List of Aquarium Fish Species by Common Name

By
Shirlie Sharpe
Shirlie Sharpe
Shirlie Sharpe is an aquatic expert and writer with over three decades of experience keeping and raising ornamental fish. She has consulted with The Minnesota Zoo and the National Aquarium. Shirlie has also authored a book on setting up aquariums.
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Updated on 07/02/22
Reviewed by
Nick Saint-Erne
Nick Saint-Erne, DVM
Reviewed by Nick Saint-Erne
Dr. Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, is a highly accomplished veterinarian and writer who has treated zoo animals and exotic pets for more than 35 years. He has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve pet store animal care among other endeavors. Dr. Saint-Erne is part of The Spruce Pets' veterinary review board.
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Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel
Tropical fish swimming in aquarium outside kitchen

Hoxton / Tom Merton / Getty Images

A complete alphabetical listing of all the fish species in the world would have at least 30,000 items, and those are just the official saltwater and tropical fish names. Many fish—especially popular varieties for aquariums—also have any number of nicknames. For example, the Corydoras metae, or bandit cory, is also known as a bandit catfish, masked cory, Meta River catfish, and Rio Meta cory. The following (partial) list of aquarium fish names includes many of the most popular ones, from A to Z.

A

  • Adolfo's cory
  • Adonis tetra
  • African peacock cichlid
  • Angelfish
Angel fish
Jakraphan Inchukul / Getty Images

B

Blood parrot fishes
Pornpimon Lekudom / Getty Images

C

Cardinal tetra fish
DEA / C. DANI / Getty Images

D

Dwarf pencilfish
Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images

E

  • Eartheater
  • Eastern mudminnow
  • Edible gourami
  • Eduard's mbuna
  • Ell loach
  • Egyptian mouthbrooder
  • Eight-barb loach
  • Electric blue hap
Electric Blue Hap

Reimar Gaertner / UIG / Getty Images

  • Electric catfish
  • Electric yellow haplochromis
  • Elegant rasbora
  • Elephant-nose
  • Emperor tetra

F

  • Fairy cichlid
  • False bumblebee catfish
  • Fathead bichir
  • Fighting fish
Siamese fighting fish in a tank
DEA / C. DANI / Getty Images

G

Kissing Gourami fish
Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images

H

Harlequin rasbora
Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images
  • Harlequin shark
  • Harrison's pencilfish
  • Hatchetfish
  • Heterotis bonytongue
  • Hi-fin banded shark

J

  • Jack Dempsey cichlid
  • Jae barb
  • Jaguar catfish
  • Jelly bean tetra
  • Jewel cichlid
Jewel Cichlid
Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images
  • Johanni mbuna cichlid
  • Jordan's catfish
  • Jumping characin

K

Kribensis
Jerry Young / Getty Images

L

Labidochromis yellow fish
Christian Hutter / Getty Images

M

N

  • Nandus
  • Needle fin eater
  • Needlefish
Needlefish
Daniela Dirscherl / Getty Images

O

  • Obese syndontis
  • Obliquidens hap
  • Obscure snakehead
  • Ocellated freshwater stingray
  • Ocellated shell-dweller
  • Ocellated synodontis
  • Opaline gourami
  • Oxeye herring
  • Ozola barb

P

Pearl Gourami
Bruno Cavignaux​ / Getty Images

R

Boesemani rainbowfish
Ko Hungyu / Eyeem / Getty Images

S

Siamese fighting fish
Quang Nguyen Duc / EyeEm / Getty Images

T

Emperor Tetra
Quentin Martinez / Getty Images

U

Unicorn fish
Dave Fleetham / Design Pics / Getty Images 

V

  • Vampire pleco
  • Variegated platy
  • Variegated shark
  • Venustus
  • Violet goby

W

Y

  • Yellow banded moenkhausia
  • Yellow Julie cichlid
  • Yellow king piranha
  • Yellow kribensis
  • Yellow lab
  • Yellow regal peacock cichlid
  • Yellow-finned xenotilapia
  • Yellow-tailed conga tetra
  • Yo-yo loach

Z

Zebra Danio
 isoft / Getty Images
FAQ
  • What is the best fish for a beginner?

    If you are new to freshwater aquariums, there are plenty of choices that will make it easy to begin. Besides the common goldfish, consider these pretty fish with equally colorful personalities to get started:

    • Angelfish
    • Barbs
    • Betta
    • Neon tetra
    • Platies
    • Rasboras
    • Zebra danio


  • Which fish is most playful?

    Pufferfish are the most fun-loving fish to watch thanks to their inflating antics and facial expressions. They are also eager to meet new arrivals, and seem to want to play with you by darting around the tank.

  • What is the best fish for a small tank?

    If you have a small or miniature tank, you will need small fish. You won't be disappointed with the choices you have, which include the following tiny fish with big personalities: