Coldwater aquarium fish
Coldwater fish are comfortable below the tropical range, so an unheated tank at room temperature suits them. Goldfish are the classic, but White Cloud minnows, weather loaches and paradise fish belong here too. Each profile lists the temperature range and tank size a species needs.
111 species
African Butterfly Barb
Barbus hulstaerti1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)63–75°F (17–24°C)
American Flagfish
Jordanella floridae2.2 in (5.5 cm)18 gal (70 L)63–73°F (17–23°C)
Arabian toothcarp
Aphanius dispar2.8 in (7 cm)30 gal (115 L)59–86°F (15–30°C)
Argentine Pearl Killifish
Austrolebias nigripinnis2.8 in (7 cm)18 gal (70 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Argentine pearlfish
Austrolebias bellottii2.8 in (7 cm)14 gal (54 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Asian banjo catfish
Acrochordonichthys rugosus4.3 in (11 cm)25 gal (95 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Asian stone catfish
Hara jerdoni1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Badis
Badis badis2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Banded darter
Etheostoma zonale3.1 in (7.8 cm)26 gal (100 L)59–70°F (15–21°C)
Banded sunfish
Enneacanthus obesus3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–72°F (18–22°C)
Bengal danio
Devario devario3.5 in (9 cm)34 gal (130 L)59–81°F (15–27°C)
Black Moor
Carassius auratus7.9 in (20 cm)25 gal (95 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Blackbanded sunfish
Enneacanthus chaetodon3.9 in (10 cm)20 gal (75 L)39–75°F (4–24°C)Blackfin goodea
Goodea atripinnis7.1 in (18 cm)53 gal (200 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Blue snakehead
Channa andrao5.5 in (14 cm)29 gal (110 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Blue spotted hill trout
Barilius bakeri5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Bluefin killifish
Lucania goodei2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Bluegill Sunfish
Lepomis macrochirus13.8 in (35 cm)70 gal (265 L)41–73°F (5–23°C)
Brook stickleback
Culaea inconstans1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)50–68°F (10–20°C)
Bubble Eye
Carassius auratus5.9 in (15 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)Bumblebee goodeid
Allotoca dugesii2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Burmese Badis
Badis ruber2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Butterfly Loach
Beaufortia kweichowensis3 in (7.5 cm)25 gal (95 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Celestial Eye
Carassius auratus5.9 in (15 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)
Chanchito
Australoheros facetus8.7 in (22 cm)53 gal (200 L)59–79°F (15–26°C)
Channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus39.4 in (100 cm)1,057 gal (4,000 L)50–86°F (10–30°C)Chinese butterfly loach
Pseudogastromyzon cheni2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Climbing perch
Anabas testudineus7.9 in (20 cm)40 gal (150 L)59–86°F (15–30°C)
Clown Barb
Barbodes everetti4.7 in (12 cm)40 gal (150 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Comet
Carassius auratus11.8 in (30 cm)50 gal (190 L)39–75°F (4–24°C)
Common goldfish
Carassius auratus7.9 in (20 cm)24 gal (90 L)39–82°F (4–28°C)Crocodile Catfish
Bagarius suchus27.6 in (70 cm)660 gal (2,500 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)
Crucian carp
Carassius carassius11.8 in (30 cm)119 gal (450 L)39–75°F (4–24°C)
Desert goby
Chlamydogobius eremius2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Doctor Fish
Garra rufa4.7 in (12 cm)29 gal (110 L)57–68°F (14–20°C)
Duboulayi's rainbowfish
Melanotaenia duboulayi4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (115 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Dusky millions fish
Phalloceros caudimaculatus2.4 in (6 cm)12 gal (45 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Dwarf snakehead
Channa gachua7.9 in (20 cm)40 gal (150 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Eastern mosquitofish
Gambusia holbrooki3.1 in (8 cm)11 gal (40 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
European Bitterling
Rhodeus amarus3.9 in (10 cm)34 gal (130 L)55–72°F (13–22°C)
European minnow
Phoxinus phoxinus5.1 in (13 cm)45 gal (170 L)54–68°F (12–20°C)
European Perch
Perca fluviatilis19.7 in (50 cm)119 gal (450 L)50–72°F (10–22°C)
Everglades pygmy sunfish
Elassoma evergladei1.3 in (3.4 cm)8 gal (30 L)54–82°F (12–28°C)
Eyespot gourami
Parasphaerichthys ocellatus1.4 in (3.5 cm)12 gal (45 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Fantail
Carassius auratus7.1 in (18 cm)20 gal (75 L)59–73°F (15–23°C)
Fathead minnow
Pimephales promelas3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)50–72°F (10–22°C)
Fighting gaucho
Cynopoecilus melanotaenia1.8 in (4.5 cm)5 gal (20 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Freshwater blenny
Salaria fluviatilis5.9 in (15 cm)25 gal (95 L)54–68°F (12–20°C)
Gilt darter
Percina evides3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)59–70°F (15–21°C)
Gold barb
Barbodes semifasciolatus2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Gold ring danio
Danio tinwini1.2 in (3 cm)11 gal (40 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Goldbreast splitfin
Ilyodon furcidens3.9 in (10 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Golden dwarf barb
Pethia gelius1.6 in (4 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Golden Topminnow
Fundulus chrysotus3 in (7.5 cm)22 gal (85 L)59–75°F (15–24°C)
Goonch
Bagarius yarrelli78.7 in (200 cm)1,057 gal (4,000 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Guntea loach
Lepidocephalichthys guntea4.7 in (12 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata2.4 in (6 cm)13 gal (50 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Horseface loach
Acantopsis dialuzona7.9 in (20 cm)55 gal (210 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)Jeweled splitfin
Xenotoca variata2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)
Koi
Cyprinus rubrofuscus23.6 in (60 cm)264 gal (1,000 L)39–81°F (4–27°C)
Lake Inle danio
Devario auropurpureus3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Lionhead
Carassius auratus7.1 in (18 cm)25 gal (95 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Malabar danio
Devario malabaricus5.1 in (13 cm)48 gal (180 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Medaka
Oryzias latipes1.4 in (3.5 cm)9 gal (35 L)61–72°F (16–22°C)
Northern Studfish
Fundulus catenatus5.9 in (15 cm)37 gal (140 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Odessa Barb
Pethia padamya1.8 in (4.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)
Ogowe killifish
Aphyosemion ogoense2 in (5 cm)11 gal (40 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)
Oranda
Carassius auratus9.8 in (25 cm)30 gal (114 L)61–73°F (16–23°C)
Orange-spotted snakehead
Channa aurantimaculata15.7 in (40 cm)119 gal (450 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Orangethroat darter
Etheostoma spectabile2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)59–68°F (15–20°C)
Ornate rainbowfish
Rhadinocentrus ornatus2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)Panda loach
Yaoshania pachychilus2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Paradise fish
Macropodus opercularis3.1 in (8 cm)25 gal (95 L)50–72°F (10–22°C)
Peacock snakehead
Channa pulchra11.8 in (30 cm)74 gal (280 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Pearl danio
Danio albolineatus2.4 in (6 cm)18 gal (70 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)
Pearlscale
Carassius auratus7.1 in (18 cm)25 gal (95 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Persian toothcarp
Paraphanius mento2.6 in (6.5 cm)29 gal (110 L)59–86°F (15–30°C)
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Lepomis gibbosus9.8 in (25 cm)70 gal (265 L)41–73°F (5–23°C)
Rainbow darter
Etheostoma caeruleum2.8 in (7 cm)25 gal (95 L)50–64°F (10–18°C)
Rainbow goodeid
Characodon lateralis2.4 in (6 cm)15 gal (57 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Rainbow shiner
Notropis chrosomus3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)50–72°F (10–22°C)
Rainbow snakehead
Channa bleheri7.9 in (20 cm)42 gal (160 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Ranchu
Carassius auratus7.1 in (18 cm)25 gal (95 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Red hillstream loach
Beaufortia leveretti3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Red shiner
Cyprinella lutrensis3.5 in (9 cm)36 gal (135 L)57–77°F (14–25°C)
Redline Torpedo Barb
Sahyadria denisonii4.3 in (11 cm)53 gal (200 L)59–77°F (15–25°C)
Redtail splitfin
Xenotoca eiseni2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Relict splitfin
Xenoophorus captivus2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Rosy barb
Pethia conchonius2.8 in (7 cm)24 gal (90 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Rosy bitterling
Rhodeus ocellatus3.1 in (8 cm)21 gal (80 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Round-tail paradise fish
Macropodus ocellatus3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Ryukin
Carassius auratus7.9 in (20 cm)25 gal (95 L)61–73°F (16–23°C)Sailfin cory
Scleromystax macropterus3.5 in (9 cm)44 gal (165 L)64–70°F (18–21°C)
Scarlet goby
Rhinogobius zhoui1.6 in (4 cm)12 gal (45 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Shubunkin
Carassius auratus11.8 in (30 cm)50 gal (190 L)39–75°F (4–24°C)
Silver flying fox
Crossocheilus reticulatus6.3 in (16 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
Southern redbelly dace
Phoxinus erythrogaster3.9 in (10 cm)61 gal (230 L)57–70°F (14–21°C)Spanish toothcarp
Valencia hispanica3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)54–79°F (12–26°C)
Spined loach
Cobitis taenia4.3 in (11 cm)32 gal (120 L)39–68°F (4–20°C)
Spotted danio
Danio nigrofasciatus1.5 in (3.7 cm)11 gal (40 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Spotted hoplo
Megalechis thoracata5.9 in (15 cm)40 gal (150 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Stoliczka's barb
Pethia stoliczkana2 in (5 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Stripefin eartheater
Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Three-spined stickleback
Gasterosteus aculeatus3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)50–64°F (10–18°C)
Ticto barb
Pethia ticto2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Vietnamese white cloud
Tanichthys micagemmae1.2 in (3 cm)12 gal (45 L)64–73°F (18–23°C)
Weather Loach
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus11 in (28 cm)55 gal (210 L)50–73°F (10–23°C)
Western Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis3 in (7.5 cm)7 gal (25 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)
White Cloud Mountain minnow
Tanichthys albonubes1.6 in (4 cm)12 gal (45 L)57–72°F (14–22°C)
White-cheek goby
Rhinogobius duospilus2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)61–75°F (16–24°C)
Zebra danio
Danio rerio2 in (5 cm)15 gal (55 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
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