Species · Care guides

Aquarium species care guides

Care details for freshwater, brackish and saltwater fish, shrimp, snails and corals. Pick a category, or search for a species by name.

Planting the tank too? Read the plant care guides →

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  2,230

  Freshwater aquarium fish

  Community and species tanks, from tetras to cichlids.

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  364

  Saltwater aquarium fish

  Marine fish for FOWLR and reef tanks.

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  49

  Brackish aquarium fish

  Scats, monos, puffers and other fish for low-salinity setups.

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  538

  Cichlids

  From dwarf apistos to African and New World cichlids.

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  148

  Tetras

  Classic schooling fish, from neons to Congo tetras.

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  117

  Corydoras and armored catfish

  Peaceful bottom-sifting catfish that live in groups.

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  126

  Plecos and suckermouth catfish

  Suckermouth catfish, from otos to gentle giants.

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  50

  Livebearers

  Guppies, mollies, platies and their wild relatives.

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  131

  Bettas and gouramis

  Labyrinth fish that breathe air at the surface.

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  140

  Loaches

  Bottom-dwelling characters, from kuhlis to hillstreams.

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  78

  Betta fish

  Show bettas and their wild Betta relatives.

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  66

  Gouramis

  Labyrinth fish, from honey gouramis to giants.

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  2

  Goldfish

  Common, comet and the round fancy varieties.

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  149

  Barbs, danios and rasboras

  Active schooling cyprinids for a planted community.

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  65

  Rainbowfish care

  Shimmering schoolers, from big melanotaenias to nano blue-eyes.

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  70

  Killifish

  Jewel-colored egg-layers, annual and non-annual.

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  10

  Snakeheads

  Air-breathing predators, from dwarf channa to giants.

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  34

  Aquarium eels

  Freshwater spiny eels and saltwater morays.

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  31

  Pufferfish

  Freshwater, brackish and marine puffers with real personality.

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  10

  Freshwater sharks

  Shark-shaped cyprinids and catfish, from rainbow sharks to balas.

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  15

  Clownfish

  Hardy reef fish, from ocellaris to the bold maroons.

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  51

  Saltwater angelfish

  Dwarf and large marine angels for reef and FOWLR tanks.

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  30

  Wrasses

  Active reef fish, from fairy wrasses to cleaners.

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  26

  Tangs and surgeonfish

  Reef grazers that need swimming room.

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  109

  Gobies

  Small bottom-dwellers, from peacock gudgeons to shrimp gobies.

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  11

  Triggerfish

  Bold FOWLR fish with big personalities.

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  23

  Seahorses and pipefish

  Slow specialists, from marine seahorses to freshwater pipefish.

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  41

  Aquarium shrimp

  Cleanup crews and colorful nano shrimp.

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  50

  Aquarium snails

  Algae grazers and detritus cleaners.

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  115

  Aquarium corals

  Soft corals, LPS and SPS for reef tanks.

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  16

  Reef aquarium anemones

  Host anemones for clownfish, from bubble tips to carpets.

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  10

  Aquarium clams

  Giant clams for the reef, plus the freshwater gold clam.

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  48

  Saltwater clean-up crew

  Snails, crabs and shrimp that keep a reef tidy.

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  99

  Freshwater clean-up crew

  Snails, shrimp and crabs that handle algae and leftovers.

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  100

  Freshwater aquarium invertebrates

  Shrimp, snails, crabs, crayfish and clams for freshwater tanks.

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  118

  Marine aquarium invertebrates

  Cleaner shrimp, snails, crabs, anemones, clams and echinoderms.

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  253

  Beginner freshwater fish

  Hardy, peaceful fish for a first freshwater tank.

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  102

  Beginner saltwater fish

  Hardy marine fish for a first saltwater tank.

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  389

  Advanced freshwater fish

  Delicate and specialist freshwater species for experienced keepers.

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  81

  Advanced saltwater fish

  Marine species that need an established tank and a keeper who has done this before.

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  192

  Reef-safe aquarium fish

  Fish that leave corals and inverts alone.

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  51

  FOWLR aquarium fish

  Not reef safe: the fish for a fish-only saltwater tank.

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  185

  Nano freshwater fish

  Small fish for tanks around 10 gallons.

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  22

  Nano saltwater fish

  Tiny reef fish for tanks around 10 gallons.

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  698

  Schooling freshwater fish

  Fish that need a group to feel secure.

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  987

  Peaceful community fish

  Peaceful species that mix well.

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  1,101

  Bottom-dwelling aquarium fish

  Catfish, loaches and others that work the lower level.

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  191

  Coldwater aquarium fish

  Species comfortable in an unheated tank.

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  35

  Algae eaters

  The fish, shrimp and snails that graze algae.

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  157

  Freshwater monster fish

  Tank busters that reach 16 inches and up.

• Browse all2,939 species →

Some species live in partnerships. Symbiotic relationships in the aquarium →