potentially harass your Rasbora school. The Betta and the Rasbora will likely come close if they live in a tank together – especially if the tank is small. So if you want to protect your rasboras, we suggest you to not take chances with a Betta fish. 

What Do They Eat?

Thankfully, harlequin rasboras aren’t fussy eaters. They are omnivorous, so they will eat pretty much anything starting with zooplankton, worms, crustaceans, and small insects that are edible. All you have to do is make sure that the food isn’t toxic for them. 

Since you want your rasboras to be healthy, take some out to condition them to a healthy, all-inclusive harlequin rasbora diet by introducing a variety of foods to them in tiny amounts. Do note that they have tiny mouths, so it’s better to not give them anything that isn’t bite-sized. 

When they first come to live in your aquarium they will be a bit shy, so you need to draw them out by giving them proper foods. Start off with herbivore fish foods such as Algae Wafers and Spirulina. Give them good quality fish food, a range of greens like blanched spinach, water lettuce, and then slowly introduce them to live food and frozen food. A good staple food to try is Xtreme Aquatics Nano formula. 

Rasboras are particularly found of Daphnia, shrimp, blackworms, and bloodworms. They will eat these meaty options live and frozen. When you give them live food, they will become overly enthusiastic and chase it around for a bit before eating it – it’s quite adorable to watch, really. 

Diseases That Affect The Rasboras

Rasboras are hardy fish from the streams, rivers and swamps, so they don’t get sick easily. Here are some of the diseases that might inflict suffering on your beloved fish. 

Fungal Infections

This is the most common disease that Harlequin Rasboras get. If left untreated it starts to damage vital organs like liver, brain, lungs, etc. 

Cause: Ichthyosporidium, Exophiala sp., and Flavobacterium columnare

Signs: Patches on the gills and skin, slimy layer on the surface of their skin, and skin turning brown.

Treatment: Isolate the infected fish from its tank mates, add aquarium salt in water, get rid of chlorine from the tank water, increase the water temperature to 77 Fahrenheit, and try an over the counter medication like API Fungus Cure.

Ich/White Spot Disease  

This persistent disease is another widespread one for rasboras. External parasites will cling onto the fish’s body and cause white spots to appear on its skin and gills.

Cause: Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis (an Ectoparasite), contact with other infected fish, sudden shifts in the water temperature of the aquarium, decorative plants that have parasitic cysts on them.     

Signs: Crystals formation on the body, skin becoming slimy, asthmatic breathing, itching against rough surfaces, and hiding for days on end.    

Treatment: Bring the water temperature up to 71.8 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, or try an over the counter medication like Ich-X. 

Columnaris 

This disease is highly contagious, but it only affects freshwater fish. 

Cause: Low oxygen levels in the tank, and temperature of 80 Fahrenheit degrees.

Signs: Ulcerations on the skin, visible accumulation of mucus in its gills, and dorsal fin, noticeably long periods of time gone without eating.  

Treatment: Stabilize the water temperature, and consult the vet for antibiotics or try an antibiotic like API’s Furan-2. 

Dropsy 

This is basically kidney failure. Water and other fluids accumulate in the body and cause swelling in the abdomen. 

Cause: Aeromonas bacteria, water with excess ammonia and nitrites. 

Signs: Irregular swimming, gills losing color, scales standing out, stringy faeces, and bloating belly. 

Treatment: See the freshwater disease link posted above.

Fin and Tail Rotting 

The tissues of the tail and fins start rotting outwards in. The rotting might start from a wound that your fish already has, and it also may happen because of unclean water. 

Cause: Dirty water, overfeeding, low-nutrition food, and high levels of stress. 

Signs: It starts with inflammation of the fins. Then the fins start to lose color and eventually start becoming very fragile. 

Treatment: Clean the water, optimize the temperature and pH of the water in the tank. Use a medication like SeaChem KanaPlex.

Conclusion 

To watch your Harlequin Rasboras live their best life, make sure you keep them with friendly tank mates. Remember to give them proper sustenance, remove any excess leftover from their waters, and do remember to clean the entire tank every 2 to 3 weeks. May your beautiful Harlequin Rasboras live long and keep many more of your guests in awe! 

We hope you didn’t have any trouble following our instructions about proper Harlequin Rasbora care. With a little bit of mindfulness, you can keep your fish very active and healthy. Best of luck! 

Meta: Learn Harlequin Rasbora care, and give your beautiful rasboras their best life.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Convict cichlids are one of the most personality-packed fish I’ve kept in 25 years in the hobby. They’re tough, opinionated, and genuinely entertaining to watch — especially when a pair forms and starts breeding. I’ve seen them successfully defend a corner of a 55-gallon tank from fish twice their size, which tells you everything about their temperament. If you want a cichlid that’s easy to keep but never boring, this is a great choice.

Whether you are brand-new to fish keeping, or a seasoned pro, the convict cichlid is a great fish to have in your tank. 

Although the convict isn’t the only member of the Cichlidae family, it’s certainly a favorite amongst aquarium enthusiasts. 

With its stand-out personality and attractive appearance, this aquatic creature has earned its favored status. If you choose to get a convict cichlid, it will never fail to entertain you! 

Plus, it’s a hardy species that is very easy to care for.  And to top it all off, this fish is a prolific breeder.

If you are interested in learning more about convict cichlid care, you need to read this article.  It will teach you how to provide the best care possible for this amazing fish. 

Let’s dive right in!

Brief Overview

Scientific Name	Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Common Names	Convict Cichlid, Zebra Cichlid
Family	Cichlidae
Origin	South America
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Easy
Activity	Very Active
Lifespan	8 to 10 Years
Temperament	Aggressive
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	30 gallons
Temperature Range	74°F – 84°F
Water Hardness	9 – 20 dkH
pH Range	6.5 to 8.0
Filtration/Water Flow	Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg layer
Difficulty to Breed	Easy
Compatibility	Can live in community tanks with certain tank mates that can stand up to the convict cichlid’s aggressive nature.
OK, for Planted Tanks?	With caution

Origin and Habitat

As a freshwater fish, the convict cichlid resides in Central American rivers and streams.  This species is found in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador¹. 

The convict cichlid’s natural habitat consists of gently flowing water and sandy substrate.  Its rivers and streams contain rocks and driftwood, giving these fish discreet places to hide.    

Appearance and Size

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Want to know why this fish is called convict?  Just take a look at its black stripes.  This pattern looks like a prison uniform.

The exact number of stripes, or bars, depends on the particular fish, but most have about eight or nine.   

Although the convict cichlid is usually white with black bars, other colors include plain white, pink, and gold.  Some of these relatively rare varieties lack the stripes that these fish are known for.      

For most fish species, the male is more colorful.  But that’s not the case for convict cichlids.  Instead, it’s the female convict cichlid that has more color. 

When the female matures, an orange mark appears on her side.  When the male Convict Cichlid matures, a nuchal hump can be seen on his head.    

The convict cichlid is on the smaller side, with an average length of 4-5 inches.  However, some males can grow up to 6 inches long. 

Average Cost

It’s not hard to find a convict cichlid for sale.  This fish is very popular and easy to breed, motivating fish stores, online stores, and breeders to sell the convict cichlid.

And that’s good news for you because it keeps the price pretty affordable.  You will probably only pay about $5-$12 per fish if you find the locally.      

Ease of Care

The convict cichlid is super easy to take care of, making it a beginner-friendly fish.  Maintaining the proper water conditions, creating the right environment, and feeding your convict cichlid are simple, straightforward tasks.     

In addition, this species is easy to breed.  It’s just a matter of putting a male and female convict cichlid together, giving them the right environment, and providing plenty of space.  If you do that, you will likely have fry in no time! 

Feeding Requirements

Generally speaking, a convict cichlid’s diet should mostly consist of pellets.  But you might also want to include foods that wild convict cichlids consume.

As omnivores, this fish eats insects, mosquito larvae, and plants.  That’s why it’s a good idea to supplement your aquarium convict cichlid’s diet with live foods and blanched vegetables. Roughage is key to avoiding the dreaded Malawi Bloat that types many cichlids.

Some examples include:

• Blood Worms
• Black Worms
• Daphnia
• Brine Shrimp
• Tubifex Worms
• Lettuce 
• Broccoli
• Carrots

Although fresh foods are always best, frozen worms and shrimp are also fine.  And don’t be afraid to throw some insects and mosquito larvae into your convict cichlid’s diet.  If you can manage to get these foods, your fish will love them! 

As far as pellets go, look for a cichlid-specific option.  And whatever you do, don’t settle for anything less than high-quality food. 

Cheap pellets might save you money, but they will only end up hurting your fishy friends in the long run. That’s because poor quality food leads to poor health. An example of a high quality Cichlid food would be Ron’s Cichlid Food.

If you prioritize high-quality food, your cichlid fish will thrive.  Plus, they will look amazing in your tank. You can’t ask for more than that!

Besides choosing the right food, you must also decide when to feed your fish.  It’s easier to feed once per day, but it’s probably better to feed several smaller meals throughout the day.  About 2-3 meals will do.

These smaller portion sizes will prevent tank water pollution, which helps to keep water conditions just right.  And that will further contribute to the health and appearance of your convict cichlid. 

Temperament

The convict cichlid is an aggressive fish, always ready to defend their territory.  Their combative nature increases during times of breeding as they protect their spawning areas. 

All that being said, they are still a delight for fish owners.  As long as you can keep their aggression at bay, their personality will keep you entertained.    

Fortunately, you can prevent fish fights from occurring.  All you have to do is make sure each convict cichlid has enough space. 

And if you will be keeping your fish in a community tank, just be sure to place them with compatible tank mates.  We will talk more about that later in this article.

You should also give your fish plenty of hiding places, such as rocks, plants, and driftwood.  These hideaways provide some much-needed privacy, which helps to keep the peace. 

When there is peace in your tank, you can enjoy observing your convict cichlid’s activities.  These activities may include digging, rearranging plants, and checking out the rest of the tank.      

All that activity is what makes them so fun to watch!

Tank Requirements

If you want your fish to thrive, you need to create an environment that matches their natural habitat as closely as possible. 

In this section, we are going to talk about how you can do that in your convict cichlid’s aquarium.

Make Sure the Tank is Large Enough   

Remember, the convict cichlid needs lots of space.  Forcing this aggressive species to share a small tank with other fish is just asking for trouble!

But how big should the tank be?

Here are some general guidelines:

• Some experts recommend 30 gallons per convict cichlid
• Others say 30-50 gallons is large enough for a pair of convicts
• If you have a breeding pair, you will need at least a 50-gallon tank.

If you want to play it safe, it might be a good idea to choose a tank size that’s larger than what you think is necessary.  This is probably better than trying to get by with the bare minimum.      

Create the Right Conditions

The Convict Cichlid is a very hardy fish, meaning they can survive conditions that don’t perfectly match their natural habitat.  But surviving isn’t thriving.  To make sure your fish are as healthy and attractive as possible, you need to get the tank’s conditions just right. 

That involves maintaining the proper pH and temperature range.  This species requires these conditions:

• PH: 6.5-8
• Water Temperature: 74 -84 degrees

Keeping the water on the warmer side is important because this fish comes from South American rivers and streams.  So, if your tank’s water doesn’t stay within the optimal range, you might want to look into getting an aquarium heater. 

Choose the Right Substrate   

Convict cichlid fish have a tendency to dig, making it vital to choose the right substrate.  Something soft, like sand, will allow your fishy friends to dig away without getting scratched. 

When choosing between light and dark substrate, it all comes down to personal preference and your budget.  In most cases, lighter substrates will be cheaper than darker options.  However, your beautiful fish will stand out even more against a dark substrate.  

Provide Hiding Places

Logs, driftwood, rocks, and plants make great hiding spots for fish.  Adding these elements to your tank gives your cichlid fish plenty of privacy, which helps prevent aggressive behaviors. 

Look for tough plants that won’t be easily disturbed by digging.  By the way, we should probably mention that your convict cichlid will likely rearrange the plants. Plants that do not need to be planted in soil make the most sense. In our experience, these plants work best with Convicts:

• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Java Moss

These fish definitely have their own ideas about things!  But that’s partly why they are so amusing. 

Generate a Gentle Flow

Wild convict cichlids live in gently flowing water.  You can mimic this by installing a powerhead that generates a gentle flow.      

Choose a Good Filter System

What happens when your fish start digging?  If you guessed a mess, you are right! 

That’s why you must choose a good filter system that can keep up with that mess.  This becomes especially important if you plan on breeding your fish, as the new fry will increase the tank’s bio-load.

Your best bet is a filter that filters at least twice your tank’s volume per hour.  Some convict keepers use filters that filter 10-15 times the tank volume per hour. A filter with a large amount of media capacity is best like a canister filter.

Convict cichlid breeders need to take extra measures to keep the fry from being sucked into the filter. A quick fix is to buy and install a filter sponge. 

How To Breed

When it comes to breeding convict cichlids it can be summed with a simple statement – convict cichlids are prolific, making this fish incredibly easy to breed.  There are just a few breeding tips to keep in mind. You can also check out this video by Blake’s Aquatics if you prefer a video explanation.

For starters, the water should be around 84 degrees.  So, keep an eye on the temperature to make sure it’s conducive to breeding. 

Secondly, the female convict cichlid naturally gravitate towards rocky overhangs to lay their eggs.  Turning a clay pot upside down or stacking flat rocks provides a similar laying space for your female fish.  

Thirdly (and this is very important to remember!) convict cichlids are extremely protective of their eggs.  If your convict cichlids are forced to breed in a community tank, they will view the other fish as threats and attack them.     

That’s why your breeding pair should be kept in a separate tank from all other fish, convicts or otherwise.

Also, the breeding tank should be large enough to house fry.  At a minimum, this requires a 50-gallon tank. 

Breeding and Raising Fry

Convict cichlids are ready to breed when they are about 4-7 months old.  After the female convict cichlid lays the eggs, the male fertilizes them.  Once the eggs have been laid, the breeding pair is on their guard, ready to defend their eggs from any threats. 

The eggs will hatch in 3-5 days, resulting in about 30 new fry.  After the eggs hatch, the parents care for the fry.  For the first 5 days, the fry remain in the yolk sac. After that, they start swimming around. 

Once the fry are about a week old, it’s time to start feeding them.  Some food options include baby brine shrimp, fry flakes, and infusoria. 

Fry should be fed about 3 times per day. It doesn’t take long for the male and female to be ready to breed again.  They will reenter the breeding mode about 10-14 days after the fry are born. 

At this time, the breeding pair may become aggressive towards the fry.  To keep them safe, move the fry to a nursery tank, about 5-10 gallons large.   

Eventually, the fry will outgrow that tank.  The next step is to place them in a rearing tank, about 20-30 gallons large.

Important Note

Before moving on, we want to point out that convict cichlids have a great reputation for being excellent parents. The male and female will do whatever it takes to protect the fry while providing food and shelter. 

That being said, the father can become a threat when the fry start swimming.  If any signs of aggression appear, the male Convict Cichlid should be removed from the tank.      

FAQS

Although a convict cichlid can live by itself, sharing the tank (as long as it’s big enough) with another convict can prevent stress. 

Just keep in mind, as the number of fish increase so does the risk of fights.  That’s why it’s probably wise for beginners to limit their convict cichlids to one or two.

Also, it’s usually not a good idea to put two male convict cichlids together as this will likely result in displays of aggression.        

And for those with more than two convict cichlids, it’s best to maintain a ratio of 3 females to one male. 

But for those with more experience, their convict cichlids can live in community tanks.  However, you can’t choose just any tank mates.  You have to carefully select certain fish that are most compatible with convict cichlids. 

That would not include fish that are smaller or less assertive than your cichlid fish.  Instead, you should pick tank mates that are larger and able to hold their own.  

Some good tank mates include:

• Green Terror
• Jack Dempsey
• Pictus Catfish
• Giant Danio
• Jewel Cichlid
• Firemouth Cichlid
• Rainbow Fish
• Oscar Fish
• Clown Loach
• Silver Dollar Fish
• Large Barbs
• Blue Acara
• Plecostomus

If your convict cichlid will live with tank mates, be sure to buy a large tank that’s at least 50 gallons.  Depending on how many fish you have, you might need a tank that’s even bigger than that.   

But no matter how experienced you are, how big the tank is, or what other types of fish you have, never ever keep a breeding pair in a community tank.  It just won’t end well!

That’s because this aggressive species becomes even more combative during breeding time. 

In Conclusion

By this point, you are probably convinced that the convict cichlid is a great fish to keep, especially if you are brand new to this hobby.  They are super easy to care for, a blast to watch, and a beauty to behold. And when you provide great care, you will be able to enjoy your fish for a long time. 

Do you have any experience with Convict Cichlids? If so, leave a comment below and let’s start a conversation. Thanks for reading! 

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Few fish made an entrance in this hobby quite like the celestial pearl danio. When photos of this fish first appeared on aquarium forums in 2006 — white spots on a deep blue body, vivid red-orange fin markings — people genuinely couldn’t believe something so striking existed and hadn’t been described yet. I remember the excitement at the time. Within months of discovery in Myanmar, wild populations were being heavily collected, raising real conservation concerns. These days, virtually all CPDs in the hobby are captive-bred, which is absolutely the right way to source them. After 25 years keeping fish, the celestial pearl danio is one of my favorite planted nano tank species — but there’s a male aggression dynamic worth understanding before you set up your tank.

Whether you’ve already gotten a hold of some celestial pearl danios (CPDs) or are looking to introduce them to your aquarium in the near future, our comprehensive guide below is all you need to get on the right track.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Danio margaritatus
Common Names	Celestial Pearl Danio, Fireworks Rasbora, Galaxy Rasbora, Microrasbora sp. galaxy
Family	Cyprinidae
Origin	Myanmar / South East Asia
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	Active
Lifespan	3 to 5 Years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	10 gallons
Temperature Range	72°F – 76°F
Water Hardness	2 – 10 dKH
pH Range	6.5 to 7.5
Filtration/Water Flow	Strong
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed	Easy to breed; lays eggs
Compatibility	Species tank or community nano tank
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes – plants recommended

Origins and Habitat

The world first came to know of the celestial pearl danio in 2006, when a man called Kamphol Udomritthiruj discovered the fish in a plant-filled pond in a mountainous area near Hopong, east of Inle Lake, in Myanmar. He shared a photo of the fish on a Singaporean fishkeeping forum, and the rest is history¹.

The ponds, which are the natural habitat of the galaxy rasbora, are heavily vegetated. They are located in a place consisting mainly of rice paddies and grasslands, which receive a lot of sun exposure. This is what leads to the fast growth of aquatic plants in the ponds, which make the celestial pearl danios’ home.

Since that time, this species of fish has not been found in any other area. But unsurprisingly, this species has proliferated in the aquarium trade despite that—one look at it, and you’ll understand the reason behind their popularity.

Now, when the fish was first found, the genus they belonged to was contested. But aquarium traders needed to market the beautiful new celestial pearl danio, and doing this meant guessing their place in the world of cyprinidae. That’s how they came to acquire the common name of galaxy rasbora.

In 2007, a new genus was created solely for the celestial pearl danio by Tyson R. Roberts, a scientist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

So, even though the name “galaxy rasbora” is still widely used to refer to this fish, it’s something of a misnomer, as it was discovered by Roberts that these little guys are more closely related to the danios than to the rasboras.

What Do They Look Like?

Before they were Danio margaritatus, these vibrant little nano fish were given the scientific name of Celestichthys margaritatus. “Celestichthys,” from the Greek and Latin, is “heavenly fish” translated. Meanwhile, “margaritatus” translates to “adorned with pearls.”

Heavenly fish adorned with pearls—that’s a pretty good place to start if you want to guess at the appearance of the Danio margaritatus.

These are some of the smallest fish in the aquarium trade, not measuring more than 1.5 inches. They are vividly colored fish, with a base coloration of deep midnight blue.

They are covered all over with bright yellow/white spots responsible for the galaxy-like pattern that gives them their name. Their bellies tend to take on an orange coloration.

The fins of the celestial pearl danio, meanwhile, have a prominent shape and size. A tall dorsal fin protrudes from the lower third of the body of the fish. The anal and pelvic fins are wide.

The fins tend to have a red or deep orange color which contrast gorgeously with the rest of their body. You’ll also see dual black lines and a few transparent parts on all the fins of the fish.

The sexual dimorphism of the celestial pearl danio means that it’s possible to identify their sex. Males tend to have a thinner shape and a brighter coloring than females. Meanwhile, the coloring of females can be more accurately categorized as golden blue than dark blue.

How Big are They?

When it is fully developed and sexually matured—which takes about 3 months—the celestial pearl danio has an adult size of 1 inch in length. They can get as large as 1.5 inches.

This small body is why they are classified as a nano fish. They do best in large groups. Females and males differ slightly in size, with females being slightly larger.

How Long Do They Live?

In captivity, with appropriate conditions ensured, the average celestial pearl danio can be expected to live at least 3 years, and a maximum of 5 years. Like many other freshwater fish, celestial pearls respond poorly to stress and inadequate or unstable water conditions. Proper care, diet, and a low stress environment will contribute to a longer lifespan.

Temperament and Activity Level

Galaxy rasboras are mostly quiet, peaceful fish who love to swim together in groups, and they are curious explorers as well. Although they are not schooling fish as many wrongly think of them, celestial pearl danios are certainly very social, and you should aim to have at least 6-7 of these beauties in one tank.

When they all swim together, it creates a wavering, textured effect inside the aquarium that is truly awesome to behold. However, once they start getting used to their tank, they like spending time apart from the group as well.

The only concern when it comes to the behavior or temperament of the galaxy rasbora is related to their sex. It’s important to tell male and female pearl danios apart because a large number of males might cause a problem.

This is because males constantly battle over females, which unfortunately results in injury or, in the worst cases, even death. As such, you should keep fewer male CPDs in your aquarium than females.

What Are Good Tank Mates?

The best tank mates for a CPD are others of their kind. You should aim to keep at least 5-7 of these fish in the tank as they are a social species that love swimming together.

We stress once again that it’s very important to keep the number of female fishes higher than males, as having too many of the latter may lead to infighting for dominance.

Owing to their size, the celestial pearl danio also does well in nano tanks with other peaceful fish of the same size, such as guppies and neon tetras.

In fact, if you feel that your CPDs are much too shy or timid, introducing other fish might help them to feel more confident. In that way, suitable tank mates are a crucial part of celestial pearl danio care.

Given that galaxy rasboras like to occupy the middle of the tank, we recommend filling the tank with other species who stay near the top.

Good Tank Mates

With the above conditions in mind, the following make great tank mates for these danios:

• Tetras (regular, ember or green)
• Gouramis
• Cory Catfish
• Guppies
• Molly Fish
• Killifish
• Endler’s livebearer
• Amano Shrimp
• Cherry Shrimp

You will notice that all of these species are small, just like the galaxy rasbora. Remember, if you decide to place so many small fish together, you have to make adjustments to the aquarium size accordingly. Small fish like this also lend well to planted tanks and aquascapes as the small size makes them a part of the scape versus the showcase. Most aquascapes are all about the design. The fish are a part of the piece so smaller fish work well with this style of aquarium keeping.

Fish Species to Avoid

It’s very important to choose only tank mates who are of the same size as your pearl danios. Even if they are generally peaceful, any fish significantly larger than celestial pearl danios might eat them. Not to mention, there will be competition for food.

You should absolutely avoid putting your galaxy rasboras in with any aggressive fish, such as oscars, cichlids, or Jack dempseys. These fish will happily snack on and eat your prized Danios.

Other fish who may not eat them, may be bothered by the dithering nature of these fish. Slow moving fish like Betta Fish often clash with Danios due to their nature. they also don’t compete well for food.

What Do They Eat?

As they are omnivores, celestial pearls will eat almost anything in the wild. They usually love plants and algae as well as zooplankton and might consume small invertebraes for protein.

In captivity, they take well to diets of pellets and flakes, but these should be of high quality. Not to mention, the pellets/flakes should be small enough that they can fit easily in the tiny mouths of your pearl danios.

They like eating at mid-tank levels, so try to choose pellets and flakes that won’t sink so easily.

What About Live Foods?

Celestial pearl danios will eat live food you give them, such as live baby brine shrimp, krill, daphnia, moina, white worms, and grindal worms. Frozen cyclops and frozen baby brine also make great snacks for them and help you to provide a balanced diet.

How Much and How Often to Feed?

CPDs should be fed 3 to 4 times a day, but you should make it a point to give them small amounts of food every time. This prevents overfeeding or food wastage and keeps the water quality clean.

It’s also important to cycle the food you give to your galaxy rasboras. This will ensure that they live longer and retain their vibrant coloring throughout their lives.

Something else you need to know about these little guys is that they are prone to stress. And when this happens, it will affect their eating habits.

So not only should you strive to ensure stress-free living conditions for your galaxy rasboras, you should also watch them closely when it’s feeding time. This will allow you to identify the picky or shy eaters as well as the more active ones and cater to their needs accordingly.

Celestial Pearl Danio Care Guide

CPDs are relatively easy to care of, given that you ensure the best tank conditions for them. These little guys thrive in cold water and love to have plants to play around in. Here’s all you need to know about setting up a tank for your CPDs.

Tank Size

As we’ve already mentioned above, the minimum tank size for 5-7 celestial pearl danios is 10 gallons (so about 2 gallons per fish). This gives them the space they need to play or hide as they wish.

You’ll need to increase the aquarium size by an extra 10 gallons for every 5 of these fish you add. So if you have 30 CPDs, you’ll need a tank of at least 30 gallons.

Tank Setup

Here are the particulars of the CPD fish tank setup:

Plants

When you’re setting up a tank for these little fish, it’s of utmost importance that you include plants to mimic the heavy vegetation of their natural habitat. These not only give the fish plenty of playing and hiding places, they also make for good snacks and provide ample space for breeding (if that’s one of your aims).

In fact, the more variety you can create in your aquascaping endeavors, the better for these fish. CPDs absolutely love these environments. So don’t hold back— include any and all plants you wish to or think would go well with your aquarium or your fish. Keeping healthy, stress-free CPDs is not possible without plants. If you want to make these easier for you consider low energy or beginner level plants.

Substrate

As with plants, you have a wide variety of options when it comes to the aquarium substrate. Although they like swimming about in the middle of the aquarium, they also frequently stay towards the tank’s bottom half. Since they don’t dig, however, you don’t have to worry about substrate size.

That said, your chosen substrate should complement the plants you choose to place in the tank. Dark fine sand is a good option here as it will allow your plants to thrive and flourish, which is a requirement for keeping your danio fish happy. Sandy substrate is also easy to clean, an added benefit.

Decor

You have free reign when it comes to choosing decor for these fish as well. CPDs love having adequate spaces to hide and play in, so make it a point to include natural decor like rocks and driftwood where your fish can relax and play.

Water Quality

As with any other freshwater fish, it’s of crucial importance to maintain good water quality for the health of your danio fish. Here’s what you should know:

Filtration

CPDs require strong filtration in their tanks. The biology of this fish is not able to handle too many pollutants in the water. Canister or power filters should work fine, although you should remember to block inlet tubes with sponges to prevent these tiny fish from getting sucked into them. They are very active fish and enjoy moving around the tank. A moderate flow will be healthy for them.

Water Parameters

The rich vegetation found in the shallow ponds which these little fish inhabit give the water a clean and pure quality with low mineral and salt levels . These are the conditions you should aim to recreate for your CPDs if you want them to be happy and stress-free.

These are the basic recommended water parameters for CPDs:

• Water Temperature: 72°F to 76°F
• pH: 6.5 to 7.5
• Water Hardness: 2 – 10 dKH

Aquarium Maintenance

As you know by now, taking care of these aquarium fish is pretty easy, given that you ensure clean water for them. Try to also keep levels of nitrates and dissolved organics low. Make regular water changes.

Test Water Conditions

In order to ensure proper water conditions for your aquatic pets, no matter if they’re CPDs or other fish, we recommend investing in a quality water testing kit. If you want a well-kept aquarium with healthy fish, accurate readings should be your first priority.

Breeding

If you want to breed your CPDs, you’re in luck because they’re one of the easiest aquarium fish to breed.

In fact, males of this fish species spend a good chunk of their time just courting the females (which, as we mentioned above, can lead to fighting and injury/death), which makes this a species that is constantly spawning — pretty much daily.

So, triggering the breeding process of this fish shouldn’t require much input from you; just make sure you give your fish a steady and nourishing amount of live food.

Are Your They Male or Female?

As we discussed above, identifying the sex of this danio species is easy due to the species’ sexual dimorphism. Although they are similarly sized, your female CPDs will have a rounder shape and a duller body color in comparison to the males.

When a female is ready to spawn, she should develop a darkly colored, swollen spot near her anal fin. If you need a visual aid on determined if your danio is male or female, check out this video by The Secret History Living In Your Aquarium.

The Mating Process

How do you know when your CPDs are ready to spawn? Well, aside from the fact that both males and females try to breed almost daily after reaching maturity (which takes 3-4 months at most), there are some markers in behavior.

Males will typically hover near a spawning mop or Java moss (whatever you provide for spawning), and when a female is nearby, males will shake and flare their fins to attract her.

Once a male has caught her attention, a female CPD will swim down to where he is in the aquarium and nudge his anal fin with her head. Then they will shake together, releasing the eggs and milt.

The Breeding Process

CPDs are egg layers. To lay her eggs, a female CPD will find a spot in the tank where there is low water flow. She will usually also choose a large plant leaf to lay the tiny eggs—more than 30 at a time—so you should provide that once again.

You have to be alert and present during this process because male CPDs do eat their mate’s eggs. So as soon as you see that the eggs have been laid, gently take them out and put them into a designated spawning tank.

This also means that if you don’t want too many CPDs just leave the eggs as they are. They will be eaten by their dads and disappear from the aquarium.

After Breeding

Once they’re in the spawning tank, the eggs will take up to 2-4 days to incubate, after which you will see tiny fry beginning to hatch.

During this time, you should feed them micro foods. As they grow older and you move them into the main CPD tank, you can introduce them to live foods such as small worms and baby brine shrimp as well as flakes and pellets.  

Health and Disease

CPDs are not as prone to disease as other freshwater fish who are harder to care for. Nor have any diseases been discovered which are exclusive to CPDs.

That said, they are still prone to being afflicted by common freshwater diseases.

Signs of Health

A healthy CPD, although shy and fond of hiding at times, is a pretty social fish. He or she will spend a lot of time swimming in groups and playing a little bit. As eager breeders, CPDs also spawn almost every day.

Common Health Issues and Treatment

Fin rot, in particular, is noticeable in these fish. As with any other fish, this freshwater disease can be identified by visual markers on the edges of the fish’s fins. If the edges of the fins look discolored or frail, as if it’s disintegrating, you can assume fin rot has taken a hold.

Fin rot can be caused by a number of factors, the most common being poor water quality. However, it can be easily avoided if you constantly monitor pH levels with a good water testing kit.

Fighting is another cause of fin rot. You can prevent your CPDs by fighting by ensuring a low male-to-female ratio in the aquarium. The more males there are, the higher the level of aggression and competition will be, leading to injurious fighting.

If you do suspect fin rot, try to restore optimal water conditions as soon as possible. Then you can use antibacterial medications to treat the condition. The fins should begin to grow back.

Where to Buy?

Compared to other freshwater aquarium fish, CPDs do tend to be more expensive, sometimes going up to $15 to $20 for just one fish. However, since they are active breeders, they’re not too hard to find in a well-stocked aquarium shop. You can also find them being sold online, but be careful and do your research.

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

The breathtaking beauty and shy nature of CPDs make them a popular choice for aquarists interested in nano fish and dither fish. A group of CPDs makes a great addition to any large, well-planted freshwater community tank, given they don’t have any aggressive tank mates.

They’re easy to take care of and easy to breed if you ensure proper water conditions. Celestial pearl danios are definitely a rewarding fish to keep!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Black skirt tetras are one of those staple community fish that have earned their place in the hobby for good reason — they’re tough, adaptable, and look great in a group. I’ve kept them in peaceful community setups and they do well, but I always flag the important warning with this species: they are notorious fin nippers, especially with long-finned fish like bettas or angelfish. Know that going in and you’ll avoid frustration.

Black skirt tetras are one of those fish that have been in the hobby so long they’ve become a staple — and for good reason. They’re genuinely hardy, adaptable, and widely available, making them one of the most beginner-friendly tetras around. After 25 years in this hobby, though, I always flag two things before anyone buys them: first, black skirts can be persistent fin nippers, which makes them a poor choice for tanks with long-finned bettas or slow-moving angelfish. Second, if you see brightly colored “dyed” versions in the store — those fish have been through a stressful injection process and typically have shortened lifespans. Stick with the natural black skirt and you’re getting one of the best value-for-money community fish in the hobby.

A Brief Overview of Black Skirt Tetra

Scientific Name	Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Common Names	Black Tetra, Petticoat Tetra, Black Widow Tetra
Family	Characidae
Origin	South America
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Easy
Activity	Active
Lifespan	3 to 5 Years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	15 Gallons
Temperature Range	70 – 82° F
GH	5-20 dGH
pH Range	6.0 to 7.5
Filtration/Water Flow	Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed	Moderate
Compatibility	Compatible with Non-Aggressive Aquarium Fish
OK, for Planted Tanks?	With Caution

Origins and Habitat

Black skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) is a prominent member of the Characidae family. We will have to travel deep into the South American basins and rivers to find out their origin history.

That’s because these fish originate from the beautiful freshwater rivers of Paraguay, Brazil, and Northeast Argentina, especially the Paraguay and Guapore River basins.

The water in these regions tends to be cool, comfortable, and shaded. That’s how black skirt tetras like their water.

They move in schools and prefer swimming near the surface, feeding on small insects, worms, and crustaceans. Nature seems to have an endless supply of food for them.

However, the black skirt tetra fish you see on the market today do not come from these wild regions, although that’s what happened initially.

Instead, they are bred in captivity for selling by skilled aquarists and aquaculture farms. Some of the variations of this schooling species are genetically modified.

What Does a Black Skirt Tetra Look Like?

Every black skirt tetra comes with that stunning tetragonal shape of the Characidae family that people love so much.

This unique body shape makes black skirt tetras special to many aquarium enthusiasts. Unlike other tetra fish in the Characidae family, they don’t have bright colors.

Instead, they boast a unique gradient color comprised of black, gray, and silver. There is an appealing translucent hue to make them stand out.

A brighter and reflective grayish silver color dominates the front part of the body, especially the head. However, the color gradually fades to a darker shade as it moves to the tail, giving the fish a gradient effect.

The front part of the black skirt tetras tends to be taller than the back. Their tailfin has a forked shape, and it’s pretty thin. The dorsal fin is relatively small too.

Right on the bottom of the fish, you will notice an oversized anal fin. These fins add to the overall beauty of this amazing fish.

Black skirt tetras are known for their small size. In general, they grow up to be 1 to 2.5 inches in captivity. Some may reach 3 inches, but that doesn’t happen as often.  

How Long Do They Live?

Black skirt tetras have a relatively shorter lifespan. On average, a black skirt tetra will live for up to 3 to 5 years in a well-maintained tank. They have a slightly longer lifespan in their natural habitat, which is about 6 to 7 years at most.

These fish are affected by the water quality and the overall tank condition. So, their lifespan depends a lot on how well maintained the tetra tank is. You won’t see them hitting that 5-year mark if you don’t care for them properly and allow them to stay in poor water conditions for too long.

To ensure they live long enough, monitor the water conditions, change it whenever it gets too polluted, and ensure optimum feeding. In general, Black Skirt Tetras will live the longest in well maintained planted tanks, where shelter is plenty and stress is low.

Are They Hardy?

Black Skirt Tetras are exceptionally hardy! They are tough fish prepared to fend off more stresses in aquarium life, which is good news for beginners.

Even if you make mistakes while learning the ropes of fish keeping, this fish species won’t give up on you and die like other overly sensitive fish. They can easily adapt to different water parameters. You won’t have to rely on special caring techniques to make sure they survive.

They are very friendly and get along with other fish species with ease. You won’t see them having any trouble competing for food as they are fast swimmers.

Furthermore, they aren’t all that vulnerable to many freshwater fish diseases as they have strong resistance. They rarely get infected. So, you have less to worry about their health. Black skirt tetras have a pretty low mortality rate too.

Just because they are hardy fish doesn’t mean you should give them sub-optimum living conditions, they will stress in poor water conditions and need need optimum water temperature for surviving.

These fish can’t tolerate water that’s too cold or too hot. So, make sure to change the water regularly, use a good filtration system, and keep the temperature above 70°F and below 85°F. 

How Do You Tell Male or Female?

It’s easy to tell between a male tetra and a female tetra. Of course, you wouldn’t get it the first time, but it won’t take long to differentiate between the two. The most obvious difference is that a female black skirt tetra is noticeably larger than a male black skirt tetra.

Female black skirt tetras also have a body that’s a bit more rounded than their male counterparts.

You can also tell if the tetra is a male or female by checking the anal fin, although it may be more difficult. Females come with anal fins that run parallel alongside the black stripes on their abdomen.

Besides having a smaller body, male black skirt tetras often feature white spots on their caudal fin. Their anal fins are smaller but broader than females.

As for the dorsal fins, they appear more pointed and a bit narrower.

Can They Live Alone?

Black widow tetra should never be allowed to live alone. Life in solitude for black skirt tetras is nothing short of a nightmare.

This is a schooling fish species and prefers staying in groups. In their natural habitat, these fish school in huge numbers, ranging from hundreds to even thousands! If you want to see the potential of a black skirt tetra school in a large aquarium, check out this cinnmatic from Green Aqua. Green Aqua is one of the best channels for professional aquascaping. I highly recommend subscribing to them!

You can’t expect such a social species to be happy alone, can you? Black Skirt Tetras will become depressed and visibly inactive if you don’t allow them to stay with their friends. Needless to say, they won’t live long.

So, please don’t keep them alone. Add more black skirts to the aquarium. They get along easily with other friendly fish species as they are a pretty and active community fish. Make sure the other fish you add are compatible with each other—more on that in the next section.

What Fish Are Good Tank Mates?

Being shoaling fish, you should at least keep 5 black skirts together in a single tetra tank. The more, the merrier but don’t stuff them in a small space, though. They will be happier, more comfortable, and live longer when kept in a group.

Thanks to their friendly nature, you can freely keep them in a community tank. But be careful when choosing tank mates. It’s easy to pick the right companion, though. Just make sure not to pick aggressive fish because they will bully your precious black skirt tetra.

Also, you don’t want any fin nippers in a black skirt tetras community tank. Tiger barbs and other fin nippers will target their fins and damage them.

Ironically, this species of fish also loves fin nipping so, you should avoid other fish with long fins.

You can keep any peaceful, non-aggressive fish species with black skirts. It’s even better if they are less active than these fishes. Mid and bottom dwellers are also good options.

Here are our recommended tank mates for black skirt tetras.

• Neon Tetras
• Cardinal Tetra
• Celestial Pearl Danio
• Chili Rasbora
• Harlequin Rasbora
• Cory Catfish
• Bolivian Rams
• Honey Gourami

Avoid fish that are slow with large fins like Betta Fish, they are known for nipping their fins.

How Many Should Be Kept Together?

As we’ve mentioned before, black skirt tetras school in huge numbers in the wild. They are incredibly social and thrive the best in groups.

They hate living alone. Ideally, you should keep at least 5 black tetras together. This will allow them to form a community and feel more confident. When it comes to schooling odd numbers tend to do better in aquariums.

If you can add more, that’s even better. Besides, it will be really fun to watch them swim together, play around, and keep the inside of your tank lively and active.

What Do They Eat?

Black skirt tetras in the wild eat whatever they find. From small insects to plants, they will eat all kinds of foods! Similarly, a captive black skirt tetra doesn’t have any special preference. So, you have to decide what you want to feed them. A great staple food to feed them would be Northfin Community Formula.

Feel free to feed them commercially available dry and frozen foods. However, make sure the fish food is rich in nutrients.

Some people like to include live foods in their pet fish diet. These schooling fish seem to be fond of bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, mosquito larvae, etc. The live foods should be fresh and free of harmful bacteria and pathogens. The best way to ensure they are free from harmful pathogens is to culture your own, though that is not for everyone. The frozen food variety is a great choice if you do not want to culture your own live food.

If you are looking for a good ready to feed staple food, I would recommend a pellet food like Northfin community formula. These are pellets that are small enough for nano fish like these tetras while also being free of fillers and high in nutrition. As a rule of thumb, never stick to just one food for your fish. Try to mix it up so they have a well balanced diet.

Tank Requirements and Care

You will appreciate how low-maintenance black skirt tetra is. There are aren’t any complicated requirements that you have to follow.

An entire school of these freshwater fish will easily survive as long as you keep them in the right tank and maintain suitable water parameters. Let’s talk specifics.

Tank Size

Although small in size, they need companions to stay happy. The aquarium size for black skirts should be at least 15-gallons.

But we recommend choosing a 20-gallon fish tank for keeping a small group because these fish are active swimmers and better in a spacious space. Make sure not to overcrowd.

Water Parameters

It would be best if you replicated the natural habitat of wild black skirt tetras inside your aquarium. So, the ideal water temperature is anything between 70°F to 82°F. The best temperature would be the middle of this range.

The water should be slightly acidic, like the water bodies in South America. Maintain a pH level of 6.0 and 7.5, and your fish will be just fine. Also, the water hardness should be 5 to 15 dGH. A great way to keep pH and the water on the softer side is to invest in aquarium driftwood.

It goes without said that the water should be clean and pollution-free. So, you should invest in a reliable water filtration system and aquarium test kit to monitor levels.

Plants and Decoration

Your black skirt tetra will feel more at home if the aquarium looks and feels like their natural habitat.

The best way to do that is by adding suitable plants and vegetation. Try adding tall and floating plants because they will provide them with natural shelter, allow them to hide when they get spooked, and darken the environment.

Black skirt tetras mostly keep to the middle and top layer of the aquarium and seldom swim to the bottom. Some great plants to consider investing in that are easy to care for would be:

• Java Fern
• Java Moss
• Anubias Nana
• Cryptocoryne
• Bucephalandra

So, decorating the bottom of the tank isn’t all that important. However, adding a light sandy substrate constant their colors in an aquascape.  

Since these pet fish prefer a darker environment, they will be more comfortable using subdued lights.

How to Set Up Your Fish Tank

Setting up your aquarium for black skirt tetras is surprisingly easy. Choose the fish tank size according to the number of fish you’re keeping. If you’re starting small, you work with at minimum a 20-gallon fish tank.

Before adding the water, decorate the aquarium to make it more suitable for black skirt tetra. The goal is to make the inside feel like the water bodies of South America, full of vegetation and life.

Don’t forget to install a quality filtration system. This will keep the water clean longer and allow your fish to stay comfortable and disease-free.

After adding the water, test it to see if the temperature and other water parameters are correct. Move onto the water cycling process if everything is perfect for adding the beneficial bacteria.

That’s about it. The tank should now be ready to be the perfect home for your black skirt tetra!

How to Breed

Breeding black skirt tetra is a bit difficult as it requires a lot of work. They aren’t known for their parental traits, and they don’t have the slightest care for their eggs and fry. In fact, they may even eat their own eggs if given a chance.

That’s why it’s necessary to breed them in a separate breeding tank. The breeding tank should have the same water quality and similar decoration as the main tank.

Additionally, you will have to add java moss, spawning mop, net, or artificial grass. These will keep the eggs out of the reach of the adult fish so that they can’t feast on them. It usually takes 2 years for a black tetra to reach adulthood and be sexually mature.

After setting up the breeding tank, identify the bonded pair and move them into a separate tank.  When breeding, feed the pair lots of protein-rich food.

Soon enough, the belly of the female will swell up with eggs. A female black skirt tetra can lay up to 1,000 eggs a day!

The eggs will be scattered all over the place. These eggs are adhesive in nature and stick to the surface. They will sink to the bottom slowly and stick to the java moss, spawning mop, or the net that you’ve laid out before.

When the breeding process is complete, quickly remove the adult fish from the breeding tank before they start eating the eggs.

It usually takes 24 to 36 hours for the eggs to hatch. After hatching from the eggs, the fry will feed on the egg sac.

Wait out a couple of days, and they will be ready to eat fry foods. After the next few weeks, they will grow up to be able to eat baby brine shrimp. Don’t move them into the main tetra tank until they are big enough.

If you want a new video explanation and video, here is a great video by Mark’s Aquatics explain his process.

Final Words

Black skirt tetras are highly recommended for beginners, but seasoned aquarists can get them too. These fish are pretty fascinating in appearance and fun to have in your community aquarium.

Leave us a comment below if this information was helpful or leave it at that, we don’t mind either way. Who knows, maybe one day soon we’ll be helping get your future tanks set up too!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Frontosa cichlids are one of the most impressive fish you can keep in a large freshwater tank — that nuchal hump and bold striping make them look like something prehistoric. I’ve seen well-kept frontosas become genuine showstoppers that stop visitors in their tracks. They’re slower moving and more peaceful than most cichlids their size, but they do need significant space and appropriate tank mates from Lake Tanganyika.

It’s very easy to see why the Frontosa Cichlid, Cyphotilapia frontosa, is so popular with aquarists around the world. It’s not only their great looks that keep them as favorites. Frontosa Cichlid Care in summary is simple and they have an easy going nature as long as you select the right tank mates. These traits make them just as attractive as their looks.

If you’re looking for a stunning freshwater fish with great personality and the ability to fascinate whoever sees it in your tank, the Frontosa Cichlid could be the perfect fit. Read on to learn everything you need to know about caring for these peaceful rift lake cichlids.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Cyphotilapia frontosa, Cyphotilapia gibberosa, Paratilapia frontosa, Pelmatochromis frontosus
Common Names	Frontosa Cichlid, Frontosa, Humphead Cichlid, Front Cichlid, Tanganyika Humphead Cichlid
Family	Cichlidae
Origin	Lake Tanganyika, East Africa
Diet	Carnivorous, piscivorous
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	Low
Lifespan	15+ years
Temperament	Semi-aggressive
Tank Level	Midwater
Minimum Tank Size	75 Gallons
Temperature Range	72 – 82° F
KH	10-20
pH Range	7.8 to 8.2
Filtration/Water Flow	Low to moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Mouth brooder
Difficulty to Breed	Moderate
Compatibility	Compatible with some other rift valley lake cichlids and other large peaceful fish
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Compatible with some plants

Origins and Habitat

The Burundi Frontosa Cichlid is endemic to the waters of Lake Tanganyika in the region of East Africa, which means that is the only place in the world where it occurs naturally. This massive rift lake is shared by the African countries of Zambia, The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Burundi.

These fish live in surprisingly deep water compared with most species in the hobby and are usually found at depths of greater than 50ft, but even down to over 300 ft, although they do move towards the surface to hunt.

At these depths, aquatic plants don’t get enough light to grow so their environment is pretty bare. The habitat where they live consists of rocky areas, with patches of open sand between boulders at the lake bottom.

Scientists have determined that there are more than one species of Frontosa Cichlid. The 2 best-known species are Cyphotilapia frontosa from the north of the lake, and C. gibberosa, which can be found in the south¹.

What Does the Frontosa Cichlid Look like?

Cyphotilapia frontosa is a large and boldly patterned African cichlid species. One of the most characteristic and recognizable features of this popular fish species is the large hump that mature fish develop on their forehead.

The hump on the forehead is actually an extension of the dorsal muscles. Both the male and female Frontosa cichlids grow this hump, but it does grow larger in older, dominant males.

A male frontosa will also grow bigger than females and their pelvic, anal and dorsal fins grow longer with age. Apart from these differences, the male and female look very similar. Juveniles of both male and female Frontosa Cichlids look identical.

These fish have 5-7 broad, black vertical bars on the sides of their bodies. The body color is white, blue, or sometimes yellowish. The fins are a beautiful light blue color.

Interestingly, the body color and brightness of these fish can change depending on their mood. Dominant and stressed fish are often a darker color, while males that are ready to spawn will display brighter blue coloration.

The physical differences between Cyphotilapia frontosa and Cyphotilapia gibberosa are not all that easy to see and consist mostly of differences in the number of scale rows and the proportions of the body and fins.

There are many different color variants available. These different variants are usually the result of populations from isolated regions in the lake developing distinct colors and markings, although some have been developed in the hobby.

Some popular variants of Cyphotilapia frontosa and C. gibberosa include:

• Burundi Six-stripe Frontosa
• Zaire Blue frontosa/ Blue Zaire
• Zambian Blue Frontosa/ Blue Face Frontosa
• Red Frontosa
• Tanzanian 7-stripe Frontosa

They have been successfully bred in home aquariums without much difficulty. These fish are slow-growing though, so patience is one of the biggest challenges. Juveniles will need about 3 and a half years before they are ready to breed.

When the time comes, breeding is also a slow process. These fish are mouth brooders, and the female may keep the eggs in her mouth for 5 to 7 weeks or more.

What Is Their Eating Habit?

The Burundi Frontosa Cichlid is a piscivorous fish species which means they feed on other smaller fish in nature. Frontosas are ambush hunters that rely more on stealth than speed to catch their prey. They also feed on shellfish and other aquatic organisms and are thought to eat some algae and plant matter sometimes as well.

In the home aquarium, Cyphotilapia frontosa should be fed a balanced diet that is rich in proteins. A high-quality cichlid pellet is the best choice for their regular diet, although juvenile fish might find flake food easier to manage. Ron’s Cichlid food is a great choice as a staple in a cichlid diet.

Other supplementary food options include:

• Fresh or frozen fish like tilapia. Avoid processed fish products.
• Bloodworms
• Brine shrimp
• Krill
• Mosquito larvae
• Mussel meat
• Occasional vegetable matter like spinach, kale, chopped peas, or spirulina algae wafers

Even though it may be more convenient, aquarists should avoid feeding bird or mammal meat as these fish are not adapted to digest these forms of protein. Live fish such as feeder fish can be fed, but should be avoid as they can spread disease in the aquarium.

Wherever possible, it’s always best to provide your fish with the kind of living conditions they have in nature. This doesn’t only apply to things like water chemistry and flow but also to natural behaviors. They will be most happy if kept in a group where they can display their natural behaviors, and they will probably be more interesting pets for the same reason.

In the home aquarium setting, it is best to keep a minimum of 6-8 individuals to reduce aggression. The ideal ratio would be 1 male to 6 females.

That being said, if you really want a Burundi Frontosa Cichlid but you can’t keep the recommended number of individuals, it would be better to keep just one with some other compatible fish. That way you can avoid aggression in a group that is too small.

Males can reach a maximum of about 13 inches while females are smaller, growing to about 10 inches long. although juveniles can be kept in a 75-gallon aquarium, a group is best kept in a much larger aquarium size of around 150 gallons.

Fortunately, they are slow-growing fish, so you can definitely start out with a 75 gallon, provided you can commit to upgrading when the time comes. Of course, it is better to start out with the right size aquarium from the beginning though.

How Long Do They Live?

The Burundi Frontosa Cichlid is a large slow-growing species, and so it comes as no surprise that they are a long-lived fish species. Frontosas kept in the right aquarium environment, with the right care, can easily live 15 years.

Some specimens even live for longer than 25 years. For this reason, keeping these fish should definitely be looked at as a long-term commitment.

Are They Aggressive?

These fish are generally classed as semi-aggressive cichlids. This can be a little confusing because, on the one hand, you’ll hear about some keepers having problems with aggression, while others describe them as really calm, peaceful fish.

The key to preventing aggression is to keep these fish in a big enough tank and to keep the right number of individuals.

They are carnivorous animals that eat other fish in nature, so you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that they will eat other smaller fish in your home aquarium too. The obvious way to prevent this problem is to keep them only with other similarly sized and equally non-aggressive fish.

As a species, Frontosa Cichlids are not very active, and relatively speaking, they are very peaceful for a cichlid. These fish have a social dominance structure with a dominant male and subordinate males and females. In a larger aquarium, more than one alpha can occur and the pecking order can be more complex.

How Much Do They Cost?

The price of the Burundi Frontosa Cichlid can vary tremendously depending on the variant and purchase size of the fish. Another important pricing factor is whether the specimen was wild-caught in Lake Tanganyika or tank-bred.

You can usually expect to pay between $20 and $40 for a small, tank-bred specimen. Wild-caught fish are of course far more expensive and difficult to find.

Tank Requirements (Care)

Although Frontosas are fairly easy cichlids to care for, they do have some pretty important aquarium requirements that have to be met. These are not small fish so you will need to be sure you have enough space to house them.

You’ll also need enough time to keep up with regular water changes, and enough funds to buy a good quality filtration system and good quality nutrition to keep them healthy in the long term.

Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need to keep these awesome cichlids.

Filtration and Water Quality

As with all the rift valley lake cichlids from Africa, these fish prefer alkaline water chemistry with a high pH of up to about 9. The vast majority of Cyphotilapia frontosa available in the aquarium trade are farmed, however, and have become acclimated to lower pH water conditions.

The Burundi Frontosa Cichlid needs excellent water quality so it is important to provide excellent filtration and keep up with weekly partial water changes. An external canister filter, sump system, or both are recommended.

This cichlid is adapted to a lake environment where there is usually little water flow and current so they will do best in aquariums with a lower flow rate. If you have a power filter, you can reduce the flow in your tank by aiming the outflow upwards towards the water surface.

Your aquarium must be fully cycled before introducing these fish so that the water parameters stay stable and you don’t get any dangerous spikes in ammonia and nitrite levels.

A weekly 25-50% water change is recommended and the new water added to your tank should be treated with a water conditioner to make it fish safe. Regular vacuuming of the gravel or substrate in your tank is also important for maintaining great quality water.

Tank Environment

A rocky habitat with low light will most closely recreate the habitat this African cichlid prefers in the waters of Lake Tanganyika. Make sure to provide plenty of hiding spaces, with at least one for each individual fish.

Aquarium rocks can be arranged to create caves but make sure they are stable for the safety of your fish. Alternatively, old flowerpots make great shelters and can even be used as a breeding site. Use smooth rocks or pots without sharp edges that could damage your fish’s fins though.

Whatever you use to create shelters in your aquarium, make sure some are large enough to accommodate the dominant male and some are not large enough to accommodate him so that subordinate fish will always have a place to hide if necessary.

A deep tank is best because this will provide your fish with plenty of swimming space. Crushed coral sand or aragonite makes the best aquarium substrates because they help to maintain the high pH and water hardness that rift valley cichlids prefer. Alternatively, you can use sand or gravel as a substrate.

Live Plants

Being a relatively deep water fish species, these cichlids are happy to live in an environment without plants. That being said, it is possible to keep the Burundi Frontosa cichlid in a planted tank. One important point to remember is that Frontosa Cichlids should not be kept in bright light environments and this rules out most plant species.

Low light aquarium plants like Java Ferns and Anubias that are not rooted, but rather grown attached to aquarium driftwood or rocks are your best bet here. So all in all, Frontosas are not ideal for planted tanks, but it’s not impossible to keep both.

Tank Mates

The best tank mates for Frontosas are other peaceful African cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. This is mostly because these fish enjoy the same water conditions. Other fish like Malawi cichlids can also make great tank mates though.

These fish are piscivorous, which means they feed on smaller fish species in nature. Even if you provide them with high-quality commercial fish food, they will not pass up the opportunity to snack on small fish or inverts so be careful about introducing other fish that are not of a similar size.

Another point to consider is that Frontosas are very slow growers, so juveniles might be outgrown by their tank mates if they are all stocked at the same time.

Some good tank mates for Cyphotilapia frontosa include:

• Haplochromis cichlids
• Peacock cichlids
• Synodontis catfish
• Large Plecostomus catfish
• Clown Loaches

How To Breed

Breeding fish is a post in itself and the Frontosa is no exception. However, the video below from Ricky Kenerly Cichlids is a great overview on how to breed these fish.

• Fish need to be at least 2-3 years old (They take a while to reach sexual maturity)
• Stable pH (7.7 – 8.5)
• Use sandy substrate (for nest building)
• Diet – be solid on your diet plan. See diet info earlier in the post
• Focus on smaller water changes to lower stress on your fish
• Use at least a 55 gallon breeding tank for breeding pairs

Check it the full video below:

FAQs

Final Words

The Burundi Frontosa Cichlid, Cyphotilapia frontosa, is an outstanding aquarium fish that is fairly easy to keep, as long as you can provide it with the space and water quality it deserves. These large and beautiful fish are a firm favorite among aquarists and should be at the top of any fishkeeper’s wish list. Leave us a comment below if you have anything else you want to add about these amazing Aquatic creatures.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

The Wakin is one of those goldfish varieties that serious hobbyists appreciate but casual keepers often overlook. I find them fascinating because they bridge the gap between the hardy common goldfish and the more delicate fancy varieties — they have the single tail and robust body of a comet but with a beautiful twin-tail fin. If you want a traditional Japanese goldfish that’s actually practical to keep, the Wakin deserves a close look.

The Wakin goldfish is one of the oldest domestic goldfish varieties still kept today — and one of the most overlooked by western hobbyists. I’ve covered dozens of goldfish types over the years on our channel, and the Wakin always surprises people who’ve only seen the slow-moving, round-bodied fancy varieties. It has a sleek body like a common goldfish but with a distinctive double tail and often stunning coloration. After 25 years in this hobby, one thing I always make clear: don’t mix Wakin with fancy goldfish. They’re fast, competitive swimmers that will outcompete slower varieties for food every time. This guide covers everything you need to keep Wakin goldfish thriving — whether in a pond or a large aquarium.

A Brief Overview of the Wakin Goldfish

Scientific Name	Carassius Auratus Auratus
Common Names	Wakin, watonai
Family	Cyprinidae
Origin	Japan
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	Active
Lifespan	10 to 15 Years
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Medium
Minimum Tank Size	30 Gallons
Temperature Range	65°F to 72°F
KH	4-20 dGH
pH Range	6.5 to 7.5
Filtration/Water Flow	Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Egg layers
Difficulty to Breed	Easy to breed
Compatibility	Community tank or species-only tank. Great with Koi in Ponds
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Mostly no

Origins and Habitat

Like many other goldfish varieties, the wakin was first bred artificially in Japan in the early 16th century. In its early days, the wakin was a highly prized Japanese goldfish, and only available to the wealthy.

Generally, aquarists agree that most of the fancy goldfish breeds we know today originated from mutations in the wakin goldfish.

Like all other goldfish, the wakin is descended from the Chinese gibel carp¹.

What Does Wakin Goldfish Look Like?

Similar to common goldfish (picture source), wakin goldfish are physically characterized by a slender and long body shape with no compression. They are classified as a lean bodied or slim-bodied goldfish. These types of goldfish are more atheltic and make for a more sturdy goldfish than other goldfish.

You will also know wakins by their split tail. However, unlike fancy double-tailed goldfish, these fish have long and flowing double tail. Their caudal fin, which is short, resembles more of a fantail shape. 

Every wakin goldfish has a unique pattern on its body. In terms of coloration, they come in a wide variety, although they are mainly sought in white, red, or a combination of the two. Additionally, you might find rare colors like calico, yellow, orange and brown, but the rarer the color, the higher the price tag is likely to be.

And speaking of variations, you might also find the “watonai” variation of wakins, who have flowing tails.

• How Big are Wakin Goldfish?Add ImageAt a maximum length of 18 inches, wakin goldfish are some of the largest breeds of goldfish you’ll find. You’re more likely to see them grow to this size if you locate them in a pond instead of in a tank. 
• How Long Do Wakin Goldfish Live?Add ImageThe average Wakin goldfish can live up to 10 to 15 years, with some exceptions. Those who are carefully looked after can thrive for as long as 20 years! 

Add New FAQ

Temperament and Activity Level

Wakin goldfish are fast and lively fish who enjoy exploring their surroundings. They are mainly peaceful freshwater fish, able to coexist peacefully with most other community fish. That said, you should avoid putting them together with fancy goldfish, since the latter are slow swimmers. As such, they’ll have to compete for access to food.

Wakin goldfish are also well-loved for their friendly and curious nature. In fact, once you start feeding them regularly, you’ll start to notice how they rush to the surface of the pond or tank to greet you when feeding time is due.

What are Good Tank Mates?

Great Tank Mates

As fast swimmers, these pet fish are best kept with other fast species such as:

• Koi Fish
• Shubunkin Goldfish
• Comet Goldfish

Besides goldfish, apple snails, ghost shrimps, African dwarf frogs, rosy barbs, and weather loaches.

Fish Species to Avoid

Generally, the Wakin goldfish are friendly and playful with most other community fish. However, there are certain fish that don’t get along with them. For instance, you should avoid housing them with aquarium fish species like fancy goldfish as they are slow swimmers and therefore, at a disadvantage during feeding time. You also shouldn’t choose aggressive tank mates for the these fish, such as cichlids. 

Just got yourself or considering a Wakin Goldfish? If so, this article about Wakin Goldfish Care will answer all your questions!

The vivid color, attractive double tail and friendly, curious temperament of the Wakin goldfish (carassius auratus) has led to an increase in its popularity in recent years. Originating in Japan like most other wild carp descended fish, it was the original prototype, of sorts, of many other fancy goldfish breeds.

Wakin goldfish are a good choice for aquatic pet lovers since they’re not difficult to take care of. Although they are best brought up in a pond, they can also be housed in aquariums—with the right care guidelines, of course.

Temperament and Activity Level

Wakin goldfish are lean bodied goldfish that are fast and lively fish. They enjoy exploring their surroundings. They are mainly peaceful freshwater fish, able to coexist peacefully with most other community fish. That said, you should avoid putting them together with fancy goldfish, since the latter are slow swimmers. As such, they’ll have to compete for access to food.

Wakin goldfish are also well-loved for their friendly and curious nature. In fact, once you start feeding them regularly, you’ll start to notice how they rush to the surface of the pond or tank to greet you when feeding time is due.

What Do They Eat?

The Waking Goldfish breed is omnivorous. This means that giving them high quality fish food and a varied diet they need is easy, and you can usually feed them most low-fat foods.

You can give them flakes or pellets, but as always, these should not be their only nutrition source. Instead, you should aim to mix it up by introducing vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and shelled peas, and occasionally, chunks of fruits like strawberries and grapes. Also, if you keep them in an aquarium with live plants, don’t be surprised if they start grazing on them.

Of course, you should always be cautious about overfeeding them, because doing so can lead to the development of one or more of the digestive conditions or swim bladder problems.

What About Live Foods?

Brine shrimp, Tubifex worms, blackworms, bloodworms, mosquito larvae, etc. make good live foods for these fish. Freeze dried and frozen sources of protein will also work.

How Much and How Often to Feed

A proper diet is very important for the well-being of your goldfish. Feed them too little and they will fall sick, feed them too much and they will have buoyancy problems.

The Wakin fish are omnivores which means they can feast on plant and animal matter. While basic store-bought pellets and flakes are a good source of nutrition, try to bring new variations of food. For example, try to drop some lettuce or diced grapes once a week or so and watch how your fish react to it.

When you’re buying fish food, try to get a mixture of both plant and animal-based varieties. Also, you should choose pellets that sink to the floor rather thank floating on the surface. Goldfish like searching for food at the base of the tank and with variation in the pellets, they won’t get bored.

You should feed them no more than twice daily and no more than what they can finish off within 3-4 minutes. Remove any leftovers from the water to ensure that the water remains inhabitable.

Tank Requirements (Care)

Here’s what to keep in mind when setting up your wakin tank.

Tank Size

Wakin fish can grow quite large and therefore need a lot of room to live freely. A large body also means more waste released into the aquarium. 

With this in mind, at least a 30 gallon tank is required to house one of these guys, along with an additional 10 gallons of water for each new fish. But there are no limits: the larger the aquarium size, the better. To maximize their happiness and lifespan, outdoor ponds are the best place for a Wakin. You can see a great example of a wakin goldfish tank below by C Lifestyle.

Tank Setup

There are some basic elements your tank must have in order for your Wakins to live and thrive. 

Temperature

Wakins prefer to live and thrive in cold water; they should be placed in unheated tanks. The ideal water temperature range for them is 65 to 72 degrees F. 

pH

Maintain a neutral pH for them between 6.0 and 8.0.

Ammonia and Nitrate

Ammonia and nitrate levels should be kept at 0.

Substrate

Large, smooth gravel is a good substrate or a fine sandy substrate is best for Wakin goldfish. This is because goldfish love scouring around, they might mistake gravel for food. The wrong gravel size can be accidentally shallowed by your goldfish. Caribsea sand is great for goldfish.

Decor

Using plastic plants along with certain moss types will enhance the look of your aquarium. You can add large stones and small sticks as well to replicate a pond and give your fish plenty of options to play.

Plants

Keeping natural vegetation is difficult when it comes to wakin, who love to eat plants. More active ones might even uproot plants. Moreover, many plants won’t survive in the colder temperatures that wakins like. Knowing this, here are several plants that can take the punishment of these fish or may be ignored entirely:

• Java Fern
• Anubias
• Water Sprite
• Java Moss

If you do not want to deal with the hassle artificial plants is advised. In large commercial size ponds, plants are often omitted

Filtration

To deal with the typically large amounts of goldfish waste, go with a filtration system meant for large tanks. It’s also advised to get a filtration system with a larger tank capacity than what your setup has. A large power filter is minimum for a Wakin in a aquarium. For ponds, consider a waterfall style filtration system. Large ponds over 1500 gallons will often consider bead filtration for maximum biological filtration.

Since these fish are large and produce a lot of waste, consider a high end biological media like biohome.

How to Breed

We have certain pointers for those of you who are particularly interested in creating your own Wakin ecosystem. 

To push your mating, you must first replicate the natural changes they go through in a pond. Firstly, since they mate during spring, dropping the water temperature to 60 or 65 degrees F will signal the fish to procreate.

You must offer the fish adequate natural vegetation such as the Java moss in order to create suitable egg laying zones. You can also look for artificial spawning mops which do the same job as the moss. You should see fry within 48-72 hours of eggs being laid.

Note that in larger ponds, Wakin Goldfish breed regularly. If you don’t want an overflowing pond, you’ll have to make regular checks. Larger fish like Koi will eat baby fry.

Health and Disease

The best way to keep your fish healthy is with great filtration and a quality diet. Prevention is the best remedy when it comes to health. If you are wondering if your fish is unhealthy, there are some pointers to help.

Signs of Good Health

A healthy wakin is one that retains its friendly, lively and curious nature. You will see it frequently dipping in and out of tank and pond decorations, swimming swiftly and actively, and eating large amounts of food in short amounts of time.

Signs of Poor Health and Treatment

Unfortunately, like all goldfish varieties, wakins are also susceptible to freshwater fish diseases like ich, fin rot, bacterial infections, fluke, etc. The article I linked to contains a wealth of information on how to identify and cure many common diseases you may come across. Common signs of an ill fish would be:

• Rapid breathing
• Flashing or scratching rocks/gravel
• White and stringy poop
• Red marks and ulcers
• Torn or clamped fins
• White spots (not to be confused with mating white spots of goldfish who are breeding)

Wakins are less susceptible to bloat and other diseases that plague fancy goldfish.

Where to Buy (And Cost)

You can find them for sale online and at many aquarium stores. The main issue you will run into when shopping locally is the quality of Wakins. They are usually classified as beginner fish and usually not kept in good conditions. The best place to purchase in my mind is from a garden retailer who specializes in pond fish. Wakin goldfish cost more for at these retailers, but they are of superior quality.

My favorite of these are NextDayKoi. They offer a variety of quality goldfish that work well in ponds and larger aquariums. You won’t be disappointed ordering from them!

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

With adequate amounts of living space, a varied diet and dedicated care, the Wakin goldfish could be the new pride and joy of your home aquarium. Although it’s best to put them in ponds, replicating a pond environment is also possible. I hope you found these tips helpful! Please leave your comments below so I can continue providing helpful information about these wonderful fish and others in our hobby.

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.

Jewel cichlids are one of those fish where the name really does justice to the animal — the iridescent red and blue coloration on a healthy specimen is genuinely stunning. I’ve kept them and they’re hardy, bold fish with a lot of personality. The one thing I always emphasize: they’re aggressive, especially during breeding, and tankmate selection requires real thought or you’ll have problems.

If you’ve been researching different species of cichlids, the jewel cichlid may, quite understandably, have caught your eye. Now, despite its undeniable beauty, the jewel cichlid gets a bad rap due to its semi-aggressive temperament.

For many aquarists who wish to maintain a peaceful community tank, adding a jewel cichlid might not be worth it. However, keeping jewel cichlids is not only fun and rewarding, it’s also a great way to liven up your aquarium. Although their temperament might pose a problem to novice aquarists, the jewel cichlid is a worthwhile pet.

Wondering whether a jewel cichlid is worth putting in your home aquarium? Let our jewel cichlid care guide help you decide.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Hemichromis bimaculatus
Common Names	Jewel cichlid, jewel fish, African jewelfish
Family	Cichlidae
Origin	Africa
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	Moderately active to active
Lifespan	5 – 7 years
Temperament	Semi-aggressive (Aggressive when breeding)
Tank Level	Mid to top level
Minimum Tank Size	30 gallons
Temperature Range	70°F to 74°F
KH	Neutral to soft; below 12 dKH
pH Range	7.0 to 7.5
Filtration/Water Flow	Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater
Breeding	Mouth Brooders
Difficulty to Breed	Easy to breed; forms breeding pairs easily
Compatibility	Species only or aggressive tank
OK, for Planted Tanks?	With Caution

Origins and Habitat

The jewel cichlid Hemichromis bimaculatus originates in West Africa. This is where the fish inhabit richly vegetated freshwater bodies like streams, rivers, and lakes. Jewel cichlids have also been documented in some parts of North Africa.

Because these water bodies are teeming with other cichlids and don’t offer a wide variety of sustenance, they are very competitive habitats. This explains why these jewel fish are naturally aggressive and territorial.

What Does the they Look Like?

The coloration of the jewel cichlid species varies widely. You’ll find them mostly in a bright orange-tinted red with vibrant white spots (this is the blood red jewel cichlid), but many are also colored purple with contrasting greenish spots (green jewel fish).

This color will be intensified during the breeding season. During this time, you’ll also notice a longer ventral, anal, and dorsal fin. Some say that male cichlids have a brighter coloration than their female counterparts. 

Temperament and Activity Level

The hemichromis bimaculatus is recognizable by its aggressive behavior. Particularly when it is stressed or underfed, a jewelfish is more likely to lash out and attack his/her tank mates. Breeding season is when the fish reaches the height of its aggression.

This might all sound very scary, but for the committed aquarist, it’s actually not that difficult to ensure a stress-free environment for this freshwater fish — as long as tank requirements are strictly maintained. The best thing to curb aggression is space and lots of shelter. If you have a small tank, with lots of fish, and no shelter, your Jewel Cichlids will be more aggressive as they fight to claim limited territory.

Generally, your jewel cichlid fish will be seen flitting back and forth across the water. They are also very active fish who like to dig at their substrate, looking for food.

Jewel cichlids are also monogamous, which means they form a breeding pair for life. If your jewel fish are in a pair, don’t be surprised to see them together most of the time! 

What are Good Tankmates?

It might seem like a bad idea to include any tank mates for your jewelfish, fin nippers as they are. Well, you should listen to your instincts. Don’t put them in a community tank. These freshwater fish are best off in a species only or cichlid tank.  

Good Tank Mates

Despite their bad reputation, some jewelfish can, in fact, cohabit peacefully with certain other semi-aggressive species. Accordingly, here are some fish that might make acceptable mates for your jewelfish.

• Clown loaches
• Plecos
• Electric blue acaras
• Redtail shark
• Syndontis catfish
• Scavenger catfish
• Leopard bullfish

All the fish above are at your own risk. Your safest bet is other jewel cichlid in a species only tank. A pleco may work in such a setup. They are extremely territorial once they get in breeding mode.

Fish Species to Avoid

When selecting home aquarium tank mates for your jewel cichlid, it’s best to avoid all fish species if you can, except a few semi-aggressive fish mentioned above.

In particular, peaceful aquarium fish species (for example, any goldfish species) should be avoided at all costs, as your jewelfish will harm them and might even eat or kill them. MBunas and Rift Lake Cichlids should be avoided as they are likely to be attacked and killed. 

What Do Jewelfish Eat?

Feeding jewel cichlids is fairly easy. As omnivorous freshwater fish, jewel fish will readily eat pellets, flake food, and live food as well.

You should aim to provide as balanced a diet as possible. This means mixing and matching different food types. You can also consider giving them vegetables such as lettuce leaves and spirulina. Frozen foods are alright once a week. If feeding pellets or flakes, consider one that contains probiotics like the Cobalt Aquatics line.

What about Live Foods?

Bloodworms, white worms, tubifex, and frozen baby brine shrimp are great live foods for jewel cichlids. Limit providing live foods to once a week.

How Much and How Often to Feed

You should aim to feed your jewel cichlids at least twice a day. Be careful not to overfeed them, however, and don’t confuse their voracious eating for constant hunger.

Feeding your jewel fish properly is crucial if you want them to retain their vivid coloration.

How to Set Up Your Fish Tank

Recreating the Africa habitat or breeding conditions of the jewelfish is not too difficult. Here’s all you need to know about how to set up the tank of your jewelfish.

 Tank Size

For one pair of jewel cichlids, a tank size of at least 30 gallons is required. For each new pair, add 20 gallons. If you put them in a community aquarium (not recommended), provide a tank divider. When your Jewel Cichlids are in breeding mode, consider removing other tank mates if your tank is on the small side. They are known for taking over 30 and 40 gallon tanks!

Substrate

A sandy substrate is best for these fish as they love to dig. Anything sharper might injure them.

Decor

Decorations are a necessity when rearing jewel fish, who are territorial and love to claim their own space. Provide rocks and aim to create cave-like conditions. Rocks with holes or caves are ideal to provide shelter.

Plants

These fish are curious and active fish who love to dig. So, they might get in the way of your aquarium plants thriving unless the plants are protected by rocks and such. Floating plants and column feeders like Anubias Nana and Java Fern would be good examples of plants that could work.

Water Quality

Here are the water conditions you need to ensure for your jewel cichlids

Filtration

Provide adequate filtration for your jewel cichlids to ensure that they can enjoy a water flow mimicking the currents of the streams and rivers they’re used to. They are particularly hardy. They do well with your standard power filter. 

Water Parameters

Maintain these water conditions in your home tank to ensure a healthy environment for your jewelfish.

• Water Temperature: 70°F to 74°F
• pH Range: 7 to 7.5
• Hardness Range: Not above 12 dGH
• Water Movement: Moderate to strong

Aquarium Maintenance

Besides ensuring the proper parameters for your cichlid aquarium, conduct regular water changes of 25% – 40%. Remember, the goal is to reduce your jewelfish’s aggression. Otherwise, their lifespan will be shortened.

How to Breed?

Breeding this species in tanks is relatively easy once you can determine their sex. As they are monogamous, cichlids form pairs quickly and easily during mating season, and once they are parents, they will stick together.

Breeding Tank

You can isolate your cichlid pair in a breeding aquarium, but it’s not necessary if you have just one pair. Gradually raise the water temperature from their regular temperature by a few degrees every day until you reach 80° to 82° F (or 26.7° – 27.8° C).

Breeding Behavior

When the male is ready, his color will become very vibrant, and he will become very aggressive. Like other cichlid species, the male will chase the female about the tank for a little bit until she lays eggs.

Once she’s ready, the female will search for the right place to lay her eggs. She will likely settle on a flat surface, typically a flat-faced rock. She might produce up to 500 eggs.

After Breeding

Once the eggs are fertilized, they will hatch within 2 to 4 days. After hatching, the jewelfish parents will help each other move their kids to a different part of the aquarium. During this time, the parents will be excessively aggressive in order to defend their young fish. 

Feeding Fry

Let the fry absorb the remainder of the egg yolk in the first few days. Afterward, feed them crushed flakes and mashed pellets. Don’t be distressed if the new parents eat some of their offspring. 

Health and Disease

Your jewel cichlid is, unfortunately, prone to the illnesses most freshwater cichlids are prone to. Here’s how to tell whether your jewelfish is healthy or needs care. 

Signs of Health

A healthy jewelfish is a happy one. A happy jewelfish is playful and active (might be interpreted as aggression), burrowing in the substrate or flitting about their aquarium. Most significantly, healthy jewelfish retains its vibrant coloration. 

Signs of Ill Health

Here’s a list of several common issues you may come across

•  When a jewelfish is highly stressed, ill, or underfed, it will very likely lose its color. This is one of the most easily seen warning signs of this fish.
• Swelling, loss of appetite, rapid breathing, and differently colored feces are all symptoms of Malawi bloat, a condition that mostly affects African cichlids.
• Notice an indentation in the head of your jewel cichlid? He/she is suffering from hexamita, also known as “hole in the head” disease.
• Look out for ich, which manifests in symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, and restless behavior, but most importantly, white spots on the body of the fish.
• Labored breathing and a loss of color might indicate gill flukes.

All of these conditions are covered in our freshwater fish diseases post.

Common Health Issues and Treatment

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your jewel fish is healthy is to provide the required tank parameters with care. Feed them regularly, don’t overfeed, and provide a varied diet. This will keep most illnesses at bay.

Here’s how to deal with other diseases that might come up:

• If you think your jewelfish is suffering from Malawi bloat, act quickly. Change the tank’s water and introduce a dose of Metronidazole. However, know that Malawi bloat is a condition that quickly turns fatal, so don’t blame yourself if something goes wrong.
• Administer the same treatments for ich as you would for other cichlids: increased tank temperature, salt baths, potassium permanganate, acriflavine, and malachite green.
• If you suspect your fish is suffering from gill flukes, use Praziquantel.

Where to Buy?

Compared to other cichlid breeds, the jewelfish might be a little harder to buy in brick-and-mortar pet shops. They might also be a little more expensive. If you cannot find them locally, try using an online fish store. Often times, their guarantee will be superior to what you can find locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

Even our dearest loved ones are sometimes obnoxious, we don’t stop loving them. Try to adopt the same approach to your jewel cichlids. Maintaining their behavior might be difficult, but maintaining their diet and water parameters is easy — and the end result is definitely rewarding. Good luck!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.