Tag: Types Of Fish

Angelfish and guppies look like an easy pairing on paper—both are tropical, both are popular, and their water parameters overlap enough that it seems to make sense. But I’ve seen this combination go wrong many times. Once angelfish start breeding, they become a completely different fish. The guppies that were swimming around unbothered suddenly become targets—and often end up as a meal. In this article I explain exactly why these two species don’t mix, and what to keep with your angels instead.

Intro To Angelfish

Before we can understand why guppies are incompatible with angelfish, we need to understand angel requirements on their own. These fish have been in the aquarium hobby for a long time, and the understanding of their care has changed throughout the decades.

Angelfish are a type of tropical cichlid. The most common species to find in the aquarium hobby is Pterophyllum scalare, but you may find others available in more specialized fish stores. These fish originate from the Amazon River system throughout South America, specifically from parts of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. They are found in slow-moving waters, dense with vegetation. They prefer more acidic conditions, closer to blackwater environments.

Luckily, most angelfish available for sale have been commercially bred, which led to more ethical sourcing and better-controlled health. There are also many varieties of angelfish available, but most display plain colors of browns, blacks, and silvers. At adult size, they can grow to be 6 inches long and 8 inches tall. Some individuals even grow to an impressive 1 foot in height!

Tank Setup

There has always been a lot of discussion surrounding angelfish tank size. They aren’t overly active fish, but they can grow to considerable sizes and exhibit some aggressive behavior. Because of this, the current recommendation is a 40 gallon for keeping them with multiple angels or other fish species, and a 20 gallon for a pair. Because of their height, they are one of the few fish that do better in a tall aquarium than a long one.

This aquarium should have minimal water flow with plenty of plants and organics that lower the water pH.

Behavior

As a cichlid, these fish are mildly aggressive. They are not fast swimmers and will stick to the middle and upper portions of the water column. Male angels are likely to establish territories throughout the tank, especially during breeding periods. Females can be just as aggressive as males in some cases.

This is the part most people don’t anticipate. An angelfish that ignored guppies for months can turn predatory the moment it starts breeding. I’ve seen it happen—guppies that coexisted fine suddenly start disappearing once the angels pair off and claim territory. Breeding flips a switch in them, and small, fast-moving fish like guppies become threats to be chased or food to be eaten.

As slow swimmers, they are also slow eaters. This behavior is especially important to keep in mind when picking other tank mates as a shy angel could be outcompeted.

One last thing to consider is that, while semi-aggressive fish, angelfish can be skittish. Because of this, many hobbyists keep their angelfish aquariums dimly lit and stained with tannins.

Intro to Guppies

A guppy fish is likely to be one of the first tropical fish you ever get. These are small, hardy fish that bring a ton of color and excitement to the aquarium. They’re very forgiving of incorrect water parameters and will continue to breed regardless. All this, in addition to their wide availability and affordable price, make them a perfect beginner fish¹.

That’s the problem, though: guppy fish are perfect beginner fish. What happens when you want to move on to more advanced species, like the angelfish? Can you keep guppies and angels in the same tank?

In most cases, guppy fish cannot be safely kept with angelfish. It might be hard to understand why, as these fish have many overlapping requirements, but we’ll see what makes these two fish species incompatible in the long run.

Mature Size

Guppy fish are small fish with males staying under 1.5 inches and females maxing out at around 2.5 inches. While this makes it so that a lot can be kept in a little, these tiny fish also make an enticing snack for larger angelfish.

Though unlikely, any fish is capable of eating something that can fit in their mouths. Small guppies, as well as guppy fry, are a quick and easy snack for a mature angelfish.

Tank Setup

Guppies can pretty much be kept in any aquarium setup imaginable, but the same cannot be said for angels. As mentioned before, angelfish prefer near-blackwater conditions in dim lighting conditions. While the two species enjoy an abundance of live plants, their compatibility in terms of tank setup ends there.

Guppy fish are often kept in neutral water parameters, with a pH near 7.0. While they can be acclimated to more acidic conditions, it’s best to keep fish close to their original environments. This is also true for the amount of water flow present in the fish tank. Guppies enjoy swimming against a current, whereas angels will be pushed into the corner by nearly any trace of water movement.

Another important aspect to keep in mind is that guppies are prolific breeders. The more space and resources they have, the more they will reproduce. In general, guppy fish can comfortably live in a 10 gallon aquarium. At one point or another, adult and/or baby guppies will need to be removed to maintain a healthy balance in the aquarium.

If placed in a very large tank, removing excess guppy fry can be difficult, even though your angelfish will likely help maintain populations. As we’ll see, an increase in guppies can lead to numerous problems for the angels in regard to opposing behaviors.

Behavior

On paper, it would seem that you could keep guppies and angelfish together. But when kept together in the same aquarium, these fish couldn’t be any more different.

Angelfish might as well have the exact opposite behavior as guppies. Angels are slow-moving and relatively reserved. Guppies are front-and-center and constantly moving! While this pairing of behaviors might work for other fish species, it does not work for these.

Guppies are simply too overbearing for angels. They stay in the same portions of the aquarium as angels and can stress angelfish out. Keep in mind that just because your angelfish is supposed to be semi-aggressive does not mean that you can’t get a shy one. This is especially true during feeding times when angelfish like to take their time and eat while guppies go into a frenzy. This incompatibility can lead to overly aggressive or starved angels.

Angelfish are a much more reserved, observational fish. I’ve watched angels in high-activity tanks stop coming to the surface to eat and start retreating into corners. An angelfish that stops eating is already in trouble. The constant movement and surface activity of guppies is genuinely stressful for a fish that prefers slow, dimly lit, plant-heavy conditions.

While guppies aren’t aggressive fish, they have been known to be fin nippers. If an angelfish spends a significant amount of time in the upper water column, they may start to get bullied by the other guppies. This can be damaging as angelfish are already prone to snagging their extended finnage and developing fin rot. Similarly, an aggressive angel might chase and nip at pesky guppies that invade their territory.

While it might seem like guppies and angelfish can go in the same tank, the differences in their behaviors ultimately make them incompatible.

Why Angelfish and Guppies Don’t Work

Can you put guppies and angelfish together? No.

While these fish are two of the most popular fish species available, they cannot be kept in the same aquarium. This is because:

1. Guppies are small, peaceful fish that can quickly become food for a larger angel. Guppy fry will also be regularly consumed by hungry angelfish.
2. Angelfish prefer water parameters that resemble their natural habitat. This is slow-moving water with low pH. Guppy fish can be acclimated to a lower pH, but prefer a moving water current with near-neutral water quality. Angelfish also prefer dim settings while guppies shine under bright lights.
3. Guppies can quickly overrun a larger fish tank as they are prolific breeders. A healthy balance between guppies and angels may be difficult to maintain while keeping parameters in check.
4. Guppy fish and angelfish have opposite behaviors. Angels are large semi-aggressive fish that can bully smaller fish, or be bullied if the individual is shy. This is especially true during feeding times when guppies are quick to eat.

Better Alternatives

Though guppies and angelfish might not work together, there are plenty of ways to still use both of these species in their own respective community tank setup.

Some of the best guppy fish tank mates include:

• Other livebearers
• Tetras
• Rasboras
• Corydoras catfish

Depending on the individual personality of your angel, you may be able to set up a community aquarium. If you have an angelfish that shows territorial behavior, then you may need to include some of the more aggressive species. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how angelfish will react to new fish, so you might need to rehome tank mates if things don’t work out. To help avoid this, it’s recommended to add other fish to the tank before adding the angels.

From my experience, rainbowfish and Congo tetras are two of the best alternatives—both are large enough that angels won’t see them as prey, and both are active without being overbearing. For more advanced aquarists, discus are an excellent pairing with angelfish; they share the same slow-water, warm, slightly acidic preferences and have a similar calm temperament. Just be prepared for the water quality demands discus require.

Some community tank mate options for angelfish include:

• Corydoras catfish
• Gouramis
• Rainbowfish

If you have angels that display territorial behavior, then you might consider these tank mates instead:

• Severum
• Electric blue acara
• Kribensis
• Other angelfish

In order to keep a group of angelfish together indefinitely, fish should be added to the aquarium at the same time. At least 5 or more can comfortably be kept in a mid-size tank as long as there is a balance of males and females.

Can different species of angelfish be kept together in the same tank?

As mentioned before, there are a couple of different species of angelfish available in the aquarium hobby. One of these includes the relatively rare–and expensive–altum angelfish (Pterophyllum altum).

For the most part, hobbyists agree that these two species can be tank mates as long as a large tank is allowed. It is also recommended to add the two species together to help diffuse any possible aggression. A rehoming plan should be used in case the pairing doesn’t work out.

Conclusion

Guppies and angelfish are two of the most popular beginner fish species available, but unfortunately, they do not make good tank mates. There are simply too many differences between preferred water conditions and behaviors that make it likely for either your angels or guppies to get hurt in the process. Depending on the personality of your angelfish, other suitable tank mates might be tetras, gouramis, corydoras, or other cichlids.

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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.

I’ve been keeping tropical fish for over 25 years, and choosing the right beginner fish is something I feel strongly about. Most people walk into a pet store, pick something colorful, and end up with incompatible fish or species that outgrow their tank within a year. After keeping hundreds of species across freshwater setups—from 5-gallon betta tanks to 125-gallon community builds—I’ve put together this list of 11 fish I’d genuinely recommend to any first-time fish keeper.

Best Beginner Tropical Fish

1. Livebearers

• Scientific name: Poecilia and Xiphophorus spp.
• Origin: North, Central, and South America
• Size: 1 – 6 inches
• Minimum tank size: 10 gallons for guppies and Endler’s, 20+ gallons for swordtails and molly fish
• Temperament: Generally peaceful
• Swimming level: All levels
• pH: Most species prefer pH levels above 7
• Temperature: Upper 60’s to upper 70’s Fahrenheit
• Key benefits: Affordable, colorful, easy to breed

Livebearers are a great first-fish because they are so affordable and easy to care for. These fish are also available in a wide variety of colors, from jet-black molly fish to fiery red variable platies and multicolored fancy guppies, so you can choose literally any color you like!

Of all the livebearers, my personal preference is platies. Guppies and mollies have been so heavily overbred that many store-bought specimens are weaker and more disease-prone than they should be. Platies have held up much better—they’re genuinely hardier, healthier, and still come in a great range of colors. If you’re choosing a livebearer for your first tank, start with platies.

Several differnet species from the same family are available in the hobby, including:

• Guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata)
• Endler’s livebearer (Poecilia wingei)
• Platy fish (Xiphophorus maculatus & X. variatus)
• Molly fish (Poecilia sphenops & P. latipinna)
• Swordtail fish (Xiphophorus hellerii).

All of these tropical fish are members of the Poeciliidae, a family known for producing live baby fry rather than laying eggs. This makes livebearers very easy to breed, even for complete beginners. However, you could keep only males if you don’t want your fish to multiply¹.

Live-bearing fish are generally very easy to care for and will thrive on a diet of small pellets or flake food. Some species will even feed on algae and help to keep their own tank clean!

2. Betta

• Scientific name: Betta splendens
• Origin: Thailand
• Size: 2- 2.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 5+ gallons
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Swimming level: Middle and upper levels
• pH: 6.5-8
• Temperature: 76-81°F
• Key benefits: Spectacular colors and fins, thrives in tanks as small as 5 gallons

The betta fish is one of the most popular fish in the hobby due to their beauty and feisty personality. The combination of amazing colors and impressive flowing fins make these small fish excellent display animals for small aquariums.

Bettas are suitable for some community tanks, although they are usually kept alone in their own tank. These fish don’t need a lot of room, and it’s possible to keep them happy and healthy in a tank as small as 5 gallons. However, you will need to perform regular water changes and equip your aquarium with an aquarium heater and a suitable filter.

One strong recommendation if you’re buying a betta: look for a Plakat (short-fin betta). Long-finned varieties are beautiful, but their fins are so heavy they can barely swim and they’re prone to fin rot. Plakats are what bettas look like in the wild—they swim powerfully, tend to be healthier, and are noticeably more active fish. Many hobbyists who switch to Plakats never go back to long-finned varieties.

3. Danios

• Scientific name: Danio rerio
• Origin: Asia
• Size: 2-2.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: All levels
• pH: 6.5-7
• Temperature: 72-81°F
• Key benefits: Hardy, affordable, and active. Various breeds available

There are many danio species in the fishkeeping hobby, and some of them are excellent options for beginners. The popular zebra danio (Danio rerio) is one of the hardiest species and is suitable for larger aquariums in the 20-gallon range.

Zebra danios usually have a silvery body with dark horizontal stripes. However, there are many different breeds, and the spotted leopard danios and the eye-catching neon Glofish breeds are all the same species.

These active fish can be kept in tanks as small as 10 gallons, although they will appreciate the extra swimming space of a 20-gallon long. Smaller species like the celestial pearl danio are a little more difficult to care for, although they are suitable for moderately experienced fishkeepers with a planted aquarium.

4. Corydoras Catfish

• Scientific name: Corydoras spp.
• Origin: South America
• Size: 1-3 inches
• Minimum tank size: usually 30+ gallons, although small species can be kept in tanks as small as 10 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: Mostly bottom dwellers
• pH: 6.5-8
• Temperature: 72-82°F depending on species
• Key benefits: Peaceful community fish for the bottom levels of tropical aquariums

There are dozens of corydoras species available in the aquarium hobby, including popular species like the peppered, bronze, albino, and panda cory catfish. These chunky bottom feeders are some of the best tropical fish for community tanks, although they don’t win any prizes for their color.

Cory catfish prefer to spend their time peacefully searching the substrate for tasty morsels, although they often shoot up to the surface to grab a breath of air. These entertaining fish will hang out in loose schools of their own species, so try to buy a small group of a single type.

My personal favorite corydoras for beginners is the Sterbai cory. It’s one of the most striking in the family—cream-colored spots on a dark body with orange-tipped pectoral fins—and importantly, it’s a warmer-water species that thrives at the higher temperatures most tropical community tanks run. I’ve kept Sterbai corys across multiple tank setups and they never disappoint.

5. Honey Gourami

• Scientific name: Trichogaster chuna
• Origin: Southern Asia
• Size: 2-2.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 10 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: Middle and upper levels
• pH: 6-8
• Temperature: 74-82°F
• Key benefits: Peaceful alternative to betta fish

The honey gourami is a peaceful labyrinth fish that can be kept with other popular tropical fish like neon tetras, rainbow fish, and many more. These interesting fish have modified pelvic fins that they use like little arms to feel the world around them.

Honey gouramis aren’t quite as colorful as dwarf gouramis, although they are much better fish for beginners due to their peaceful nature. However, these fish are also available in some great color morphs like the sunset and red breeds.

Honey gouramis are predators that hunt for small aquatic invertebrates and their larvae, although they are easy to feed in captivity. Provide regular flake food and some tasty treats like frozen blood worms and brine shrimp.

7. Cherry Barb

• Scientific name: Puntius titteya
• Origin: Sri Lanka, South Asia
• Size: 2 inches
• Minimum tank size: 15-20 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: All levels
• pH: 6-7.5
• Temperature: 73-81°F
• Key benefits: A peaceful and inexpensive schooling barb

Cherry barbs are peaceful schooling fish that can be kept with other small peaceful fish like white cloud minnows and zebra danios.

Males develop a beautiful cherry red shade, although females are also attractive, with a rich orange color and a pair of bright and dark horizontal stripes on each side.

Cherry barbs are omnivorous fish that thrive on small pellets or flake foods, although they will appreciate a varied diet including live or frozen foods like blood worms. These fish love to hang out together so pick up a school of six or more.

8. Black Neon Tetra

• Scientific name: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
• Origin: South America
• Size: 1.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 15-20 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: Middle and upper levels
• pH: 5.5-7.5
• Temperature: 71-82°F
• Key benefits: One of the hardiest tetras

Black neon tetras are perfect community fish for beginners, offering great color and a peaceful nature. These midwater swimming fish will thrive in a tropical fish tank with other schooling fish and bottom dwellers like corydoras catfish and the bristlenose pleco.

Black neon tetras are schooling fish that should be kept in a group of their own species. A 15-gallon tank would be suitable for about 6 fish.

9. Small Plecos

• Scientific name: Ancistrus spp. etc.
• Origin: South America
• Size: 4-6 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20-30 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: Bottom dweller
• pH: 5.7-7.5
• Temperature: 73-80°F
• Key benefits: Fascinating bottom dwellers that can help to control algae in the aquarium

There are hundreds of pleco species known in the aquarium trade, although small species like the bristlenose pleco are most suitable for beginner fish keepers. These fascinating creatures are very peaceful despite their unusual appearance.

These gentle catfish will not bother other fish, although they can be a little territorial toward their own kind. That means it’s best to keep just one small pleco species in the same aquarium unless you have a large tank.

Bristlenose and other small plecos are herbivores that can do a great job of cleaning algae in the aquarium, although you should also provide plenty of driftwood for them to graze on. They will also eat plant food like cucumber, zucchini, sinking algae wafers, and gel foods.

10. Kuhli Loach

• Scientific name: Pangio kuhlii
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Size: 3-4 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Swimming level: Bottom dweller
• pH: 5.5-6.5
• Temperature: 73-86°F
• Key benefits: Interesting bottom dweller that will clean up uneaten food

Kuhli loaches are fascinating creatures that look like hyperactive eels as they zoom along the bottom of the tank. However, these small loaches are mostly nocturnal, so they are usually active after the lights go off.

There are a few species in the hobby including the black kuhli loach which is really more of a chocolate-brown shade. However, the regular banded kuhli loach is one of the most attractive types.

These fish love to hang out with their own kind, so it’s best to buy five or more and let them explore together. They will burrow under rocks and driftwood or tunnel into the substrate but come out to search for uneaten food and sinking pellets or tablets when they smell food in the water.

11. Kribensis Cichlid

• Scientific name: Pelvicachromis pulcher
• Origin: West Africa
• Size: 3-4 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperament: Generally peaceful but can be aggressive when breeding
• Swimming level: All levels
• pH: 6-7
• Temperature: 75-79°F
• Key benefits: A relatively peaceful and adaptable African cichlid with amazing colors

The kribensis cichlid is a beautiful dwarf cichlid from West African rivers. These colorful fish do not require the hard, high pH water chemistry of other popular African cichlids, making them a good choice for many community setups or even breeding projects.

These fish spawn easily, and they are fascinating to breed, although they can get pretty aggressive in the breeding season. Males and females are similar in appearance, although females tend to be shorter and plumper, while males have a more streamlined body shape and longer pointed caudal, anal and dorsal fins.

Kribensis cichlids are easy to care for and will thrive on regular commercial foods like flakes and pellets. They are generally suitable for larger planted tropical fish tanks with other small, peaceful fish, although they are not shrimp-safe.

Species to Avoid

Unfortunately, there are many popular tropical fish that are not really suitable for beginner fish owners. Most pet stores have knowledgeable staff that will point new fishkeepers in the right direction, although sometimes beginners buy fish that are better left to the experts.

Avoid these fish until you are a little more experienced.

The most common impulse buy I see beginners make is goldfish. Despite being sold in small tanks at the pet store, fancy goldfish can reach 8–12 inches and single-tailed varieties can hit 12–18 inches. They’re cold-water fish that don’t belong in a tropical setup, produce significantly more waste than most species, and need far more filtration than beginners typically run. Goldfish are not beginner fish—they’re a dedicated hobby in themselves.

Tankbusters

Some popular aquarium fish grow surprisingly large and require very large aquariums when they reach adult size. Avoid these common tank busters until you are more experienced and have room for a much larger tank:

• Common pleco – grows to over 12 inches
• Red-tailed catfish – grows to over 5 feet!
• Bala shark – grows to over 12 inches
• Clown loach – grows to about 12 inches
• Tinfoil barb – grows to over 12 inches

Aggressive Species

Some aquarium fish are prized for their aggressive behaviors, while others are surprisingly mean and territorial. Aggressive fish can be exciting pets, although they are not recommended for beginners.

Let’s take a look at some examples.

• Chinese algae-eater – These fish are known to feed on the slime coat of other fish
• Red-tailed and rainbow sharks – These fish can be surprisingly aggressive and territorial, especially toward their own kind.
• Jaguar Cichlid – These large cichlids are extremely aggressive towards other fish and may even bite human hands.
• Red devil cichlid – Red devils are highly aggressive Central American Cichlids that need large aquariums and tough tank mates.

Species With Special Water or Care Requirements

Some freshwater fish breeds and species have specific needs that make them more difficult to care for. The following fish are better for more experienced fish keepers.

• Fancy goldfish – Goldfish are not tropical fish. These common aquarium fish need cool water conditions and are usually kept in unheated fish tanks.
• African cichlids – African cichlids from the Rift Valley lakes require high pH water with a high mineral content. Many species are highly territorial too, so these fish are better left to more experienced fishkeepers.
• Discus – The discus fish requires pristine water conditions to survive. These sensitive fish are not suitable for beginners.

Why Are Some Species Easier To Keep?

You may be wondering how I chose the fish in this list, or why some fish are better for beginners than others. Well, it really comes down to a few different factors that make them tougher and easier to care for.

Let’s take a look at five important characteristics of good beginner fish.

• Hardiness

The ideal beginner fish are relatively hardy and will usually survive the kind of mistakes inexperienced fish keepers tend to make.

Many new fish keepers will take some time to figure out how much to feed their fish, or how often to clean their tank or change their water. Basically, hardy beginner fish are much harder to kill.

• Diet

Some fish species have very specific diets that are difficult to provide in an aquarium. Fortunately, all the fish in this list will feed on regular commercial foods like flakes, pellets, or wafers.

However, it’s still important to select the right kinds of foods for your specific fish species. Many small schooling fish will do well on a flake diet, while bottom feeders like corydoras prefer sinking pellets and tablets.

• Size

Bigger fish aren’t necesarily more difficult to care for, although small fish in the 1.5-3 inch range make ideal beginner fish because they tend to do well in the smaller aquariums that most fish keepers start out with.

Aquariums in the 15 to 30-gallon range are generally cheaper and easier for beginners to maintain.

• Temperament

Each fish has its own individual temperament, although different species tend to have certain characteristics. Confident but peaceful fish are the ideal species for beginners because they tend to feed well and get along with other species. Aggressive and shy fish may require more experience.

• Adaptability

Some fish have very specific requirements when it comes to temperature, water chemistry, flow, and other factors.

These fish may be easy to care for if you can provide these conditions, but it is usually best to start out with adaptable fish that thrive in the average home aquarium.

Aquarium Basics – Getting Started

Have you chosen your favorite beginner fish? Run through this list of basic equipment and important concepts before you buy your first fish.

Basic Equipment List

• Suitable fish tank – A 15-30 gallon is ideal for beginner fish keepers as they are relatively easy to maintain. Avoid bowls or tanks smaller than 5 gallons.
• Aquarium heater and thermometer – Tropical fish require a suitable heater to create the warm water conditions that match their natural habitat.
• Aquarium filter – You will need a filter to keep your water clean and clear. An air-powered sponge filter is adequate for a small aquarium, although power filters, hang-on-backs, and canister filters are better for larger aquariums.
• Substrate and decorations – Use only clean, aquarium safe products in your fish tank.
• Maintenance equipment – You’ll also need some cleaning and maintenance equipment like a gravel vacuum, water test kit (pH, GH, KH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate), water conditioner and a bucket.

Important Concepts for Beginners

Take the time to learn about the following important concepts before you buy your first fish.

• Water parameters – Its important to measure your water hardness and pH before buying your fisrt fish. That way you can choose fish that are naturally suited to your water conditions.
• The Nitrogen Cycle – Excess nutrients from fish waste and uneaten food are processed by special bacteria in a cycled aquarium. Understanding this cycle will make you a better fish keeper and help you maintain a healthy aquarium.
• Regular Maintenance – Your aquarium will require regular cleaning and partial water changes to remove dirt, algae, and the excess nutrients left behind from the nitrogen cycle. Ideally, the frequency of these water changes should be based on nitrate levels measured with your water test kit.

Some of these concepts may seem a little tricky at first, but don’t be intimidated by the technical side of the hobby. The Aquarium Store Depot website is full of in-depth articles that will help you keep your tropical fish happy and healthy for years to come!

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Choosing your first fish is an exciting step at the start of a wonderful new hobby and hope the information in this guide has helped you choose your next pets! My best advice is to take your time and enjoy the process of learning before buying your first fish.

Looking for more fishkeeping information? Browse the rest of my in depth articles for more on these and other tropical freshwater fish. You’ll also find loads of other helpful articles on every aspect of tropical 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.

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🐟 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Care Guide — your ultimate resource for water chemistry, maintenance, feeding, disease prevention, and everything you need for a healthy tank.

I’ve used feeder fish in my own tanks over the years — mainly feeder guppies and goldfish — and I’ve formed a pretty clear opinion on them. Guppies are my preference because they breed fast enough that you can maintain your own colony, which cuts out most of the disease risk. That said, my honest recommendation is to treat feeders as a bridge: useful while you’re transitioning a fish onto prepared foods, but not something I’d rely on long-term. Here’s what you need to know before using them.

What Are Feeder Fish?

Feeder fish are any type of fish that has been bred to serve as food for other aquatic life. This can include an array of species, both freshwater and saltwater.

Feeder fish are often seen in local fish and pet store locations. They are usually kept by the dozens or hundreds in a big, empty tank. These are usually feeder goldfish, guppies, platies, or other tropical livebearers, and are priced at less than $1.00 each.

Unfortunately, these fish are not kept in the best conditions. They are seen as highly disposable and not worth the cost of upkeep. As a result, infection, disease, and mutations run rampant. This makes it very easy for these same ailments to be added to the home aquarium during feeding times. For this reason, many hobbyists who heavily rely on feeder fish breed their own stock.

Feeder fish can also be well-fed guppies and platies from a heavily planted display aquarium. Many hobbyists understand that the love and care they give for feeder fish translates into the overall health of their predatory fish. For this reason, many hobbyists with carnivorous fish raise their own feeder fish in regular aquarium conditions. Some even plump their feeder stock up with high-quality foods to ensure that their bigger fish get a nutritious treat.

Benefits To Live Food

For years, there has been discussion surrounding the ethics of feeding live fish to aquarium fish. With all the great food options available, some hobbyists don’t see it necessary to offer live food. While we can’t tell you what’s right or wrong, we can give you some of the benefits of feeding live fish.

Enrichment

The biggest benefit of offering live fish as food is providing enrichment for other fish. Fish are limited to their tank environment, and they likely get bored every now and then. They might even get tired of having the same thing for dinner every night in a row.

Offering feeder fish provides a new enrichment element in the tank by making the other fish use their predatory instincts. This can stimulate your fish’s instincts and activity levels.

Natural Habitat

A predatory species likely eats other fish in the wild. This isn’t always true as some fish are strictly insectivores, but if your fish can fit another species in its mouth, then it’s likely that they eat fish in their natural habitat.

Nutrients

While aquarium foods are usually packed with nutrients, one food can’t cover every single mineral and nutrient. Because of this, most hobbyists have a rotating diet with many different food options. One of these options might be feeder fish.

If the hobbyist chooses to raise their own feeder fish, then there is even greater control over nutrient intake for both the prey and the predator.

Sometimes It’s Necessary

One reason live food might be necessary is that your fish might be wild caught. While many fish have been successfully bred in the aquarium hobby, some are still collected. Unless they are shown how to eat flake or pellet food, they might need to be given a strictly live diet for a while. This is also true if the fish is picky.

Types

The most common types of feeder fish to see for sale are goldfish and guppies. Depending on whether you have access to a bait shop or a more specialized store, you might have access to better, and sometimes cheaper, alternatives.

Here are some of the different options you might come across and how each can be fed!

Bluegill

Bluegills are very common North American freshwater fish found in ponds and lakes. They are scientifically known as Lepomis macrochirus and are often sold for freshwater fishing.

While some hobbyists catch bluegills to keep as aquarium pets (check with state laws as this could be illegal), others use these fish as food for their other pond fish, like bass. These fish may be found for sale in a commercial fishing store, but are most often caught from local waterways. This can introduce parasites and other diseases into the aquarium.

Another consideration to take into account is that bluegills are large fish that grow up to a foot long. While they are often sold as juveniles under 5 inches, if your fish doesn’t eat, then you might end up with a bluegill tank mate! Bluegills are also relatively aggressive, which could become problematic in the future.

Goldfish

Goldfish, Carassius auratus, are arguably the most common feeder fish available as both freshwater and saltwater predators eat them. They are easy to find and usually marked at an extremely low price. However, there are a lot of problems that can come with goldfish.

As you may know, goldfish are some of the messiest fish in the aquarium hobby. Setting up and maintaining a healthy supply of goldfish can be difficult for the average aquarist. Purchasing live goldfish from the store can also be challenging as disease runs rampant in unclean and unmonitored store tanks.

The same problem arises from keeping goldfish as bluegills, and that’s that goldfish can grow to extreme sizes depending on the breed. While some breeds stay small, under 4 inches, others can grow to be a couple feet. Unless you know how to identify breeds of goldfish (and not trust what they’re listed as at the store) then you might not know what you’re getting yourself into.

There is another underlying problem that hobbyists aren’t even aware of: thiaminase. Thiaminase is a necessary enzyme that helps break down vitamin B1 in several species, including goldfish. Though this enzyme is essential for the fish, ingesting large amounts of it can lead to thiamin deficiency in other organisms.

Guppies

Guppies are another popular choice and the term includes some subcategories. These fish often cost even less than goldfish and are just as available. As these fish stay under about 1.5 inches, they can be fed to a variety of tropical fish.

🏆 My pick among feeder fish: Guppies are my preference over feeder goldfish. They’re smaller, they breed incredibly fast, and if you raise your own colony in a spare 10-gallon tank at home, you sidestep the biggest disease risk altogether. A healthy home colony can easily keep pace with most predatory fish.

Commercial feeders suffer from the same poor conditions as goldfish, meaning that disease and infection can easily be transmitted. Many species of guppy also contain thiaminase, which can start to affect the animals being fed after prolonged ingestion.

Other alternatives to guppies might be:

• Mosquito Fish (2.8 inches)
• Minnows (2.5 inches)

Mosquito fish, minnows, and guppies are often sold alongside each other as feeder fish. You may not even be able to tell them apart when they’re kept in the same poor conditions. Luckily, they are very easy to breed in the home aquarium and can be fed with high-nutrition foods.

Unfortunately, both of these fish still increase the chances of thiamin deficiency.

Platies

Platies are less commonly found as feeder fish, but many aquarists use them in their own homes as they reproduce rapidly. These fish also stay between 2-3 inches, which makes them easy to feed to most moderately-sized fish.

If you’re going to feed feeder fish, then platies are probably some of the most reliable, as long as you’re breeding your own. These are easy and hardy fish that can easily be fed and prepared for feeding. As of now, platies are also not known to cause thiamin deficiency in other animals¹.

Why Are They Bad?

While there are definitely benefits to giving feeder fish to predatory species, like enrichment and nutritional value, there are a lot of reasons why you might be hesitant to try. Here are some remarks from esteemed aquarist and scientist Dr. Neale Monks (see his full article at WebWebMedia).

Disease and Illness

As already mentioned, most feeder fish from pet stores are diseased. These are cheap fish that are disposable and will not have their tanks properly taken care of. This, in addition to a high turnover rate, makes it a near-guarantee that some ailment or bacteria will unknowingly enter your aquarium during feeding times.

⚠️ From my experience: Disease management is the #1 issue I warn people about with feeder fish. Store-bought feeders are kept in severely overcrowded tanks with minimal care — the conditions are rough. I’ve seen ich and bacterial infections introduced this way more than once. If you’re committed to using live feeders, breeding your own guppy colony at home is far safer than buying off the shelf.

Poor Nutritional Value

Yes, feeder fish provide different nutrients than your fish would normally get from a singular fish food. However, a feeder fish is only as nutritional as the nutrition it eats. Since feeder fish aren’t usually taken care of in a commercial setting, they provide little to no additional nutritional benefit.

Thiaminase

The enzyme thiaminase can also cause more trouble than what it’s worth. This is an enzyme that’s necessary for breaking down vitamin B1 in many species, including goldfish, minnows, and other invertebrates. Overindulgence of a thiaminase source, like feeder fish, can start to cause a thiamin deficiency in the predator. This can quickly lead to health problems that may not be obvious to treat and eventual death.

How To Keep Them Healthy

The key to a happy and healthy fish is giving happy and healthy feeder fish. This means only purchasing from fish stores that keep clean and healthy tanks, and setting up your own breeding tanks if possible.

This setup doesn’t need to be extensive, but it should support whichever species you choose to raise. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a feeder:

1. Pick a species that can be easily eaten. In terms of size, your fish should be able to swallow the other fish without any problems. Avoid species with sharp fins or body features that could potentially damage your fish’s mouth or esophagus.
2. Pick a livebearer species. Livebearer species are practically self-sustainable and will provide food for your fish as long as you give them a space to do so. It is also recommended to keep herbivorous livebearers as they can be given plenty of nutritional value through algae flakes and pellets..
3. Price. Of course, you will need to consider the price if planning to feed store-bought fish. Keep in mind that you don’t need to feed your fish fresh food every day of the week. In fact, it’s better to only feed them once or twice a week! Still, you will need to consider the price, frequency, availability, and quality of the feeders.

Conclusion

One of the reasons you likely got a predatory fish is to feed it! Feeding time can be exciting, and offering live foods can be a great way to introduce enrichment and additional nutrients into the aquarium. However, there are a few considerations that need to go into picking the right feeder fish, like size and quality. For the best results, raise live fish in a secondary aquarium.

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🐟 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Care Guide — your ultimate resource for water chemistry, maintenance, feeding, disease prevention, and everything you need for a healthy tank.

I’ve kept bettas for years, and algae is something almost every betta keeper deals with eventually. My personal go-to has always been nerite snails — they’re peaceful, do an excellent job on algae, and won’t provoke even the most territorial betta. If the tank is big enough, I’d pair them with an Otocinclus catfish or two for extra coverage. The one thing most people overlook: once you start adding algae eaters, you’re moving into community tank territory — and tank size becomes more important than most people realize.

What Is Algae?

Algae are plant like organisms that grow their food through photosynthesis. There are many types of algae and some of them are much easier to control than others!

Algae blooms are normal in new tanks that are still going through their first cycle. However, you can expect to see some algae in mature aquariums too.

There are many ways to control algae growth, ranging from manual scrubbing to growing live plants, but adding a few algae eaters is probably the most interesting method!

Increasing maintenance, limiting waste products, fish food, and reducing aquarium light duration are also effective techniques that can help you beat algae.

There’s a lot more to learn about aquarium algae! check out my guide to 10 types of aquarium algae (and how to get rid of them!) for more detailed information.

What You Need to Know About Temperment

Betta fish are known for their aggressive nature, but they don’t always deserve this reputation. Many aquarists keep their bettas with a variety of other fish without any problems, although there are always risks involved.

You see, betta fish were originally bred for fighting, so it’s no surprise that many individuals still have a mean streak. Some bettas are just more aggressive than others, and it has a lot to do with their own individual personality.

Tank size matters too, and upgrading to a larger aquarium can help to curb aggressive betta fish behavior. However, you should always have a backup plan in case your betta doesn’t get along with its new algae-busting friends.

⚠️ The biggest mistake I see: People try to add algae eaters to a 5 or 10-gallon betta tank without realizing they’re now running a community setup. The moment you add another inhabitant, tank size, filtration, and territorial behavior all become critical factors. My recommendation: if you want algae eaters with your betta, aim for at least a 20-gallon tank.

Go ahead and check out my guide to the 15 best betta tankmates to learn much more!

Algae Eater For Betta Tank – 7 Top Picks

There are many amazing algae eaters in the aquarium hobby, but these seven species are my top picks for your betta fish aquarium! Check out the video from our YouTube Channel and the additional details below from our blog post!

1. Octocinclus Catfish

• Scientific name: Otocinclus sp.
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Adult size: 1.75 inches
• Minimum tank size: 10 gallons
• Temperature: 70 – 77 °F
• Algae types: Soft green algae and diatoms

Otocinclus catfish are about the smallest algae-eating fish in the hobby. These nano fish are also known as dwarf suckers for their habit of sucking onto aquarium glass, plants, and hardscape features.

Otos are extremely peaceful and make excellent algae eaters for betta tanks, although they are not the ideal choice for beginners or aquarists with small tanks. They can be kept in tanks as small as 10 gallons, although 15 gallons or larger would be better.

If your otocinclus catfish do their job a little too well and eat all the algae in their tank, you’ll need to supplement their diet with algae wafers and some soft greens like zucchini. They are social fish, so pick up a school of five or more.

2. Nerite Snail

• Scientific name: Neritina spp., Vittina spp., Clithon spp.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 0.75 – 1 inch
• Minimum tank size: 5 gallons
• Temperature: 70 – 80 °F
• Algae types: Soft green algae, diatoms, green spot algae

Nerite snails are the smallest algae eaters and the number one choice for small betta aquariums in the 5-gallon range. These hard-working mollusks are some of the best-looking inverts in the hobby, and they do a terrific job of cleaning algae in an aquarium.

Nerites breed in brackish water, so there’s no chance of finding any baby snails in your tank. However, they will lay a few eggs here and there. Most betta fish will get along great with nerite snails, but some aggressive fish will nip at nerites.

🏆 My personal pick: Nerites are the algae eater I reach for first in betta tanks — I’ve used them in my own setups for years. They work even in 5-gallon tanks, they won’t breed in freshwater, and most bettas leave them completely alone. If your tank is 20 gallons or larger, I’d add a couple of Otocinclus alongside them for even better algae control.

3. Mystery Snail

• Scientific name: Pomacea bridgesii
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 2 inches
• Minimum tank size: 5 gallons
• Temperature: 70 – 80 °F
• Algae types: Various

Mystery snails are large aquarium invertebrates that grow to about the size of a golf ball. They come in a variety of cool colors, making them an interesting display animal for your betta tank.

These snails will eat algae and uneaten food in the tank, so they’re great for keeping your tank clean. However, they are not as good at algae control as their smaller cousin the nerite. If you keep just one, you won’t have to worry about any unsightly eggs, although they can reproduce if you keep two or more.

Other snail species, like rabbit snails and ramshorn snails, are helpful for algae control, although you might want to avoid species like ramshorns and Malaysian trumpet snails if you don’t like the idea of breeding snails in your tank.

4. Bristlenose Pleco

• Scientific name: Ancistrus spp.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 74 – 80 °F
• Algae types: Hair algae, cyanobacteria

Bristlenose plecos are excellent algae eaters for larger betta tanks of at least 20 gallons. They love to eat algae and graze on wood, so make sure there’s plenty of driftwood in the tank.

Full-grown bristlenose plecos may look kind of scary with their interesting bushy beards, but these fish are very peaceful with other species and they won’t bother your betta fish. On the downside, plecos tend to produce a lot of waste due to their vegetarian diet, so they need decent filtration and regular tank maintenance.

5. Molly Fish

• Scientific name: Poecilia sphenops
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 3-6 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 75 – 80 °F
• Algae types: Hair algae

Mollies are live-bearing fish that are surprisingly good at controlling algae! These hardy fish are peaceful but robust enough to hold their own against a grumpy betta.

However, mollies are one of the larger livebearers, so you’ll need an aquarium of at least 20 gallons to combine these two species. Mollies also need fairly hard, high-pH water, so they will not make good betta tank mates in soft, acidic conditions.

Mollies are very easy to breed, so you can expect loads of baby fish if you keep males and females together. Choose a couple of males only if you have limited space in your tank.

6. Hillstream Loach

• Scientific name: Sewellia lineolata
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Adult size: 2.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 64 – 80 °F
• Algae types: Soft green algae and diatoms

The hillstream loach is one of the most unusual freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby. These little guys look almost like tiny freshwater stingrays, and they love eating algae!

The hillstream loach is not the ideal tank mate for a betta fish, but you can make it work if you create an environment that favors both of these small fish.

These voracious algae eaters prefer well-oxygenated, cool water with a rocky bottom, but they can be housed with a betta if your water temperature is kept in the mid-70s Fahrenheit. Adding an airstone for increased oxygenation and water movement will make them feel right at home without creating too much current in the water.

7. Clown Pleco

• Scientific name: Panaqolus maccus
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 3 – 5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 73 – 82 °F
• Algae types: Biofilm on driftwood

Clown plecos are not as effective as bristlenose plecos or otocinclus catfish, but their small size and peaceful nature make them great algae eaters for betta aquariums in the 20-gallon range.

These fish are helpful algae eaters that can effectively clean up a small aquarium, although they spend most of their time feeding on driftwood.

Others You Think Might Work, But Don’t!

The recommended species mentioned above are not the only aquarium fish and invertebrates that feed on algae, so you might be wondering why some of the other algae eaters didn’t make the list. Read on to learn why these seven species don’t make good betta fish tank mates.

1. Guppies and Endlers Livebearers

Keeping guppies with your betta fish can be pretty risky, especially if you have colorful male guppies with big flowing fins. Their similar appearance may trigger some aggressive responses from your betta, but guppies are also known to nip betta fins.

Guppies will feed on algae, although they don’t eat quite enough to keep a tank clean.

2. Platies

Platies are beautiful freshwater fish that can actually make good tank mates for your betta fish. Like guppies, these colorful livebearers are known to nip betta fins from time to time, but the main reason to avoid these active fish is their diet.

Platies can be good algae eaters, but they just aren’t as effective as something like an otocinclus catfish or a nerite snail.

3. Most Plecos

Plecostomus catfish are efficient algae eaters, although their size often turns into a problem. Most plecostomus catfish are simply too large to keep in a betta aquarium. Species like the common pleco can reach two feet in length, so adults require an aquarium that holds hundreds of gallons!

Stick to the bristlenose and clown plecos unless you keep your betta fish in a very large community tank.

4. Amano Shrimp

Amano shrimp are one of the best algae eaters for planted freshwater aquariums but they are not the best tank mates for a betta fish.

Unfortunately, betta fish tend to nip at these gentle crustaceans and they may even eat smaller specimens. Some betta fish will get along great with amano shrimp, but it’s just not worth the risk.

5. Cherry Shrimp

Adding cherry shrimp to your betta fish tank is probably not going to end well. Betta fish will eat these miniature invertebrates if they can catch them, so it’s really just a matter of time before these colorful shrimp disappear into your betta’s belly.

Unfortunately, the same goes for other shrimp species like ghost shrimp and young bamboo shrimp. If you would like to attempt keeping shrimp with your betta fish, my recommendation would be to start with a few ghost shrimp or feeder shrimp and see how your fish responds.

6. Siamese Algae Eater

Siamese algae eaters (SAEs) are avid algae eaters, but you should think twice before adding these active Asian fish to your betta tank.

Siamese algae eaters grow to 6 inches and they should always be kept in schools, so they need a much bigger aquarium than your average betta fish tank. Siamese Algae eaters also tend to stop eating algae as they mature, and they can get a little aggressive around feeding times.

7. Chinese Algae Eaters

The Chinese algae eater is not a smart choice for your betta tank because these freshwater fish can grow to over 10 inches in length and need a tank of at least 55 gallons for long-term care.

Even if you do keep your betta in such a spacious aquarium, there are more efficient and peaceful options for algae control.

Cleaner Fish

Some cleaner fish make great additions to a betta tank, although these helpful bottom feeders are not going to help with your algae problem. Many beginner aquarists assume that bottom feeders eat algae or that they do not need to be fed, but that’s not exactly true.

Cleaner fish will happily snack on any uneaten betta food that sinks to the bottom, although you’ll still need to feed them a healthy diet. The following cleaner fish can make great tank mates for your betta fish, just don’t expect them to do much about the algae.

1. Corydoras Catfish

• Scientific name: Corydoras spp.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 1 – 3 inches (depending on species)
• Minimum tank size: 30 gallons for most species
• Temperature: 72 – 78 °F
• Diet: Omnivorous. Provide a sinking food such as a bottom-feeder tablet

Corydoras catfish, also known as cories, are gentle bottom dwellers that make great tankmates for betta fish. These schooling fish love to hang out at the bottom of the tank and search through the substrate for tasty morsels.

Cory catfish are social creatures, so it’s important to buy a school of 5 or more of the same species. Smaller cories are a better fit for most betta aquariums, but keep in mind that the smallest species (dwarf and pygmy cories) tend to hang out in the water column or on plant surfaces more than the bottom of the tank.

2. Kuhli Loach

• Scientific name: Pangio kuhlii
• Difficulty: Easy
• Adult size: 3 – 4 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 73 – 86 °F
• Diet: Omnivorous. Provide a sinking food such as a bottom-feeder tablet

Kuhli loaches are small, eel-like bottom dwellers that will search the substrate of your betta tank for uneaten food. These peaceful fish are mostly nocturnal, so you might not see them too much during the day.

Kuhli loaches are social fish, so you’ll need a small group of four or more. They will burrow into the sand or gravel of your tank, but be sure to add some hiding places like driftwood and rocks to help them feel secure during the day.

3. Whiptail catfish

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• Scientific name: Farlowella spp.
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Adult size: 4 – 6 inches
• Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
• Temperature: 72 – 79 °F
• Diet: Sinking foods and algae

The whiptail catfish is one of the strangest freshwater fish species, but also one of the most peaceful. These camouflaged fish look just like a twig, which helps them stay hidden from predators in the wild.

Whiptail catfish are actually good algae eaters in their own right, although you’ll need to supplement their diet with sinking foods like tablets and wafers.

Other Techniques for Controlling Growth

Algae eaters can be extremely helpful for cleaning up your betta aquarium, although they are not the only option. Serious algae growth is usually a symptom of an imbalance of light and nutrients and there are a few steps you can take to control this pesky stuff if you have an aggressive betta that doesn’t want to share their tank.

Try these four techniques for controlling algae growth:

1. Cut the lights

Algae tend to thrive in high-light situations, especially if there are plenty of nutrients in the water. Make sure your betta tank is not exposed to any direct sunlight.

Powerful aquarium lights will also benefit algae, so use a timer to maintain a regular lighting schedule of about 6 hours or so each day.

2. Grow Live Plants

Live plants look great and create and healthy home for your betta fish. However, their true benefit lies in their algae-fighting abilities!

Healthy live plants effectively compete with algae and help to soak up excess nutrients in the water, so growing a few fast-growing stem plants can really help with persistent algae problems. However, dead plant matter actually decreases water quality, so take good care of your plants and fertilize them regularly.

3. More Maintenance

Poor water quality with high nitrate levels is a common cause of algae blooms. Test your tank water and perform regular water changes to keep your nitrate levels down to 20 parts per million or less.

You can also clean and remove algae manually during your maintenance routine. Grab your algae scraper and clean the glass before sucking water out of the tank with your gravel vacuum. A toothbrush works great for cleaning ornaments, rocks, and driftwood.

4. Reduce Feeding

Excess nutrients from over-feeding fish is one of the leading causes of poor water quality and excessive algae growth. Feed your betta fish once or twice a day and watch to see that your pet is finishing all the food. Uneaten pellets or granules that sink to the bottom will go to waste and increase nitrate and phosphate levels.

Final Thoughts

Algae eaters and bottom dwelling fish are fascinating creatures that can help to keep your betta aquarium looking cleaner for longer. However, you should take your time before choosing your betta clean-up crew and make sure each species will live happily in your tank size and water parameters.

Have you kept algae eaters in your betta fish aquarium? Share your favorite species in the comments below!

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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Betta Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for betta care, types, tank setup, feeding, tank mates, and more.

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🌿 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Planted Tank & Aquascaping Guide — your ultimate resource for aquarium plants, aquascaping styles, substrates, and more.

Not all goldfish get huge — that’s one of the biggest misconceptions in the hobby. After keeping multiple goldfish varieties over the years, I can tell you there are breeds that stay compact enough for a 20-30 gallon tank without compromising their health. These are the 12 smallest varieties worth considering.

If you’re in search of the smallest goldfish for your compact tank, you’ve come to the right place. This article lists the top breeds that don’t just fit in—they thrive in smaller aquatic environments. Get ready to explore options that celebrate size in small packages, tailored for limited spaces.

Top 12 Smallest Goldfish Breeds

While most types of goldfish are admittedly large and more suited for larger aquariums, these fish listed on this list are some of the smallest breeds you can find.

Note that there is not a smaller breed listed for slim-bodied goldfish. Slim-bodied goldfish do get longer than the fancy varieties and have larger tank requirements. Stick to fancy breeds if you have a smaller tank or plan to keep your fish in an aquariums versus a pond. Slim-bodied goldfish make excellent choices for ponds either on their own or with Koi fish.

1. Pom Pom

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• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 4 – 6 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Ball-shaped nasal growth

The Pompom Goldfish is certainly a peculiar sight with their adorable ball-like growths on top of their nose. Given their delicate nasal septas, you should make sure that they are kept away from any kind of danger and sharp objects that may harm them.

These friendly creatures prefer to be around companions so it’s best if multiple goldfish live together as swimming in groups encourages their activity levels.

2. Bubble Eye

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• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 3 – 5 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Huge bubble eyes

Introducing the Bubble Eye Goldfish, a captivating breed that stands out for its peculiar physical characteristics. This type of goldfish can be up to five inches long and their hues range from solid red to fascinating two-tone combinations – giving your aquarium an eye-catching splash of color! They also have bubble sacs located below their eyes adding more uniqueness.

It is important to note that Bubble Eyes need extra care in order for them to stay healthy since they are quite fragile creatures. Make sure you provide everything these fish require so as not neglecting any vital aspect in terms of nourishment and water quality if you want them swimming around with vigor all year round!

3. Pearlscale

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: Up to 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Golfball-shaped body, with prominent domed scales

Pearlscale Goldfish is a fantastic pick for aspiring goldfish hobbyists. These gentle fish are known for their signature pearl-like scale patterns and can grow up to can average of 4 – 5 inches in size. As one of the delicate fancy varieties, these beautiful creatures require special care when it comes to water conditions inside an aquarium if you want them to thrive.

Their scales create a golfball like texture. The breed can also include single or double tails.

4. Celestial Eye

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• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 5 – 6 inches
• Color Pattern: Orange, white, or orange and white
• Unique Traits: Upward-facing eyes and no dorsal fin

The Celestial Eye Goldfish is quite the handful when it comes to upkeep, their eyes point upwards and require dim illumination for protection from damage. Their environment should have excellent water quality at all times, as they are a delicate species and don’t fare well in unstable atmospheres.

Having peaceful tank mates will ensure that your pet has minimal stress. Not only do these fish offer an intriguing look, but can really set off any aquarium design you may create with them around! They are best housed in environments with lots of open space and smooth decor, like silk artificial plants, as their eyes are easily injured.

5. Veiltail

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 8 – 12 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Extra-long tail with square edge and sail-like dorsal fin

Beauty and elegance are embodied in a Veiltail Goldfish, renowned for its flowing fins. There are an American created breed, first introduced to the aquarium trade in the 1890s.

This would be considered one of the hardier varieties of fancies you can purchase. It’s also one of the originals given how long it has been breed. It is the largest goldfish on this list, but has been know to live in smaller environments and live a very long time.

6. Butterfly

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• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 5 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Butterfly-shaped double tail and telescope eyes

Desired by goldfish aficionados, butterfly tail goldfish are a small type of fish that can bring natural beauty into your home if they receive the correct care.

With their spectacular tails resembling those of butterflies, these little creatures come in a variety of patterns, including calico. They come with a high dorsal fin and will also have telescope eyes. It’s one of the more unique looking breeds out there.

7. Eggfish

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• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Egg-shaped body

A special breed of fancy goldfish, the Eggfish Goldfish has an oblong shape with no dorsal fin and is considered a luxury item. These peaceful fish should be kept in tanks alongside slower-moving tankmates. Despite their costliness, these beautiful creatures are sure to bring delight to any aquarium they grace!

8. Ranchu

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Lack of dorsal fin and highly arched and rounded body

Ranchu Goldfish are highly valued and resilient despite their delicate nature. Adaptable to a variety of tankmates in clean water conditions, they make for ideal aquatic companions if kept in smaller aquariums. Noted for its rounded back and large head with fleshy features, the Ranchu Goldfish is an attractive addition to any home setup.

9. Lionhead Goldfish

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Known for its pronounced “wen” or head growth that covers the top of the head and gill plates

The Lionhead Goldfish is a type of small fish distinguished by its exceptional raspberry-like protrusion atop the head. They are an interesting novelty to have in your aquarium, but not recommended for inexperienced aquarists since they require special care and attention.

These particular goldfish guarantee to draw interest when guests come over, who can resist such unique creatures?

10. Telescope Goldfish

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Large protruding eyes that resemble telescopes

The Telescope Goldfish, related to its comet goldfish family, is a resilient and adaptive small breed with big eyes that need extra attention. If you’re looking for something new in your petite aquarium tank setup then the hardy telescope goldfish might be just what you’re after! One thing to note is that they are one of the more delicate goldfish varieties due to their sensitive eyes.

11. Fantail Goldfish

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Split caudal or tail fin that forms its fan shape

Featuring a distinct, beautiful forked tail and round shape, the Fancy Tail Goldfish is sure to bring life and energy into any aquarium. Their sociability enables them to not only coexist with other fish, but thrive in their presence as well! Fantail Goldfish can be caught. Be kept on their own or even within groups of tankmates – making these lively creatures an ideal addition no matter what type of setup you choose.

12. Oranda Goldfish

• Goldfish Type: Fancy
• Adult Size: 6 – 8 inches
• Color Pattern: Various
• Unique Traits: Known for its wen that covers the head. Body is deep and rounded similar to a Ryukin

Finally, the Oranda Goldfish is a fragile breed which has a protrusion on its head. Their tanks must be managed properly and they need compatible fish mates to stay healthy. As such, adding this ornate species to your little aquarium will undoubtedly give it sophistication.

Other Considerations

While these goldfish breed didn’t make the list, you can definitely consider them:

• Celestial goldfish
• Ryukin goldfish
• Tosakin goldfish
• Shubunkin goldfish (for outdoor ponds)

Understanding Their Characteristics

When diving into the depths of tiny goldfish breeds, it’s like unearthing a trove of dazzling colors and captivating shapes. Among these aquatic jewels are two varieties – Slim-bodied and Fancy goldfish – known for their compatibility with small aquariums as well as distinct characteristics that make them stand out from other fish in this environment.

From body shape to swimming habits, each breed has its own needs when being cared for. Yet all share attributes such as size appropriateness for aquaria, making it possible to appreciate different traits across multiple kinds of small goldfish breeds without taking up too much space!

Size And Growth Potential

The amazing thing about small goldfish breeds is their size and potential to grow. In spite of being so tiny for a goldfish they still get large for a freshwater fish.

Their growth depends on tank maintenance, food quality and water conditions: thus providing an appropriate habitat is essential for these little fellows’ flourishing. Unfortunately enough, if those mini fish are held in confined aquariums, this could potentially stunt their development rate.

Appearance And Color Patterns

Goldfish breeds, especially those of small sizes, can be captivating in their diversity. Each has its own characteristics like the Celestial Goldfish’s pointed eyes and tall head growth on an Oranda, long fins with a Veiltail breed, or delicate Bubble Eye goldfish pouches. All these features make them interesting to watch and visually appealing.

In terms of coloration, we are presented with spectacles from metallic red to bright yellow as well as a range that goes from solid through calico patterns along all goldfish species, including Bubble Eyes, which stand out among other members of this family.

Small goldfish have managed to maintain variety between each type due exclusively to their uniqueness when compared not only within different individual breeds but also throughout many varieties, showcasing multiple nuances that make them desirable for aquariums around the world!

Care Requirements

Small goldfish breeds demand more than just an aquarium and some food. Special attention is required for them to be healthy and grow properly. The quality of their living environment is essential in this matter. They must have at least 20 gallons of water, regular replacement with fresh treated H2O, a reliable filter system, and a suitable temperature (between 60°F – 70°F).

Diet-wise, they should alternate between live foods, pellets plus flakes so that their health stays optimal alongside their spirits lifted, Common Goldfish might seem common but tending to these fish calls for exceptional care measures!

Tank Setup and Maintenance

Keep small goldfish breeds healthy and happy requires special care when setting up and managing their tank. From sizing the aquarium to maintaining water quality, there is a lot of planning involved in creating an ideal environment for your little fish friends.

Your setup should include selecting proper filtration systems and decorations that won’t harm delicate creatures or cause potential dangers within the confines of your pet’s home. It’s important to monitor levels such as pH regularly throughout all stages of maintenance and adjustment – not just during setup!

Tank Size Recommendations

It’s best to provide a 20-30 gallon tank for your small goldfish, as this allows them ample room in which to swim and prevents overcrowding issues that could cause distress or illness. While you may initially think 10 gallons is sufficient, the larger size will prove more beneficial for their well being.

Water Conditions And Filtration

Caring for small goldfish means regularly checking water pH and ammonia levels, along with making sure that the temperature is in range of 68° to 74°F. A reliable filter system should also be used to keep pollutants from accumulating and consequently harming aquatic life. Maintaining a balanced environment within these parameters helps ensure that your pet stays healthy throughout its lifetime.

Decoration And Hiding Places

Creating an environment conducive to your small goldfish’s health requires more than just decorations. Offering secure and suitable hiding spots and selecting pleasing décor for the tank can make a world of difference for your little fish.

Including plants, rocks or maybe some fun accessories will not only give the aquarium an attractive look, but also be essential in creating a healthy habitat that is stimulating and comfortable for its inhabitant.

Choosing Compatible Tank Mates

When deciding on which tank mates to house with your small goldfish, it is as important as the size of the aquarium and monitoring water quality. Though these mini fish seem uncomplicated, choosing an inappropriate partner can cause distress and even lead to death. The following tips should help you select suitable companions for your little swimmers.

Peaceful And Slow Swimming Fish

When caring for small goldfish, it is wise to choose peaceful and slower-moving tank mates. These fish are not likely to fight with the Goldfish over food or space in the aquarium, making a healthy aquatic environment.

Good companions include:

• Hillstream Loach
• Brochis Catfish
• Platies
• Dojo Loaches

All these species can live harmoniously together in one ecosystem when they meet basic requirements such as proper dieting and water parameters of pH level maintenance.

Avoiding Aggressive Companions

It is of the utmost importance to stay away from fish which display aggressive or quickly moving behaviour, as this could cause distress and injury for your small goldfish. Certain species like:

• Cichlids
• Oscars
• Tiger barbs
• Betta fish
• Jack Dempsey

With Betta Fish, the goldfish will actually harass and possibility even eat the Betta!

Monitoring And Adjusting Tank Dynamics

Goldfish are generally messy creatures and are hard on your bioload. Because of this, it’s important to monitor your tank parameters such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.

Other things to watch out for are pH and temperature. You can monitor your temperature with a thermometer or use an aquarium controller to keep your temperature stable. You can also use test kits to monitor the other parameters in your tank.

Summary

While still large compared to other tropical fish available, it is possible to find smaller goldfish that you can place in a reasonably sized aquarium. If you want to keep a smaller tank, it is usually a better idea to opt for small fish instead. Either way, I have some FAQs to help you out on your journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plecos are one of the most misrepresented fish in the hobby — beginners get sold common plecos for small tanks all the time, not realizing they’ll hit 18 inches or more. I’ve kept several pleco species over the years and the smaller varieties are genuinely some of the most useful fish in a community tank. These are the 15 I’d actually recommend.

The “pleco problem” in the hobby is real: that little 2-inch fish at the pet store labeled “algae eater” is almost certainly a common pleco that will hit 18 to 24 inches within a few years and eat everything in sight except the algae you actually want eliminated. I’ve seen these fish abandoned in public ponds because their owners had no idea what they’d bought. The good news is that small pleco species — bristlenoses, clown plecos, zebra plecos, and a dozen others — stay under 5 or 6 inches, work in standard community tanks, and in many cases are better algae eaters per inch than the common pleco anyway. Bristlenose plecos, for example, are rasp-mouth machines that will clean glass and driftwood more efficiently than almost anything else their size. Here are 15 small pleco species worth knowing.

It’s not uncommon to think this since you may have heard how big some species get. In today’s blog post, I will focus on small pleco species. These plecos are some of the smallest pleco species in the hobby and will fit in many community tanks. There are many options for you to choose from, but I’m focusing on my top 15, all with key info and photos to help you pick the best one for you!

The Top 15 Small Pleco Species

Finding the perfect small pleco species for your fish tank is an enjoyable experience. Plecos are not only attractive, but also aid in preserving a healthy aquatic atmosphere. Below, we present 15 tiny pleco varieties that make suitable companions for those with limited tank size – from popular Bristlenose to eye-catching Zebra ones!

Take note of the following key states that I will provide for each pleco fish breed:

• Common Name
• L-Number
• Scientific Name
• Origin
• Adult Size
• Minimum Tank Size
• Care Level
• Temperament
• pH
• Temperature

1. Bristlenose

• Common Names: Bushynose pleco, bristlenose pleco, Bristlenose catfish
• L-Number: Ancistrus sp.3
• Scientific Name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
• Origin: Argentina
• Adult Size: 3.5 – 5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.5-7.5
• Temperature: 70-79 °F

Aquarium aficionados will love the Bristlenose Pleco, an armored catfish species known for its remarkable appearance. This Ancistrus genus member is native to South America’s Amazon River basin and features small bristles on its snout, a unique trait that sets it apart from other plecos. You can find these fish in calico, piebald, albino and super-red color variations for those who want some added diversity among their tank inhabitants.

When housing your new Bristolenese Pleco friend, you should consider at least 20 gallons of space but if possible go with a larger 30 or 40 gallon breeder Tank due to having more bottom surface space. Make sure there are plenty of places where they can hide along with heavily oxygenated water currents necessary for optimal health. They love to munch on driftwood so try adding it so they have sometime to graze on.

Their gentle nature of this suckermouth catfish makes them ideal cohabitants inside community aquariums plus they will consume any algae!

2. Clown

• Common Names: Clown Pleco, Clown Panaque
• L-Number: L-104
• Scientific Name: Panaqolus maccus
• Origin: Venezuela
• Adult Size: 3.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.8-7.6
• Temperature: 73-82°F

Clown Plecos, scientifically known as Panaqolus maccus and able to grow up to 3.5 inches in size, are often seen as a captivating addition for smaller tanks due to their eye-catching colorings and algae eating habits. They enjoy living with schooling fish, small cichlids, and tetras without any negative interactions because of their peaceful nature.

In order to keep them healthy, it is essential that driftwood be present within the tank, which serves not only aesthetic purposes but also nutritional benefits since they primarily feed on various types of woods found amongst underwater aquatic habitats. Vegetables such as squash or cucumber should also make additions. At the same time, frozen foods and wafers can be added to their feeding schedule.

Overall, clown plecos makes these fish relatively easy long-term care companions that require very little maintenance outside careful provisioning once settled into its new environment.!

3. Zebra

• Common Names: Zebra pleco
• L-Number: L046
• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus zebra
• Origin: Brazil
• Adult Size: 3.2 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate-advanced
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6-7.5
• Temperature: 79-86°F

The Zebra Pleco is a remarkable species of peaceful and carnivorous fish known for its black and white striped pattern. At most, these plecos grow to 3.5 inches making them an ideal size for aquariums alike! To ensure they stay comfortable, the tank should emulate their natural habitat which includes driftwood, rocks with rounded edges as well as sand-based substrate complete with strong currents and high oxygen levels.

It’s crucial that this tiny creature receives plenty of meaty foods such as bloodworms in order to feed adequately on the proteins needed due to their strict carnivore dieting habits (yes they are primarily a carnivore!). If all these prerequisites are met, you will be rewarded handsomely when your zebra pleco morphs into an attractive focal point in your aquarium! Keep in mind that zebra plecos are one of the most expensive pleco breeds you can purchase in the hobby.

4. Blue Black Beggini

• Common Names: Blue Panaque, Flyer Pleco
• L-Number: L235
• Scientific Name: Panaque sp
• Origin: Brazil, specifically found in the Rio Xingu
• Adult Size: 3.2 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.5 to 7.5
• Temperature: 73°F to 84°F

The Blue Black Beggini, with its particular dull charcoal black shade tinged with blue hues, is a captivating species that can grow up to 3.2 inches in size when bred correctly. It makes an attractive choice for aquarists wanting something unique and simple to care for.

To look after the stunning pleco optimally one should maintain a pH level of 6.0 -6.5 (though it can adapt to a larger range) and give it an assortment of vegetation. They are a great addition to community tanks when kept with similar sized fish.

5. Pitbull

• Common Names: Pitbull Pleco
• L-Number: LDA 25
• Scientific Name: Parotocinclus jumbo
• Origin: South America, specifically found in the Rio Tocantins basin in Brazil
• Adult Size: They are relatively small, typically reaching about 2-2.5 inches (5-6.5 cm) in length.
• Minimum Tank Size: A minimum of 20 gallons (75 liters)
• Care Level: Easy to Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.4 to 7.6
• Temperature: The ideal temperature range is between 68°F to 78°F.

The Pitbull Pleco, a South American species that can reach up to 2.3 inches in size, is an excellent choice for those with minimal room in their aquariums. In order to house it in the perfect environment and enough space, it’s ideal to put them into a 20-gallon tank, which should have driftwood, rounded stones, and hiding spots included.

Its diet typically consists of algae, but pitbull plecos can benefit from treats such as bloodworms or shrimp pellets once in a while too! In the wild they live in shallow low current waters with rocky bottoms.

6. Gold Spot Dwarf

• Common Names: Gold Spot Pleco
• L-Number: L001
• Scientific Name: Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus
• Origin: Brazil
• Adult Size: 2″
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.8 to 7.5
• Temperature: 71°F to 82°F

The Gold Spot Dwarf Pleco is an attractive, small species that stands out with its dark base color and yellow markings on its body. These omnivorous plecos make a great addition to community tanks as they can live in harmony alongside small tetras and other fish varieties.

To keep this gold spot dwarf healthy, it’s important to have the correct environment. Specifically maintaining pH levels between 6.4 – 7.5 (I included a larger range in the states as they can adapt) and temperatures of 68-78°F. With proper care, any tank can become more vibrant by housing one of these unique plecos!

7. Queen Arabesque Pleco

• Common Names: Queen Arabesque Pleco
• L-Number: L260
• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus sp.
• Origin: South America, specifically from the Rio Tapajós basin in Brazil
• Adult Size: 3.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 to 30 gallons (75 to 114 liters)
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.4 to 7.6
• Temperature: Ideal temperature range is between 73°F and 82°F (25°C to 28°C).

The Queen Arabesque Pleco is an eye-catching species that will reach 3.5 inches in length at full size. Characterized by its intricate pattern and peaceful demeanour, this pleco requires strong water flow with high oxygen levels to do well in a tank setup. Hiding spots are also necessary for it to thrive so they feel safe from potential predators or disturbances from other inhabitants of the aquarium habitat.

When selecting food options, focus on providing them with meaty meals such as bloodworms, mussel pellets and shrimp flakes. They are sensitive to high nitrates so water needs to be kept extra pristine. When paired correctly with compatible tankmates they will blossom into an impressive centerpiece!

8. Alenquer Tiger

• Common Names: Alenquer Tiger Pleco, Tangerine Tiger Pleco
• L-Number: L397
• Scientific Name: Panaqolus sp.
• Origin: Typically found in the rivers near Alenquer, Brazil.
• Adult Size: 4″ inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons (113 liters)
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.4 to 7.7
• Temperature: 75°F and 86°F

The Alenquer Tiger, also known as the Tangerine Tiger Pleco, is a captivating fish with its distinctive orange and black stripes. It grows up to 4 inches in size and has been successfully bred for aquariums, making it an attractive addition. To ensure your algae remains healthy, the aquarium needs an environment with pH 6.4 – 7.7 along with food like algae wafers intermixed with meaty items.

9. King Tiger

• Common Names: King Tiger Pleco
• L-number: L066
• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus sp
• Origin: This species is native to the rivers of Brazil, particularly in the Amazon River basin.
• Adult Size: 4-6 inches.
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.8 to 7.0
• Temperature: 77°F and 84°F

The King Tiger Pleco, a species of small plecos bigger that only get to 4-6 inches, is distinguished by its light base and tiger like dark lines with transparent fins. These curious creatures should be provided with an aquarium that features great water circulation as well as ample oxygen levels. Also, they will need a meaty diet such as bloodworms, mussels or shrimp pellets for optimal care.

This pleco is often compared to other L species, but this is the original. Other similar plecos include L333, L399, and L401

10. Rubbernose

• Common Names: Rubbernose Pleco, Rubberlip Pleco
• L-Number: L187
• Scientific Name: Chaetostoma milesi (There’s some debate on the exact scientific classification, but this is commonly accepted.)
• Origin: South America, particularly found in the Andean river systems in Colombia and Venezuela
• Adult Size: 4-5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallon long, otherwise 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.8 to 7.8
• Temperature: 66°F and 77°F

The Rubbernose Pleco (video source), also known as the Rubber Lip Pleco or Lip Pleco, is a small species that can be maintained in a 20 gallon long aquarium. These fish are quite lively when searching for food and need plenty of room to swim around horizontally, adding an enjoyable element to any tank system.

Their diet should include various kinds of hair algae, and they can even eat Black Beard Algae. They can be trained to eat wafers, but this species will generally prefer live and frozen foods.

11. Leopard Frog

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• Common Names: Leopard Frog Pleco, Imperial Tiger Pleco
• Scientific Name: Peckoltia compta
• L-Number: L134
• Origin: Amazon Basin, specifically from the lower and middle stretches of the Tapajós River in Brazil
• Adult Size: 3.5 – 4.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.0 to 7.4
• Temperature: Ideal temperature range is between 75F and 82°F

This species of pleco is captivating, distinguishable by its starkly contrasting black and white stripes. A manageable 3.5 inches in size when fully grown, the Leopard Frog Pleco can be a great addition to any tank environment that resembles their native deep river channels – with sand-filled substrate areas coupled with rocks and driftwood for them to hide among. They enjoy high protein food such as bloodworms as much as veggies like cucumber slices. They do great with small to medium sized fish.

12. Dwarf Snowball

• Common Names: Dwarf Snowball Pleco, Snowball Pleco
• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus contradens
• L-Number: L102
• Origin: South America, specifically found in the Rio Negro basin in Brazil
• Adult Size: Up to 6 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.4 to 7.6
• Temperature: Ideal temperature range is between 72°F and 86°F

The Dwarf Snowball Pleco (video source) is one of the largest on this list growing to just under 6 inches in length. It stands out with a dark base coloration and spots along its fins and body. This omnivorous pleco can thrive when living alongside small tetras or other smaller fish species, making it suitable for adding to any community aquarium setup.

They prefer a strong current so they should be housed with other fish that prefer stronger water flow.

13. Angelicus Pleco

• Common Names: Angelicus Pleco
• Scientific Name: Panaque angelicus (sometimes listed under Peckoltia angelicus)
• L-Number: L004
• Origin: South America, specifically the river basins of Brazil and possibly Venezuela.
• Adult Size: 4 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon tank
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.6 to 7.6
• Temperature: The ideal temperature range is between 75°F and 82°F

Angelicus Pleco (video source) is a beautiful fish that can reach up to 4 inches in size and has an intriguing spot pattern on its body. It must live in water with strong currents and high levels of oxygen for optimal health, making it ideal for aquarists looking to add strong swimming fish like rainbowfish.

They don’t eat plants and aren’t large enough to uproot them. Care should be take to make sure they get enough food to eat.

14. Fine Spotted Pleco

• Common Names: Fine Spotted Pleco, Starlight Bristlenose Pleco
• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus sp.
• L-Number: L262
• Origin: South America, specifically found in the Rio Negro basin in Brazil
• Adult Size: 3.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 6.0 to 7.5
• Temperature: 76°F to 82°F

The Fine Spotted Pleco is a small species that reaches no more than 3.5 inches, making it suitable for limited tank sizes and ideal to include in community tanks. This attractive fish can be identified by its light base color with dark lines as well as transparent fins.

They require plenty of oxygen-rich water flow plus an omnivorous diet consisting mostly of meaty food items such as bloodworms, mussels and shrimp pellets as they are carnivores. They will do well with similar sized fish.

15. Starlight Pleco

• Common Names: Starlight Pleco, White Seam Pleco
• Scientific Name: Ancistrus dolichopterus
• L-Number: L183
• Origin: Manaus, Brazil
• Adult Size: 4.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• pH: 5.0 to 6.5
• Temperature: 73°F and 83°F

The Starlight Pleco is a fascinating species that can reach up to 4.5 inches in length and boasts attractive patterning on its body with trademark white highlights on it’s dorsal and tail fins. This peaceful fish will need conditions with high oxygen levels as well as good water flow, making them ideal for any aquarist looking for something out of the ordinary!

Like most Plecos on this list, they are omnivores and appreciate vegetables from time to time. They are appropriate with most community fish as long as they aren’t very large or overly territorial.

Others

We only kept our list to 15. However, there are a lot more. If we missed anything and if you have a species you would like mentioned,, drop us a comment below, and we will add it to our list.

• Gold spot dwarf plecos
• Rubber lipped pleco
• Candy striped pleco

Frequently Asked Questions

Closing Thoughts

If you’re looking to add a touch of beauty and fascination to your aquatic life, small plecos provide the perfect option. With 15 distinct species available for aquarium enthusiasts of any level, these tiny fish come with unique characteristics and requirements that must be taken into account when creating their ideal tank setup.

Providing adequate care, environment and nutrition are crucial in order to ensure a thriving community. By understanding each species needs, we can ensure they live happily within our underwater haven!

From visually appealing specimens through to functional varieties – it’s essential careful planning is involved in setting up optimum home aquariums for these magnificent creatures so that all may benefit from their presence throughout its lifespan. After all, who doesn’t want amazing pleco friends swimming around?

Some fish are colorful, some fish are cute, and some fish look like dragons! In this post, we’ll be introducing 21 weird and wonderful fish, from little dragons just an inch or two long to massive sea monsters as long as a school bus!

Read along to learn about some great fresh and saltwater dragon fish that you can keep in an aquarium, and some that are better left out in their natural habitat.

Let’s get into it!

Fish That Looks Like A Dragon – 21 Species

Are you ready to meet 21 amazing dragon fish? This list includes freshwater species like the prehistoric bichirs, brackish fish like the eel gobies, and saltwater species like the leafy seadragon.

Many of these fish can be kept in a home aquarium, but some of them are better left to the experts. So, if you are looking for your very own dragon fish pet, be sure to check out the suggested temperatures, tank sizes, and care levels for each species to help you choose the right species.

Let’s get started!

1. Arowana

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• Scientific Name: Osteoglossum and Scleropages spp.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Adult Size: Up to 4 feet
• Minimum Tank Size: 250 gallons +
• Diet: Carnivore, eats insects and small fish
• Origin: Australia, Asia, and South America
• Temperature: 75 – 82 °F

Arowanas are amazing freshwater fish with dragon-like scales and a huge mouth. In fact, the endangered Asian Arowana (Scleropages formosus) is even known as the ‘dragon fish’ due to its unique appearance.

There are several species of these large freshwater fish distributed from South America to Australia, and they can make impressive pets. However, these monster fish need a very large tank and the experience of a dedicated fishkeeper for long-term care.

2. Axolotl

• Scientific Name: Ambystoma mexicanum
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: Usually 9-12 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons +
• Diet: Carnivore, eats invertebrates and small fish
• Origin: Mexico
• Temperature: 59 – 73 °F

The axolotl is a bizarre-looking critter that makes a wonderful aquarium pet. These dragon-like amphibians are not true fish, although they spend their entire lives under the water!

Axolotls are critically endangered in the wild due to the destruction of their native habitat in Mexico, but fortunately, these interesting animals are still common in captivity. They require cool water conditions and a healthy diet of live or frozen foods like brine shrimp and earthworms.

3. Bettas

• Scientific Name: Betta splendens
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Adult Size: 2.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons +
• Diet: Carnivore
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 76 – 81°F

Bettas, or Siamese fighting fish, are popular all over the world for their beauty and feisty personalities. These small fresh water fish make great pets, especially for fishkeepers who don’t have room for a big tank.

All bettas have a dramatic appearance, with bright colors and large flowing fins, but one breed stands out for its dragon-like appearance. Dragon scale bettas have extra large, metallic scales. Their body color is usually pearly white, and many specimens have fiery red fins.

Betta fish are easy to care for if you provide a tank of at least 5 gallons, complete with a filter and heater. Avoid overfeeding and test your water regularly to monitor nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels to prevent common illnesses like fin rot or ich.

4. Purple Dragon Guppy

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: Up to 2.5 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 72 – 82 °F

Guppies are another world-famous fish that are sometimes associated with dragons. The purple dragon guppy is an awesome fancy guppy breed, with eye-catching colors and patterns. Males are smaller and more boldly marked, but even female dragon guppies have great patterning on their tails and dorsal fins.

They may be a fancy breed, but purple dragon guppies are very easy to care for. These fun tropical fish are very easy to breed in a freshwater aquarium, which is a great hobby for everyone from beginners to advanced aquarists!

5. Dragon Eye Goldfish

• Scientific Name: Carassius auratus
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: Up to 8 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons +
• Diet: Omnivorous, feeds on invertebrates and plants
• Origin: China
• Temperature: 65 – 72 °F

Dragon eye goldfish are a strange but beautiful goldfish breed with bulging telescope eyes. These fancy goldfish have ancient origins in China, where the breed was first developed over 300 years ago!

The popular black moor goldfish is a variation of the dragon eye that is popular all over the world, and readily available online or from aquarium stores. These adorable fish should be kept in a large aquarium with cool water and a gentle current. With good care, they can live for over 20 years.

6. Senegal Bichir

• Scientific Name: Polypterus senegalus
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Adult Size: Up to 20 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons +
• Diet: Carnivore
• Origin: Africa
• Temperature: 75 – 82 °F

The Senegal bichir is a prehistoric-looking fish from Africa, that is often called the dragon fish. These fish look almost like a cross between a dinosaur and an eel, so they make a really cool display animal for a big enough fish tank.

Despite their strange looks, these fish are not particularly aggressive, although they will swallow any small fish that swims in reach of their large mouths! Large and medium-sized fish with peaceful personalities make the best tank mates for these interesting fish.

These strange creatures are one of the few fish that can breathe air from the surface and can even walk across land. Check out my guide to 15 fish with legs to learn much more about walking fish!

7. Dragonface Pipefish

• Scientific Name: Corythoichthys sp.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: 7 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Diet: Copepods
• Origin: Pacific Ocean
• Temperature: 72 – 78 °F
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: No

The Dragonface pipefish is a unique, eel-like fish from the seahorse family that hangs out on the floor of tropical reefs, waiting for small copepods to snack on. These unique fish have very dragon-like faces, complete with big eyes and a long snout.

Dragonface pipe fish are popular in the reef aquarium hobby, although they have a specialized diet and are difficult to maintain if you don’t have a steady supply of live copepods to feed them. These tiny crustaceans are available from specialist aquarium stores, but you still need to make sure the other fish don’t eat all the food!

8. Dragon Goby/ Violet Goby

• Scientific Name: Gobioides broussonetii
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful but territorial with their own kind
• Adult Size: Can reach over 15 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons +
• Diet: Filter-feeder
• Origin: Southern USA to South and Central America
• Temperature: 73 – 78 °F
• Reef Safe: Brackish water fish, not recommended for reef tanks
• Available As Tank Bred: No

The dragon goby is a mean-looking fish with upward-facing eyes, a strong jaw, and a row of spiky fins along its back, just like a dragon. Also known as violet gobies, these bottom dwellers are most at home in brackish waters, although they are sometimes found in fresh and saltwater habitats.

Dragon gobies can be kept in brackish water aquariums, although they prefer a thick layer of soft sand to burrow in and they are not the most exciting pets. They look very similar to Peruvian gobies and are often sold under the same name. Both of these eel gobies may look aggressive, but they actually eat algae and other small food particles, so they are safe to keep with smaller fish.

9. Dragon Moray Eel

• Scientific Name: Enchelycore pardalis
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Adult Size: Up to 3 feet
• Minimum Tank Size: 150 – 200 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, eats other fish and sea creatures
• Origin: Indo-Pacific Ocean
• Temperature: 72 – 78 °F
• Reef Safe: Does not eat corals, but will eat smaller fish
• Available As Tank Bred: No

The dragon moray is a colorful tropical reef creature that looks like a dragon. These snake-like fish manage to look beautiful and scary at the same time, making them an awesome choice for a large tropical marine aquarium. However, keep in mind they are difficult to keep. You could opt for a standard moray eel which are more hardy, though aggressive.

10. Seadragons

• Scientific Name: Phycodurus & Phyllopteryx spp.
• Diet: Carnivore, eats small marine invertebrates
• Size: 9 – 18 inches
• Origin: Southern Australia
• Available in the hobby: Very rare

Seadragons are unique and delicate saltwater fish from the seahorse family. The leafy seadragon is a true master of camouflage that looks just like a drifting clump of seaweed as it forages near the sea floor. Weedy sea dragons are more colorful creatures with interesting paddle-shaped fins. Despite their different body shapes, each species has an undeniably dragon-like face!

Sea dragons are usually only kept in large public aquariums because they are rare and require specialized care.

11. Lionfish

• Scientific Name: Pterois spp.
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Adult Size: Up to 18 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 – 125 gallons, depending on the species
• Diet: Carnivore
• Origin: Tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
• Temperature: 72 – 78 °F
• Reef Safe: Possible, but will consume smaller fish and invertebrates
• Available As Tank Bred: No

There are several similar species of lionfish distributed in tropical waters across the globe, each with beard-like growths and huge spiky fins like a dragon’s wings.

These striking fish are usually red and white in color and are also known as firefish. Lionfish are popular aquarium pets, although they are venomous, so they should never be handled.

12. Pacific Blackdragon

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• Scientific Name: Idiacanthus antrostomus
• Diet: Carnivore
• Size: 2 feet
• Origin: West Coast of North America
• Available in the hobby: No

The Pacific Black Dragon is a deepsea fish that lives several thousand feet below the surface in the cold, dark waters of the Eastern Pacific. These sea monsters have a mouth full of sharp fangs and a beard-like growth under their jaws that gives them a real dragon-like look!

13. Blue Sea Dragon

• Scientific Name: Glaucus atlanticus
• Diet: Carnivore that feeds on jellyfish and other venomous sea creatures
• Size: about 1 inch
• Origin: Recorded off Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America
• Available in the hobby: No

The blue sea dragon is a stunning sea animal that lives at the surface of the ocean in many parts of the world. These bright blue creatures are not actually fish but rather a type of carnivorous mollusk.

Unfortunately, these sea slugs cannot be kept in a home aquarium, but they are sometimes found washed up on beaches. If you do spot a blue sea dragon, don’t be tempted to touch it; these animals give a painful sting!

14. Dragonets

• Scientific Name: Synchiropus spp.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: usually about 3 inches, but some species grow up to 12 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Diet: Carnivorous, feeds on copepods and other live invertebrates
• Origin: Indo-pacific
• Temperature: 72 – 78 °F
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: Yes

Dragonets are small tropical reef fish with dazzling colors. Several species of these goby-like fish are available in the hobby, although they are best left to experienced and dedicated reef keepers who can provide a steady supply of live copepods.

15. Giant Oarfish

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• Scientific Name: Regalecus glesne
• Diet: Carnivorous filter feeder
• Size: Can exceed 30 feet!
• Origin: Worldwide in temperate and tropical oceans
• Available in the hobby: No

The giant oarfish is the world’s longest fish and a true sea monster of the deep. These serpent-like fish have a spiky red crest and long tassel-like fins below their heads that make them look just like a dragon!

Despite their fearsome appearance, giant oarfish are not aggressive fish and actually feed on tiny sea creatures that they filter out of the water.

16. Deep Sea Anglerfish

• Scientific Name: Melanocetus johnsonii etc.
• Diet: Carnivores
• Size: 1 – 6 inches
• Origin: Widespread in tropical and temperate oceans
• Available in the hobby: No

The humpback anglerfish is a terrifying deep-sea fish that looks like something straight out of a nightmare. These fascinating creatures grow to about 6 inches, so they’re actually just miniature monsters from the deep.

The deepsea anglerfish has impressive fangs and a huge mouth for capturing small fish and other unfortunate sea creatures. They may not breathe fire, but these deepsea dragon fish do have a glowing lure on the end of a stalk that attracts their prey within striking distance.

17. Seahorses

• Scientific Name: Hippocampus spp.
• Difficulty Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: Up to 13 inches depending on the species
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons for smaller species
• Diet: Carnivorous, eats live crustaceans
• Origin: Widespread in warm, shallow coastal areas
• Temperature: 72-78 °F
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: Yes

Seahorses may be named after common farm animals, but if you look a little closer, these adorable creatures have a striking resemblance to miniature dragons! These little fish from the Syngnathidae family have spiky, elongated bodies, spiny crests, and long snouts that make them look nothing like a regular fish.

Seahorses are small and peaceful creatures that inhabit shallow coastal waters around the world where they hunt tiny crustaceans. They are slow swimmers that prefer to grasp onto seaweed and other structures with their prehensile tails than fight against strong sea currents.

Several captive-bred seahorse species are available in the aquarium hobby, and they make fascinating display animals for dedicated fishkeepers. Avoid wild-caught specimens because they are difficult to keep without live food.

18. Stoplight Loosejaw

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• Scientific Name: Malacosteus sp.
• Diet: Carnivore, feeds on marine invertebrates and other fish
• Size: Reaches 10 inches
• Origin: Worldwide in deep oceans
• Available in the hobby: No

Stoplight loosejaws are deep-sea-dwellers that live thousands of feet below the surface in total darkness. They have evolved the incredible ability to produce green and red light from special organs in their jaw, which they can use to find their prey in the darkness.

These scary dragon fish have tiny tails, long, sharp teeth, and huge jaws. However, they only live below about 1,500 feet and grow to less than a foot long, so you have nothing to fear next time you visit the beach!

19. Teugelsi Bichir

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• Scientific Name: Polypterus teugelsi
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Adult Size: Up to 25 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons for full-grown specimens
• Diet: Carnivorous, feeds on invertebrates and other fish
• Origin: West Africa
• Temperature: 77-82 °F

The Teugelsi bichir is a rare but fascinating freshwater fish that looks like a dragon. These prehistoric forest-dwellers have prominent scales and a spiky dorsal fin just like a mythical fire-breathing monster!

The species is occasionally seen for sale in the aquarium trade and makes an interesting pet for fishkeepers with large tanks. Like other bichirs, these fish are carnivorous and will snack on other fish at night when they come out to feed.

20. Mottled Bichir

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• Scientific Name: Polypterus weeksii
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Adult Size: Grows to about 23 inches
• Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons for a full-grown specimen
• Diet: Carnivore
• Origin: Central Africa
• Temperature: 76 – 82 °F

Here’s another freshwater dragon fish for all the bichir lovers out there. The mottled bichir is a fascinating predatory species from Africa with an intimidating scaly appearance.

These rare nocturnal fish need a high-protein diet to stay healthy, so they are not recommended for a community aquarium with smaller tank mates! They are very hardy fish that can breathe air and even travel over land in moist conditions.

21. Scorpionfish

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• Scientific Name: Scorpaenidae family
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Adult Size: 2 inches to 3 feet
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons + depending on species
• Diet: Carnivorous, feeds on other fish and small sea creatures
• Origin: Widespread in marine and brackish habitats
• Temperature: Species dependent
• Reef Safe: With caution
• Available As Tank Bred: No

Scorpionfish are a large group of bizarre saltwater fish with dragon-like features and a venomous spine. These carnivorous fish often have amazing camouflage, which they rely on to ambush their prey. Many species are available for marine aquariums, but be warned, some of these fish are very dangerous!

22. Koi

• Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Adult Size: Over 2 feet
• Minimum Tank Size: 1500 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Origin: Indonesia
• Temperature: 59 – 77 °F

The famous Koi fish is seen as a noble creature in Japan. There is a legend that states that if a Koi climbed the waterfall on the Yellow River that it would turn into a Koi Dragon.

The most similar looking Koi to be found in the hobby that looks like a dragon would be a butterfly koi. Though not considered a true koi by many purist, their fins give them that flying look.

Final Thoughts

Dragons do exist! Maybe not the flying, firebreathing kind you’ve seen in the movies, but there’s plenty of weird and wonderful dragon fish swimming around out there. Some of these amazing animals even thrive in fish tanks, so who knows, you could even keep a dragon in your own room.

Which fish do you think most resembles a real-life dragon? Share your top pick in the comments below!

Small tanks are where a lot of beginners start — and where they make their first mistakes, usually by overcrowding or picking fish that will outgrow the setup. I’ve set up tanks as small as 5 gallons and know which species genuinely thrive in tight quarters versus which ones just survive. Here are the 21 I’d actually choose for a small tank.

Are you planning a new fish tank or just looking for a new small fish species to add to an existing community? Choosing new fish is super fun, but it can be tough to make the right choice.

There are hundreds of different species in the fishkeeping hobby, so save yourself the stress and scroll through this list to help make your choice. All the fish mentioned in this guide can be kept in tanks of 15-20 gallons, and some can even live in aquariums as small as 5 gallons.

Ready? Let’s meet the 21 best small fish for freshwater aquariums!

The 21 Best Fish For Small Tanks

It’s time to learn about 21 excellent freshwater fish for small tanks! Take note of their minimum tank size, diet requirements, and other important stats before choosing your next pet. We have a video below from our YouTube Channel, so you can watch along while seeing more details below from our blog!

1. Bettas

• Scientific Name: Betta splendens
• Adult Size: 2.5 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed good quality micro-pellets and live/frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp
• Origin: Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 76-80 °F
• Swimming Level: Mid/upper layers

The betta or Siamese fighting fish is a great choice for any freshwater aquarium that holds 5 gallons or more. These popular freshwater fish can live more than three years with good care and their bright colors and fancy fins make them great centerpiece fish.

Bettas get along great with many different tank mates in community setups, just don’t make the mistake of keeping more than one male in the same tank. These guys love to fight!

2. Exclamation Point Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Boraras urophthalmoides
• Adult Size: 0.5 inches
• Care Level: Intermediate
• Temperament: Peaceful and shy
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed crushed flake fish food, baby brine shrimp and blood worms
• Origin: Thailand
• Temperature: 68 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: Middle layers

The exclamation point rasbora is an awesome little freshwater nano fish with an orange body and a black exclamation (!) symbol on each side.

These tiny fish are pretty shy (probably because they’re so small) so they need the company of at least 10 of their own kind to form a nice school. Keep these peaceful fish in a densely planted tank to enjoy all they have to offer.

3. Chili Rasbora

• Scientific Name: Boraras brigittae
• Adult Size: 0.75 inches
• Care Level: Intermediate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed granules and live/frozen foods
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 68 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper layers

Also known as the mosquito rasbora, these peaceful schooling fish are similar to the exclamation point rasbora but have a redder body color. These are true micro fish that are perfect for small tanks.

While it is possible to keep a small school in a 5-gallon tank, they’ll do much better in a 10 gallon tank with plenty of live aquarium plants.

4. Zebra Danio

• Scientific Name: Danio/Brachydanio rerio
• Adult Size: 2 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Very peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed good quality dried foods and bloodworms or other insect larvae
• Origin: South Asia
• Temperature: 66 – 77°F
• Swimming Level: Generally middle and upper layers

The zebra danio is a great beginner fish species for a small freshwater aquarium. There are many other beautiful danio species (celestial pearl, glowlight, etc.) in the hobby, but the good ol’ zebra fish tends to be the cheapest and most adaptable species.

These small fish are very peaceful and hardy, making them a great small aquarium fish species for a community tank. The minimum tank size for these fish is about 10 gallons, but they’ll be much happier in a 20-gallon tank where there’s plenty of space to swim.

5. Black Neon Tetra

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, feed a quality pellet/flake and live/frozen food
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 70 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper layers

The black neon tetra doesn’t get quite as much love as the regular neons and cardinal tetras, but black neons are actually the better choice for many aquarists because they are so easy to care for. A school of 5 or 6 of these beautiful fish will add constant motion to the open-water areas of a small tropical fish tank.

These guys are pretty hardy, and much more likely to survive some of the common beginner fishkeeping mistakes. They look great too, and they get along perfectly with other peaceful fish.

6. Cory Catfish

• Scientific Name: Corydoras spp.
• Adult Size: 1-3 inches
• Care Level: Beginner/intermediate
• Temperament: Very peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: Species-dependent
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed sinking tablets/pellets and frozen foods
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: Species-dependent, most types can be kept in the mid-70s Fahrenheit
• Swimming Level: Bottom dweller

Looking for an interesting bottom dweller for a small community tank? Look no further than the cories, a large group of schooling catfish from South America. These fascinating freshwater fish spend most of their time searching the substrate for food scraps, but every now and then they rocket up to the surface for a gulp of air.

The smallest species (dwarf, pygmy corydoras, etc.) grow to less than an inch and can be kept in a ten-gallon tank, but most species will need an aquarium size of 20 gallons or more.

7. White Cloud Mountain Minnow

• Scientific Name: Tanichthys albonubes
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed high-quality dried foods supplemented with frozen blood worms/ brine shrimp
• Origin: China
• Temperature: 60-72°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper layers

The white cloud mountain minnow is a coldwater fish, even though it offers all the bright colors of a tropical fish species.

These peaceful fish will thrive in an unheated aquarium in most homes, although they can be kept with some tropical fish that enjoy water in the low 70’s. The white cloud mountain minnow is a social fish, so you’ll need a school of at least six to keep them confident.

8. Cherry Barb

• Scientific Name: Puntius titteya
• Adult Size: 1.5 – 2 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, feed quality fish flakes or micro pellets and live/frozen food
• Origin: Sri Lanka
• Temperature: 70 – 79°F
• Swimming Level: Middle to lower levels

The cherry barb is a beautiful freshwater schooling fish from South Asia with attractive scales and rounded fins. Males develop a beautiful cherry-red color, but the females also have a rich amber/orange shade.

Cherry barbs are great community fish that add life to the lower levels of the aquarium. They get along great with other peaceful fish but will do best in a larger tank (20 gallons+) if they need to share their space with other species. A school of 6 or more is recommended to see them at their best.

9. Endler’s Livebearers

• Scientific Name: Poecilia wingei
• Adult Size: 1 – 2 inches, males reach just one inch
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, provide a quality flake or micro-pellet and occasional frozen/live foods
• Origin: Venezuela
• Temperature: 64 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: All levels but mostly in the upper half

The Endler’s livebearer is a colorful little fish that looks similar to a regular fancy guppy. However, this closely related fish is a smaller species and purebred specimens are much rarer. Ideally, Endlers should not be kept in the same tank as guppies because the two will readily hybridize.

Endlers are confident, active little fish that are very easy to care for. These fish breed easily, so you can expect to see some babies (fry) if you keep males and females together. They’re very peaceful too, so you can keep them with other nano community fish.

10. Honey Gourami

• Scientific Name: Trichogaster chuna
• Adult Size: up to 2 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for a single fish, 20 gallons for a pair
• Diet: Carnivore, feed a quality micro-pellet or flake, and occasional live/frozen foods
• Origin: India and Bangladesh
• Temperature: 74-80°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper layers

The honey gourami is a small, peaceful fish species that can be kept as a single centerpiece fish or as a pair in a small community fish tank.

The males develop their brightest colors before the breeding season, but these peaceful nano fish are attractive and interesting at any time of the year.

11. Ember Tetra

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon amandae
• Adult Size: 0.75 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed micro-pellets/ flakes and live/frozen foods
• Origin: Brazil
• Temperature: 72-80°F
• Swimming Level: Middle levels

The ember tetra is a nano schooling fish with a deep orange color. These tiny tetras grow to three-quarters of an inch or so, making them a good choice for tanks as small as 5 gallons. However, they will be much better off in a tank of over 10 gallons, especially in a school of 10 or more.

Ember tetras are an option for a small community tank, although they should not be kept with large or aggressive fish due to their small size.

12. Guppies

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Adult Size: 0.75 – 2.5 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivorous, feed high-quality dried and live/frozen foods
• Origin: Northern South America and the Caribbean
• Temperature: 72-82°F
• Swimming Level: All levels

Fancy guppies are excellent nano fish for smaller fish tanks, especially if you have naturally hard water. These colorful livebearers are very easy to keep and super easy to breed in a home aquarium.

Guppies come in a variety of colors, and some high-quality strains are very rare and valuable. However, you can usually find some beautiful fancy guppies at your local fish store for a very reasonable price. You can keep only males or groups with three females to one male.

13. Japanese Rice Fish

• Scientific Name: Oryzias latipes
• Adult Size: 1.2 inches
• Care Level: Easy
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, feed a quality flake food and supplemental live/frozen foods
• Origin: Eastern Asia
• Temperature: 61 – 75°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper levels

The Medaka, or Japanese rice fish is becoming increasingly popular in the aquarium trade. They are available in a variety of colors, ranging from white to orange.

These nano fish prefer cool water, making them a great choice for an unheated tank. They can be kept with other peaceful fish like white cloud minnows, just avoid tropical species that need warm water temperatures.

14. Rainbow Shiner

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• Scientific Name: Notropis chrosomus
• Adult Size: 2-3 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, provide a good quality dried food and frozen/live foods as treats
• Origin: Southeastern USA
• Temperature: 50 – 72°F
• Swimming Level: Middle and upper layers

The rainbow shiner is an awesome native fish species that hails from the United States. They are a pretty new fish species in the fish keeping hobby and difficult to find at most fish stores, but you can often pick them up online. Choose this species as the centerpiece for a cool water stream biotope tank.

In spawning colors, these guys are some of the best-looking fish out there, although not all specimens develop amazing colors, and females are not particularly colorful. Keep a school of at least 6 of these fish in a small cool water tank with good water flow.

15. Spotted Blue-Eye Rainbowfish

• Scientific Name: Pseudomugil gertrudae
• Adult Size: 1-1.5 inches
• Care Level: Beginner/intermediate
• Temperament: Peaceful but shy
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore, feed crushed dried foods and small live/frozen foods
• Origin: Indonesia and Northern Australia
• Temperature: 72-82°F
• Swimming Level: Generally in the top and middle levels

The spotted blue-eye rainbowfish is an interesting nano species that thrives in small planted aquariums. Both sexes are very attractive, although only the males develop large and interesting anal and dorsal fins.

Spotted blue-eye rainbowfish can be pretty shy around other fish, so they’re best kept in their own planted tank. It is possible to keep this species with adult shrimp, but there’s always some risk when keeping fish and inverts together. Keep a shoal of 8 or more of these fish to see their confident natural behaviors.

16. Green Fire Tetra

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• Scientific Name: Aphyocharax rathbuni
• Adult Size: 1.5-1.75 inches
• Care Level: Beginner
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Minimum Tank Size: 15 gallons
• Diet: Feed good quality dried foods and live/frozen foods
• Origin: Brazil, Uraguay, Argentina, Paraguay
• Temperature: 70 – 79°F
• Swimming Level: Midwater levels

The green fire tetra is an active little South American tetra that will add color and movement to any nano tank. You might find them for sale as Rathbun’s tetra or the redflank bloodfin, but they are all the same awesome nano species.

Unfortunately, green fire tetras have a reputation for fin nipping, so it’s safest to keep them with fast-moving fish that can hold their own, and avoid any species with long, flowing fins.

17. Clown Killifish

• Scientific Name: Epiplatys annulatus
• Adult Size: 1.25 inches
• Care Level: Beginner/intermediate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed dried food for nano fish and live/frozen foods
• Origin: West Africa
• Temperature: 68 – 78°F
• Swimming Level: Upper levels

Also known as the banded panchax, these tiny surface dwellers are a great choice for a nano tank full of healthy green plants that mimic their natural forest habitat.

The clown killifish can be kept with other nano fish but will be most comfortable if you keep a school of at least 8 specimens.

18. Scarlet Badis

• Scientific Name: Dario dario
• Adult Size: 0.5 – 0.75 inches
• Care Level: Intermediate
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: India
• Temperature: 70- 79°F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The scarlet badis is a tiny fish species from India that looks similar to a dwarf cichlid. These colorful little fish can be kept in tanks as small as 5 gallons, although maintaining great water quality is much easier in a larger setup.

The scarlet badis is a great choice for fish keepers with a few years of experience. They can be a little fussy around meal times, so you’ll probably need a supply of live or frozen foods to keep them well-fed.

These fish should not be kept with larger, more aggressive species, although they will thrive in a planted tank with other smaller fish like celestial pearl danios (AKA Galaxy Rasbora).

19. Licorice Gourami

• Scientific Name: Parosphromenus deissneri
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Intermediate
• Temperament: Can be somewhat aggressive
• Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed live foods like bloodworm and tubifex worm
• Origin: Indonesia
• Temperature: 72 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: Middle layers

The licorice gourami is a fascinating nano fish species for more experienced fish keepers. These fish do well in tanks as small as 5 gallons, but they require soft, acidic water and gentle filtration to simulate their natural habitat.

Licorice gouramis are often kept as a single centerpiece fish due to their slightly aggressive nature, although you can keep them with other small, peaceful fish in a tank with plenty of cover and live plants.

20. Otocinclus Catfish

• Scientific Name: Otocinclus spp.
• Adult Size: 1.5 inches
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Very peaceful
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Diet: Algae eater. Can be fed soft greens and algae wafers but requires a source of natural algae
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 70 – 77°F
• Swimming Level: Feeds on hardscape, glass, and plants at all levels

The otocinclus catfish is one of my favorite nano fish and one of the most useful clean-up crew species in the hobby. However, these little guys have some special requirements, and they rarely survive in a new tank without a steady supply of algae.

Despite their small size, these algae eaters do best in mature tanks of 20 gallons or more that can provide enough natural food to sustain a school of 6 or more. Otos are very peaceful fish that are safe to keep with dwarf shrimp and fish fry.

21. Pea Puffer

• Scientific Name: Carinotetraodon travancoricus
• Adult Size: 1 inch
• Care Level: Intermediate
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Diet: Carnivore, feed live snails, and live/frozen brine shrimp
• Origin: India
• Temperature: 72 – 82°F
• Swimming Level: All levels

The pea puffer is an adorable little nano fish with a real mean streak! They are a true freshwater species that can be kept in tanks as small as 5 gallons, although 15 gallons or more would be much better for long-term care.

These fish are not ideal for beginners because they prefer a heavily planted tank to feel comfortable in their environment, and they have a pretty specialized diet. A steady supply of live snails is the best food source to keep their sharp teeth worn down, but they will also take frozen bloodworms as an occasional treat.

Other Species To Consider

Fish are not the only things you can keep in a small fish tank. Read on to learn about three other options!

1. Dwarf Shrimp

Keeping freshwater shrimp is a fascinating alternative to small fish species. Sometimes, you can also add these adorable crustaceans to an existing freshwater aquarium, although most popular aquarium fish will try to eat them.

Otocinclus catfish are one of the only fish that won’t eat baby shrimp, although you may get away with keeping large adult shrimp with small nano fish like celestial pearl danios.

Generally, it’s best to keep freshwater shrimp in their own tank of 10 gallons or larger, although some aquarists have success in tanks as small as 2 gallons. Unfortunately, maintaining safe water parameters is very difficult in this volume of water.

Different shrimp species have different care requirements, but all species will do best in a temperature-controlled and filtered aquarium with good-quality shrimp food and regular maintenance.

2. Snails

Snails have really gotten a bad name in the aquarium hobby, but the truth is that these fascinating freshwater invertebrates can be great cleanup crew and some species are really good-looking creatures!

Avoid adding snails like ramshorns and pond snails to your tank if you prefer species that won’t multiply, although these ‘pest’ species tend to limit themselves in well-maintained tanks.

Nerite snails and mystery snails are better choices because they do not breed and actually make pretty interesting display animals.

Want to learn more? Check out my comprehensive aquarium snail guides for much more information on these fascinating creatures!

3. Small Hardy Plants

Have you considered growing live plants in your aquarium? Heads up, the planted tank hobby can be addictive!

There are loads of different aquatic plant species that thrive in small tanks. Many will survive without any special care, but it’s important to select low-tech species if you’re just starting out.

Epiphytes like Java Ferns and Anubias nana petit are great choices because you can grow them right in their pot without any special lighting. However, a much better way to grow these hardy plants is to attach them to a rock or a piece of driftwood using superglue or thread.

Want to learn more about growing live plants? Browse through my extensive collection of detailed guides to get started!

What is a Small Aquarium?

Aquariums in the range of 5 to 20 gallons are generally classified as small tanks. These tanks are ideal for bedrooms, offices, and busy fish rooms. You’ll also see tanks as small as 1 gallon for sale, but avoid these if you’re planning on keeping fish. Anything smaller than about 5 gallons can be very difficult to maintain.

Stocking Your Tank

Test your source water before stocking your tank. Some fish prefer naturally hard water, while others prefer soft and acidic conditions. If your tap water is hard, you may want to choose small livebearers like guppies that thrive in harder water.

Personality is also vital when choosing small fish for your tank. Avoid mixing small, shy species with more aggressive fish like tiger barbs if you want a peaceful community setup.

Many beginners try to cram as many fish into their tanks as possible, but more fish means more maintenance, and it’s easy to let your water quality slide to dangerous levels in a nano fish tank. Stock your tank lightly for a trouble-free experience.

Essential Equipment Checklist

• Heater

Apart from the Japanese ricefish and the white cloud minnow, each of the species in this list will need warm water temperatures to simulate the tropical climate of their natural habitat. Choose a heater model and wattage that fits your tank size.

• Filter

All fish need filtered water when kept in small aquariums. Choose a small sponge filter, HOB, or internal power filter that can process your aquarium water volume 4-6 times each hour.

• Lighting

Your fish will enjoy a natural day/night cycle to maintain their biological clock. Run your lights for 6-8 hours each day to avoid excess algae growth.

Other Important Supplies

• Water test kit
• Gravel vacuum
• Thermometer
• Decorations, hardscape, and Substrate
• Quality food

FAQs

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a big tank or a big budget to enjoy the fishkeeping hobby. In fact, all of the small fish species discussed in this article will be right at home in a desktop tank!

That being said, 5 gallons is the smallest size you should consider for any freshwater fish, and 15 gallons (with a good filter) is probably the ideal size for your first nano tank. Lastly, little fish can have BIG personalities, so make sure all your fish species match up in terms of personality and temperament.

Do you keep small aquarium fish? Share your favorite species in the comments below!

Striped fish make up some of the most recognizable species in the hobby — and a lot of them were regulars at the fish store where I worked for years. Angelfish, zebra danios, black neon tetras — these are fish I cared for, sold, and fielded questions about constantly. What strikes me about this group is just how diverse it is beneath the stripe pattern: some are peaceful schoolers that belong in groups, some are territorial cichlids that need space, and some get significantly larger than people expect from the display tank. This guide covers 25+ of the best, across both freshwater and saltwater.

Why Do They Have Them?

Have you ever thought about why animals look the way they do? Animals, including fish, have evolved for millions of years to develop colors and patterns that not only keep them alive but also provide the best success for passing down their genes. This is a phenomenon known as natural selection, where evolutions determine the species’ success, meaning the most opportunistic and successful traits get passed down from one generation to the next.

All this is to say that at one point in evolutionary history, stripes helped the given species survive better.

There are several reasons why fish might have evolved stripes. The first reason is that stripes aid in camouflage. Stripes break up the shape of an otherwise solid colored fish, which can make them nearly invisible to predators. Other stripes can also mimic the environment of the fish, especially if plants or coral are abundant.

Another use of stripes is for communication. This aspect is less understood, but it’s believed that fish can convey aggression, submission, or physical fitness for reproduction. In some cases, fish mimic the stripe patterns of other poisonous or venomous species to scare off potential predators, even if that specific species is harmless.

Lastly, stripes may be selectively bred within the aquarium hobby. Many species, especially freshwater fish, have been modified to express the best colors and patterns. As a result, some fish may display nearly every color and pattern combination imaginable.

Fish With Black Stripes

Here are some of the most popular freshwater and saltwater fish with stripes for the home aquarium!

⚠️ Before You Buy: The biggest mistake I see is people shopping purely based on looks — a striped fish catches their eye and they grab it without checking compatibility, adult size, or whether the species needs a group. Tiger Barbs are notorious fin nippers in the wrong setup. Clown Loaches look small in the store but grow to 12 inches. Many tetras and danios are social fish that are stressed and dull-colored alone — they need 6 or more to thrive. Always research the fish, not just the stripe.

1. Zebra Angelfish

• Scientific Name: Pterophyllum scalare
• Common Names: Zebra angelfish, Silver zebra angel
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Adult Size: 6 inches
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Easy
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Selectively bred
• Temperature: 75-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

Zebra angels are a selectively bred type of freshwater angelfish cichlid, Pterophyllum scalare. These fish have the same care requirements as other varieties of this species but feature a perfectly curated appearance.

The zebra angel is silver with three to five black stripes that run from the dorsal fin to the stomach. These strips are usually solid but might have a misbar, or not-fully-connected, appearance. One special feature about these fish is that a stripe usually runs vertically through the eye, letting the pupil look like a part of the stripe.

2. Zebra Pleco

• Scientific Name: Hypancistrus zebra
• Common Names: Zebra pleco, Zebra altimira pleco, L-46
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Adult Size: 3-4 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Brazil
• Temperature: 79-86° F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The zebra pleco is one of the most sought-after species of pleco, and their price tag reflects that. These are extremely unique fish with a pure white base with black stripes across the face, body, and fins.

Though beautiful, this black-striped fish is nocturnal and might stay in the shady areas of the tank throughout the day. The zebra pleco is omnivorous and requires a diet of plant and protein-based foods, though they will not chew on driftwood, unlike other species of pleco.

3. Skunk Cory

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• Scientific Name: Corydoras aracuatus
• Common Names: Skunk cory, Sands’ cory
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Adult Size: 2-3 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Brazil
• Temperature: 68-77° F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The skunk cory is one of the lesser common species of Corydoras available in the aquarium hobby, possibly due to its oversimplicity. That isn’t to say that these aren’t great nano fish to keep though!

The skunk cory is named after the singular thin black stripe that runs along either side of the dorsal fin from the head to the end of the tail fin. The rest of the body is a light brown or grey color.

Skunk cories are relatively easy to keep, like other species of cory. They are small, somewhat shy fish that do best with a soft substrate, plenty of hiding spots, and a school of at least 6 or more.

4. Frontosa Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Cyphotilapia frontosa
• Common Names: Frontosa cichlid, Front cichlid
• Minimum Tank Size: 150+ gallons
• Adult Size: 1.0-1.5 feet
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Carnivore
• Origin: Lake Tanganyika, Africa
• Temperature: 72-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle to Bottom

The frontosa cichlid is a large African cichlid that is relatively difficult to keep due to its potential adult size. These are large fish that need to be kept with other fish that are also endemic to Lake Tanganyika as pH needs to be higher, between 7.5 and 9.0.

Frontosa cichlids are labeled as semi-aggressive but are more defensive of their territories than being openly aggressive to each other. It should be noted that these carnivorous fish can eat small fish once they reach larger sizes.

These cichlids vary in appearance, especially if wild-caught from different locations within the lake. In general, frontosas feature five to seven broad black bands on top of a light or pale blue color.

5. Tiger Barb

• Scientific Name: Puntius tetrazona
• Common Names: Tiger barb, Sumatra barb
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Adult Size: 2-4 inches
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Sumatra and Borneo
• Temperature: 74-79° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

For years, the tiger barb was one of the most popular freshwater fish available in the aquarium trade. These fish are honey-brown with red fins and four black stripes. These fish might look like a species of tetra, but they are semi-aggressive fish that can fin nip and attack other more peaceful species.

A loose schooling fish, tiger barbs must be kept in groups of at least 6 or more. These are active fish that will move together throughout the tank looking for food or possibly to terrorize other fish.

True tiger barbs are naturally colored. However, these fish have been genetically modified to exhibit bright colors by GloFish, like neon yellow, pink, and green. Some barbs keep their stripes while others are solid colors.

6. Zebra Danio

• Scientific Name: Danio rerio
• Common Names: Zebra danio, Zebrafish, Striped danio
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Adult Size: 2-4 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Easy
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Asia
• Temperature: 64-75° F
• Swimming Level: Top and Middle

Zebra danios are very active striped fish that like to swim in schools at the top of the aquarium. Unlike the other fish listed, zebra danios are a coldwater fish species that prefers subtropical water temperatures.

These fish are torpedo shaped with several horizontal black stripes that run from the end of the tail to the head. These fish are silvery-yellow underneath the stripes, though they might feature more vibrant yellow fins.

Zebra danios are one of the least-demanding fish to keep in the aquarium hobby and easily adapt to a variety of aquarium setups.

7. Siamese Algae Eater

• Scientific Name: Crossocheilus siamensis
• Common Names: Siamese algae eater, SAE, Siamese flying fox
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Adult Size: 4-6 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore but mainly herbivorous
• Origin: Southeast Asia
• Temperature: 75-79° F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The Siamese algae eater, not to be confused with the more aggressive Chinese algae eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri), is one of the best algae eaters for the freshwater aquarium. Siamese algae eaters have a brownish-silver body with one thick black band that goes from the mouth to the base of the forked caudal fin.

These fish have an elongated body that helps them stay suctioned to rocks in their naturally fast-moving water environments. Siamese algae eaters may be present in groups as juveniles but can become slightly territorial as they age.

8. Convict Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Amatitlania nigrofasciata
• Common Names: Convict cichlid, Black convict cichlid, Zebra cichlid
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Adult Size: 4-6 inches
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Central America
• Temperature: 72-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

An aggressive species of Central American cichlid, the convict cichlid is an attractive fish with a deep blue body and mottled vertical black bands. These stripes are not neat, have rigid edges, and might not connect across the width of the fish.

Some special consideration is needed when housing these fish due to their aggressive nature. A minimum tank size of 30 gallons is recommended when keeping one or two, but at least 55 gallons is necessary when keeping other species.

9. Black Neon Tetra

• Scientific Name: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
• Common Names: Black neon tetra
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Adult Size: 1-2 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Easy
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 72-77° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

Not actually related to the famous neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi), the black neon tetra is named after the two horizontal black and white stripes that run along the side of the fish; the white stripe is on top of the black stripe. Underneath, the fish is a yellowy-silver.

A type of schooling fish, black neon tetras need to be kept in groups of at least 6 or more. They can be timid with bigger, more active species, but excel in a community tank setting.

🏆 Mark’s Pick: If I had to pick one striped fish that consistently impresses without the drama, it’s the Black Neon Tetra. I cared for a lot of these at the fish store and they’re some of the most reliable, beautiful little fish in the freshwater hobby — peaceful, hardy, and absolutely stunning in a school of 8 or more under good lighting. Zebra Angelfish are another top pick if you want a centerpiece fish with real visual impact, though they need more space and careful tank mate selection.

10. Clown Loach

• Scientific Name: Chromobotia macracantha
• Common Names: Clown loach, Tiger botia
• Minimum Tank Size: 125+ gallons
• Adult Size: 1 foot
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Sumatra and Borneo
• Temperature: 72-86° F
• Swimming Level: Bottom

The clown loach should not be underestimated. For a long time, these colorful fish were considered to be beginner fish due to their relatively easy care and juvenile size. It wasn’t until recently that hobbyists discovered the true adult size of these fish, which is about a foot or more. Keep in mind that clown loaches like to school and need to be kept in large groups.

Still, the clown loach is one of the most attractive bottom-dwellers for the freshwater aquarium. These are orange fish with black stripes along the sides of their body. The caudal, ventral, and anal fins are typically dark red while the dorsal fin is black.

11. Golden Mbuna

• Scientific Name: Melanochromis auratus
• Common Names: Golden mbuna
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Adult Size: 4-5 inches
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
• Temperature: 75-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

The golden mbuna is an attractive African cichlid with varying appearances, but never without stripes! Male golden mbuna cichlids especially change colors between breeding periods. Juvenile males and females typically display a deep yellow base color with horizontal black stripes. A breeding male will invert his colors over a few days, switching to a largely black body, with a silvery dorsal and white lateral line.

Golden mbunas are some of the most aggressive cichlids available and will need appropriate tank mates. Only one male should be kept per tank.

12. Electric Blue Johanni

• Scientific Name: Melanochromis johannii
• Common Names: Electric blue johanni, Rock-dwelling mbuna
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Adult Size: 4-5 inches
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
• Temperature: 75-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

Another striped cichlid, the electric blue johanni mbuna isn’t as aggressive as the golden mbuna. This makes them more appropriate for a mbuna community aquarium as long as the tank size allows.

While male electric blue johanni cichlids are striped tropical fish, with a shocking blue base color and vertical bars across their body, females look entirely different. Female electrics are fully yellow, which can make it slightly challenging to identify this species.

13. Demasoni Cichlid

• Scientific Name: Pseudotropheus demasoni
• Common Names: Demasoni cichlid
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Adult Size: 3-5 inches
• Temperament: Aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
• Temperature: 75-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

Specific to the Pombo Rock ecosystem in Tanzania, the Demasoni cichlid isn’t a common fish to see available. These fish stay in rocky areas, rarely swimming into open water. This means the aquarium should be filled with cracks and crevices for them to live.

At first glance, this fish might resemble a front cichlid. These fish are light blue with vertical black stripes. There is no immediately noticeable difference between males and females, though males may be slightly larger and more territorial.

14. Royal Heckel Cross Discus

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• Scientific Name: Symphysodon spp.
• Common Names: Royal heckel cross discus
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Adult Size: 8-12 inches
• Temperament: Generally peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate to Expert
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 84-86° F
• Swimming Level: Middle

Discus are beautiful fish that have been selectively bred to display a variety of colors and patterns. The royal heckel cross discus is a mixture of orange, red, and blue with several vertical black stripes that vary in width. These are a specific variety of discus, so they may be more difficult to find and more expensive.

Discus are challenging aquarium fish. They do best when kept in small groups in a tank of their own. They are highly sensitive to improper water conditions and usually require more maintenance than other fish.

15. Pencil Fish

• Scientific Name: Nannostomus spp.
• Common Names: Pencil fish
• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
• Adult Size: 1-2 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 75–80° F
• Swimming Level: Middle to Top

An unusual schooling fish to find in the average hobbyist’s tank, the pencil fish is named after its swimming behavior that allows them to swim at a 45-degree angle. Pencil fish describes a genus of fish, in which there are almost 20 different species.

Here are some that are available in the aquarium hobby:

• Three-lined pencil fish (Nannostomus trifasciatus)
• Beckford’s pencil fish (Nannostomus beckfordi)
• Purple pencil fish (Nannostomus rubrocaudatus)

These fish mostly feature natural coloration with various browns, yellows, whites, and reds. Most of the species also have one or more horizontal black stripes that trail from the head to the tail.

16. Clown Killifish

• Scientific Name: Epiplatys annulatus
• Common Names: Clown killifish, Banded panchax
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Adult Size: 1-2 inches
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Care Level: Easy
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: West Africa
• Temperature: 68-80° F
• Swimming Level: Top

Killifish are an often overlooked option for the freshwater aquarium. This black and white fish with red fins looks just like a painted clown face! Sometimes, the white is replaced with a pale yellow.

Clown killis are small and easy-to-keep fish that are relatively forgiving of water parameters. They don’t school, but they like to be kept in small groups with one male and several females. Otherwise, clown killifish excel in a heavily planted aquarium with other peaceful tank mates.

17. Black Banded Leporinus

• Scientific Name: Leporinus fasciatus
• Common Names: Black banded leporinus, Banded leporinus
• Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
• Adult Size: 1 foot
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Care Level: Moderate
• Diet: Omnivore
• Origin: South America
• Temperature: 72-82° F
• Swimming Level: Middle to Bottom

A very popular fish several years ago, the black banded leporinus is still a favorite fish with black stripes. These black and yellow fish increase stripes as they age, with juveniles having five bands and adults having ten.

These are very interesting fish that can jump high out of the water. Because of this, a tight aquarium hood is necessary. They are also large fish that are aggressive towards their own species and other similar-looking fish. Black banded leporinus originate from high-flow rivers and need similar conditions in the aquarium setting.

18. Convict Tang

• Family: Acanthuridae
• Size: 8 inches
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Tank Size: 125 gallons
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: No

Convict tangs are a popular saltwater species, possibly because they don’t look like any other tang. These black and white fish have very delicate black stripes along their body. Some individuals may feature varying shades of yellow along their dorsal regions.

Regardless of their appearance, these are still tangs that require a large tank for swimming and grazing. They are one of the more peaceful species of tang available, and other related species might be overly aggressive. It should also be noted that these fish are often sick or stressed when first introduced into the aquarium.

19. Three And Four-Stripe Damselfish

• Family: Pomacentridae
• Size: 2-4 inches
• Origin: Western Pacific
• Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: Yes

Three and four stripe damselfish are a popular addition to the novice’s saltwater aquarium. These are hardy, inexpensive fish that are almost guaranteed to survive all beginner’s mistakes. However, hobbyists quickly find out that these black and white damsel fish are overly aggressive and often need to be rehomed after a few months.

These are the most pure black and white fish available on this list, with white bodies and three or four broad black stripes accordingly. Aggression levels do not vary much between the two species. If you want a less aggressive damsels, try a yellow tail or azure.

20. Black And Gold Chromis Damsel

• Family: Pomacentridae
• Size: 3-5 inches
• Origin: Indo-West Pacific
• Tank Size: 30 gallons
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: No

The black and gold chromis damsel can look a lot different depending on how old your fish is. As a juvenile, this fish is yellow with black stripes that run parallel along the body. As adults, these fish’s faces turn brown while the end half of their body stays yellow.

Black and gold chromis damsels aren’t commonly seen in the aquarium hobby but should be treated as another species of damsel. That means the same levels of aggression but also the same hardiness and ease of keeping.

21. Lionfish

• Family: Scorpaenidae
• Size: <18 inches
• Origin: Indian and Western Pacific Oceans
• Tank Size: 55 gallons
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: No

There is some discussion about keeping these striped marine fish in the aquarium. The lionfish is native to the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans but has since devastated portions of the Western Atlantic Ocean. Regardless, lionfish are a popular addition to the reef tank; these fish can be kept with colorful corals, but tank mates need to be carefully selected in return.

There are many species of lionfish, but most are red and white striped. This coloration continues to the dorsal spines and other fins.

22. Banded Angelfish

• Family: Pomacanthidae
• Size: 4-5 inches
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Tank Size: 75 gallons
• Reef Safe: With caution
• Available As Tank Bred: No

The banded angelfish (video source) is one of the most obvious fish with black stripes on this list! These saltwater angelfish have evenly spaced black and white stripes along the sides of their body. Some individuals have shades of yellow on their bellies.

The banded angelfish is a type of angel, meaning that they may or may not be reef-safe; they may pick at corals and small crustaceans. These black and white fish can be territorial and difficult to feed. Some helpful tips suggest feeding live sponges, making this a difficult fish to keep for inexperienced hobbyists.

If you are looking for a more hardy stripped angelfish (though it’s a yellow not black stripe), you can check out the Asfur Angelfish from the red sea, it gets a lot larger, but adapts better in captivity. A Lamarck Angelfish is also another great alternative.

23. Heniochus Butterflyfish

• Family: Chaetodontidae
• Size: 8-10 inches
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Tank Size: 125 gallons
• Reef Safe: No
• Available As Tank Bred: Yes

The heniochus butterflyfish is an unassuming fish with some special requirements. This is a large black and white striped fish originating from the Indo-Pacific region that cannot be kept with corals. Other species should also be added alongside the heniochus butterfly fish or beforehand as these fish can become aggressive.

If you have the space, the heniochus butterflyfish is bold with a white body, two broad vertical black stripes, and yellow fins.

24. Banggai Cardinalfish

• Family: Apogonidae
• Size: 2-3 inches
• Origin: Banggai Islands, Indonesia
• Tank Size: 10 gallons
• Reef Safe: Yes
• Available As Tank Bred: Yes

An endangered species (though all fish purchased now are tank bred), the Banggai cardinal is a beautiful and easy-to-keep small fish with black stripes. These are signature fish of the reef tank and are perfectly compatible with a variety of corals and community fish. These cardinals can be paired and successfully bred at the hobbyist level.

The Banggai cardinal has two high dorsal fins that extend the appearance of their vertical stripes. These dark stripes are also outlined in a pearlescent white, which further accentuates their appearance.

25. Flame Angelfish

• Family: Pomacanthidae
• Size: 4-6 inches
• Origin: Pacific Ocean
• Tank Size: 75 gallons
• Reef Safe: With Caution
• Available As Tank Bred: No

If you’re looking for a fish with less obvious stripes, then the flame angel might spark some ideas. The flame angelfish is a fish with black stripes, but minimally. By this, we mean that the short, mottled black stripes are more like an accent than a feature of this fish’s bright red and orange coloration.

The flame angelfish is a popular reef fish, though not every individual is safe with corals. Otherwise, these saltwater fish are relatively easy to keep as long as they are added last to the aquarium.

Bonus Species

Here are species we run out of space to write but also have black stripes:

• Sergeant major
• Kribensis
• Bolivian Ram

If we miss a fish you like add it in the comments and we will include it when we update the post.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Stripes are a great way to add interest and color to a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. While some striped fish are black and white, others feature bright colors and interesting patterns alongside defined lines. Before adding a striped fish to your aquarium, make sure that the species is compatible with the other fish in the aquarium.