Species Name: Lepidarchus adonis
Origin: African streams
Size: 3cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Quite easy to breed egg layer providing that they are kept in a species tank containing soft water. Should only be kept with small peaceful fish or they will get stressed.
ALBINO CORYDORAS:
Species Name: Corydoras aeneus
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food plus special catfish food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: This fish is basically and albino version of the Bronze Corydoras. Egg depositing females are usually fatter than males. Breed quite well but tiny fry are usually eaten in community tank. Best kept in groups. Good scavengers picking up food that reaches the bottom of the tank.
AMERICAN FLAGFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Jordanella floridae
Origin: N American Lakes
Size: 7.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Females are less colourful than males. Fairly easy to breed with the male guarding the eggs.
AMIET'S KILLIFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Aphyosemion amieti
Origin: Tropical African streams
Size: 7cm
Temperament: Shoaling
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Quite difficult to sex and to breed. Best kept with only one male and two or three females to a tank.
ARCHER FISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Toxotes jaculator
Origin: S. Asian and Australian coastal rivers
Size: 25cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Carnivore aquarium food and insects
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. In the wild this fish catches insects by leaping up to 30cm out of the water so a very strong hood is required.
ARMOURED CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Callichthys callichthys
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful, shy
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Needs hiding places during the day. Difficult to sex but if they breed the male will guard the eggs and grunt at other fish that come near.
AUSTRALIAN FIRE GOBY: Picture Required
Species Name: Hypseleotris compressus
Origin: Australian coastal waters (brackish and fresh water)
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Males are quite colourful, females are golden brown. Difficult to breed.
Species Name: Hemigrammus ocellifer
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex but egg laying females are slightly plumper. Do breed in the tank but usually all the eggs will be eaten. Look best when kept in groups.
BENI PYRRHULINA: Picture Required
Species Name: Pyrrhulina beni
Origin: Beni River in Bolivia
Size: 7cm
Temperament: Mostly peaceful but males can sometimes fight
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Egg laying females have bigger belly and the top of their caudal (tail) fin is larger than the bottom. Still quite rare in the UK.
BLACK NEON TETRA:
Species Name: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 4.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Prefer soft, slightly acid water. Rarely bred in the home aquarium. Difficult to sex but females are slightly wider when viewed from above. Should be kept in groups of at least six fish.
BLACK PHANTOM TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Megalamphodus megalopterus
Origin: S American streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and Middle
Notes: Difficult to breed as they require very specific tank set up and even when they do spawn the parents often eat the eggs. Females have a reddish tint to some of their fins.
BLACK RUBY BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus nigrofasciatus
Origin: S Asian streams
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle & bottom
Notes: Normally difficult to sex but during breeding the males change colour quite a bit turning almost pink with a purple head. Very easy to breed.
BLACK SHARK: Picture Required
Species Name: Morulius chrysophekadion
Origin: S.E. Asian waters
Size: 50cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Algae and green food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed egg layer. Needs at least a six foot tank to thrive and bigger still is better. Young examples are speckled turning black as they grow.
BLACK WIDOW: Picture Required
Species Name: Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Egg laying females are plumper and have some red in their fins, males have a more pointed dorsal (top) fin. A good starter fish that is easy to breed. Prefers a lot of plant growth.
BLACK WINGED HATCHETFISH: 
Species Name: Carnegiella marthae
Origin: S. American streams
Size: 4cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Needs a tank with a good hood as these fish can jump quite high out of the water. Difficult to sex but can be bred if a group are kept together. Often kept for their unusual shape.
BLEEDING HEART TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 7cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Very popular egg layers. Males often have concave anal fin and larger dorsal fin. Difficult to breed. Need lots of swimming space.
BLIND CAVE FISH: 
Thanks to Shirlie Sharpe
Species Name: Astyanax fasciatus mexicannus
Origin: C. American cave waters
Size: 9cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Easy to recognise due to it's lack of eyes. Difficult to sex and to breed.
BOESMAN'S RAINBOWFISH: 
Species Name: Melanotaenia boesmani
Origin: S.E. Asian streams and lakes
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Males are more colourful than females. May spawn if kept in hard and slightly alkaline water.
BRONZE CORYDORAS: 
Species Name: Corydoras aeneus
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food plus special catfish food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Egg depositing females are usually fatter than males. Breed quite well but tiny fry are usually eaten in community tank. Best kept in groups. Good scavengers picking up food that reaches the bottom of the tank.
BUENOS AIRES TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Hemigrammus caudovittatus
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 9cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and top
Notes: A very easy fish to keep. The female is usually larger than the male.
BUTTERFLYFISH: 
Species Name: Pantodon buchholzi
Origin: Tropical African still waters
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Mostly carnivore aquarium food and live fish
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: These fish can jump so a good hood is required. Will eat any smaller fish in the tank.
Species Name: Paracheirodon axelrodi
Origin: S. American slow waters
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Egg laying females have deeper bodies. Very popular due to their colours but difficult to breed at home because the require specially set up water (soft and slightly acidic).
CHECKER BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus oligolepis
Origin: S E Asian streams & rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Fairly easy to sex, males usually have speckled scales beneath the dark band on their sides and black edging to their fins. Females have slightly yellow fins.
CHOCOLATE GOURAMI: Picture Required
Species Name: Sphaerichthys osphromenoides
Origin: S E Asian streams
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Shy
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: This mouth brooder is best if kept in a species tank.
CLOWN LOACH: 
Species Name: Botia macracantha
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex but can sometimes breed in the home tank. Need careful handling as they can be injured when netted. These fish are often kept only one to a tank which is cruel as they like the company of their own kind. Keep four or more in a large aquarium.
CLOWN RASPORA: Picture Required
Species Name: Raspora kalachroma
Origin: S. E. Asian streams & rivers
Size: 9cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: This quite colourful fish likes lots of big leaf plants to swim around.
CONGO TETRA: 
Thanks to Shirlie Sharpe
Species Name: Micralestes interruptus
Origin: African Waters
Size: 11cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Easy to breed egg scatterer. The males have longer dorsal fins and have longer extensions to the caudal (tail) fin.
COOLIE LOACH: Picture Required
Species Name: Acanthophthalmus kuhlii
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 11cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Most aquarium food and carnivore food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Very difficult to sex and to breed. A colourful fish that is a real pain to catch unless you remove all tank ornaments and are good with a net.
CROAKING GOURAMI: Picture Required
Species Name: Trichopsis vittatus
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex but fairly easy to breed. Makes a croaking noise during spawning. requires lots of plants to hide in.
CROSSOCHEILUS: Picture Required
Species Name: Crossocheilus oblongus
Origin: S E Asian streams
Size: 16cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Mainly herbivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Fairly good algae eater that likes the odd bloodworm and other live treats. Not yet bred in home aquarium and difficult to sex but some males develop head tubercles when ready to breed.
CUMING'S BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus cumingi
Origin: S E Asian streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle & bottom
Notes: Males are slimmer than females and are usually more colourful. Tends to eat soft leaved plants. Can be bred in the aquarium but as usual eggs will be eaten unless you remove all the adult fish.
Species Name: Moenkhausia pittieri
Origin: S. American lakes
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top & middle
Notes: Very active shoaling fish. Males usually have longer anal & dorsal fins. Difficult to breed in a community tank.
DWARF ARGENTINE PEARLFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Cynolebias nigripinnis
Origin: S. American streams & rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Females are usually blue-grey, males are darker. Males also have silver speckles on their body and fins when spawning. Difficult to breed because eggs need very special treatment to hatch.
DWARF GOURAMI:
Species Name: Colisa lalia
Origin: S. Asian sluggish waters
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Females are usually less colourful than the males. Males build bubble nest for female to lay eggs in. Breed quite well in aquarium. Males tend to protect the nest against other fish.
DWARF SUCKER CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Otocinclus affinis
Origin: S. American streams & rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Herbivore aquarium food including algae wafers
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex & to breed. This little fish is an excellent algae eater. Good for smaller (18") tanks providing they have a few hiding places.
EIGHT-BANDED LEPORINUS: Picture Required
Species Name: Leporinus octofasciatum
Origin: S. American streams
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex & to breed egg layer. Prefers quite slow water movement.
ELEGANT RASPORA: 
Species Name: Raspora elegans
Origin: S. Asian waters
Size: 13cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Difficult to sex & breed egg layer. Needs quite a large aquarium with lots of plants and plenty of swimming space.
EMBER BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus melanympyx
Origin: S E Asian streams
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Males tend to be a darker pink colour between the bands of black. Females are more silver in colour.
FILAMENT BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus filamentosa
Origin: S. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Males have filaments on the first few rays of the dorsal fin. Very good egglaying breeders. Can cope with tank temperatures as low as 60° F.
FIRE RASPORA: Picture Required
Species Name: Raspora vaterifloris
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 4cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Females are often deeper bodied. Good fish for smaller aquariums but needs to be kept in groups of six or more for the best shoaling effect.
Species Name: Danio aequipinnatus
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Mostly peaceful shoaling but can be aggressive with smaller fish
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and top
Notes: Very easy to sex egg layers. The females are plumper and the yellow lines that run along their bodies curve up at their caudal (tail) fin. The lines on males are straight. Fairly easy to breed but as with most egg layers most of the eggs will be eaten. Should be kept in shoals of at least 6 fish in a large tank.
GIANT GOURAMI: Picture Required
Species Name: Colisa fasciata
Origin: S. Asian slow moving waters
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Females are not as brightly coloured as males. Males have a pointed anal fin, females is rounded. Can be captive bred providing females are removed after spawning.
GLASS BLOODFIN: Picture Required
Species Name: Prionobrama filigera
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Easy to sex egg layers as the male has a deep red caudal (tail) fin while females have only a reddish tint. Easy to breed if they are in quite soft water. They like swimming in flowing water so best kept in a tank with some kind of power filter or power head.
GLASS CATFISH: 
Thanks To
Species Name: Kryptopterus bicirrhis
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 10cm
temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. Should be kept in a large group. Very active fish during daytime.
GLOWLIGHT TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Hemigrammus erythrozonus
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Egg laying females tend to be plumper than males. Like lots of plants. They will eat their eggs given the chance.
GOLDEN DWARF BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus gelius
Origin: S Asian streams & rivers
Size: 4cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex but the males sometimes have a red tint to their caudal peduncle (the part of the fish that the tail fin is attached to). This fish can survive fairly low water temperatures for short periods.
Species Name: Raspora heteromorpha
Origin: S.E. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 4cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Females are much plumper. Deposits eggs on the underside of broad leaf plants so these are required for breeding.
INDIAN GLASSFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Chanda ranga
Origin: S. Asian estuarine waters
Size: 7cm
Temperament: Peaceful & shy
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Very difficult to sex & breed. Needs a species tank to thrive.
Species Name: Helostoma temmincki
Origin: S. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 20cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex but will breed in aquarium. Kissing action usually occurs when adult fish are fighting over territory prior to spawning.
LEMON FINNED BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus daruphani
Origin: S E Asian lakes
Size: 20cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: This difficult to sex fish tends to change colour as it grows from an olive colour to grey, so as with humans, if you want one to last don't get one that has gone grey
LEOPARD DANIO:
Species Name: Brachydanio frankei
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Mostly peaceful shoaling but can be a fin nipper
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Easy to sex as the egg laying females are larger and plumper than the males. Reasonably easy to breed but eggs tend to be eaten by tank inhabitants including parents. If possible, remove fry when they are seen swimming to a well matured tank. Available in long and short fin varieties.
LIPSTICK LEPORINUS: Picture Required
Species Name: Leporinus arcus
Origin: S American streams
Size: 40cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Not a good fish for tanks without hoods as they are good jumpers. Difficult to sex.
LONGNOSED ELEPHANT FISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Gnathonemus petersi
Origin: Tropical African rivers
Size: 24cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: A difficult fish to keep successfully in the home aquarium as it is sensitive to even slight changes in water quality. Some tank remedies are dangerous to this fish so check labels before adding them to the tank. Needs a soft substrate to search for food in. This fish is nocturnal.
MARBLED HEADSTANDER: Picture Required
Species Name: Abramites hypselonotus
Origin: S American streams & rivers
Size: 13cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Herbivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Best if kept in a species tank although males will sometimes fight each other. Tends to eat all of the plants in the tank.
MYERS HATCHETFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Carnegiella myersi
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 2.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. Needs a strong tank hood as it can jump.
Species Name: Paracheirodon innesi
Origin: S. American streams
Size: 2.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: All
Notes: A very hardy fish which can be found in most community tanks. Very difficult to breed in the home aquarium. The egg laying females are slightly plumper than the males. Need to be kept in groups of six or more to see them at their best.
Species Name: Barbus bariloides
Origin: S African waters
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed.
ORANGE FINNED LOACH: 
Species Name: Botia modesta
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful shy
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Also known as Blue Botia and Red Tail Botia. Difficult to sex and to breed. Tends to hide during the day but may show itself if bloodworm or similar is put in tank. Eats snails.
ORNATE CTENOPOMA: Picture Required
Species Name: Ctenopoma ansorgei
Origin: African Waters
Size: 7.5cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Males have a more pointed dorsal fin and become more colourful during breeding. Can be bred if they are kept alone in a well planted tank with little water movement.
PACU: 
Thanks to Shirlie Sharpe
Species Name: Colossoma bidens
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 40cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Aquarium herbivore food plus fruit and vegetables
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Looks like a piranha but has a smaller head. Forget about breeding unless you have and enormous tank.
PEARL DANIO: 
Thanks To
Species Name: Brachydanio albolineatus
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Egg laying females tend to have a deeper body. Often become more colourful when spawning. Best kept in a tank with a good hood as this fish can leap out of the water.
PENGUIN TETRA: 
Species Name: Thayeria boehlkei
Origin: S. American streams
Size: 7cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Egg laying females are plumper especially when spawning. Breeds quite well in the home aquarium.
PEPPERED CORYDORAS:
Species Name: Corydoras paleatus
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food plus special catfish food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Egg depositing females are usually fatter than males. Breed quite well but tiny fry are usually eaten in community tank. Best kept in groups. Good scavengers picking up food that reaches the bottom of the tank.
PRETTY PECKOLTIA: Picture Required
Species Name: Peckoltia pulcher
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful but territorial
Food: Herbivore aquarium food that has a high algae content
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Personally, I think that the name is a slight fib as this fish is quite ugly. Difficult to sex. Very good algae eater that needs a lot of space. Best to have only one to a tank.
PRETTY TETRA: 
Species Name: Hemigrammus pulcher
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: As with most egg layers, the females tend to be plumper. Needs a very well planted tank to breed.
RED-BELLIED PIRANHA: 
Thanks To
Species Name: Serrasalmus nattereri
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Carnivore aquarium food with lots of live food including smaller fish
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex. Will breed in a well filtered tank. Should only be kept with their own kind. Do not put your hand in the tank. Need an enormous tank with a strong hood.
RED FINNED SHARK: Picture Required
Species Name: Labeo erythrurus
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Most herbivore aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex. Best if only one to a tank. Needs plenty of hiding places such as flower pots.
RED PENCILFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Nannostomus beckfordi
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Difficult to sex egg layers. Rear of males turns red during spawning.
RED-SPOTTED COPEINA: Picture Required
Species Name: Copeina guttata
Origin: S American streams and rivers
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Rear of males is green-blue. Females are smaller and less colourful. Easy to breed in soft water with males guarding the eggs.
RED STRIPED RASPORA: Picture Required
Species Name: Raspora pauciperforata
Origin: S.E. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Egg laying females are more rounded. Needs a very well planted aquarium with good sized shoaling areas. Best if kept in large groups.
RED TAILED BLACK SHARK: 
Species Name: Labeo bicolor
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Aggressive to its own kind and smaller fish
Food: Most herbivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: A fish with a common name that describes it perfectly. Best if only one to a tank. Needs lots of hiding places or it will attack other tank inhabitants.
REEDFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Calamoichthys calabaricus
Origin: African streams
Size: 38cm
Temperament: Shy
Food: Carnivore aquarium food and small fish
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Females have up to 12 rays in their anal fin, males can have up to 14. Not yet bred in the home aquarium.
ROLOFF'S BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus roloffi
Origin: S E Asian streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Males tend to be brighter than females and they are thinner. As with most fish a good sign of health is strongly held fins
ROSY BARB: 
Species Name: Barbus conchonius
Origin: S. Asian rivers
Size: 7.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Males have a reddish hue to their fins, females have less fin colour and are plumper. Very good first time breeder if parents and other fish can to be removed after egg scattering.
RUBY SHARK: Picture Required
Species Name: Labeo frenatus
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: All aquarium food but prefers herbivore food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Males are usually slimmer and have a darker anal fin.
RUMMY-NOSE TETRA: 
Thanks To
Species Name: Hemigrammes rhodostomus
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful and shy
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Mostly bottom
Notes: Not easy to sex. Needs lots of plants and other hiding places. Not a good first fish as it requires very careful water changes.
Species Name: Scatophagus argus
Origin: S. E. Asian & Australian coastal waters
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Middle & Bottom
Notes: A good scavenger that has a liking for vegetables. Needs sea salt added to the tank as it's natural habitat is in brackish water.
SCISSORTAIL: Picture Required
Species Name: Raspora trilineata
Origin: S E Asian streams & rivers
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top and middle
Notes: Males are slimmer and have a more intense colour when spawning.
SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH:
Species Name: Betta splendens
Origin: S. Asian sluggish waters
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful providing only one male is in the tank
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Very easy to sex as the females are usually brown with shorter fins, males are very colourful (see picture). Males build a nest made up of air bubbles for the female to lay her eggs in. Two males in a tank will fight constantly. Not a fish that will last long, they usually die after only 1 year.
SIAMESE FLYING FOX: 
Thanks to Shirlie Sharpe
Species Name: Epalzeorhychus siamensis
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 14cm
Temperament: Peaceful if only one to a tank
Food: Mostly eats algae and algae enriched aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex. Better if only one example is kept since they are very intolerant of their own species. Almost impossible to breed in the home aquarium.
SILVER DOLLAR: 
Thanks to Shirlie Sharpe
Species Name: Mylossoma pluriventre
Origin: S. American lakes
Size: 20cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: Herbivore aquarium food and soft leaved plants
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Difficult to sex and breed. Needs a very large tank so that several of them can be kept together. Will eat most aquarium plants.
SILVER HATCHETFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Gasteropelecus sternicla
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: Most aquarium foods plus insects
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Difficult to sex and breed. Needs a good lid on the tank as they can jump.
SILVER NEEDLEFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Xenentodon cancila
Origin: E. Asian streams
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: This fish will hunt any small fish in the tank. A strong lid is required as they have been known to leap out of uncovered tanks.
SILVER SHARK: Picture Required
Species Name: Balantiocheilus melanopterus
Origin: S.E. Asian streams
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Not very easy to sex but quite easy to breed. Needs a very large tank with a strong hood as they can jump. Best kept in groups of at least three.
SILVER TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Ctenobrycon spilurus
Origin: S. American waters
Size: 9cm
Temperament: Mainly peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle & top
Notes: This fish should only be kept in a shoal of at least six fish. Soft leaved plants are a popular food source.
SKUNK LOACH: Picture Required
Species Name: Botia horae
Origin: S. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. Tends to hide away during the day and comes out to feed at night.
SOUTH AMERICAN LEAF FISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Monocirrhus polycanthus
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Live fish
Tank Areas: All
Notes: NOT a community fish. Difficult to sex but reasonably easy to breed providing there are flat rocks in the aquarium. Will eat all small fish in the tank.
SPLASHING TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Copella arnoldi
Origin: S American rivers
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top & middle
Notes: Fairly easy to sex as the males have larger, more colourful fins. Difficult to breed in the tank as they lay thier eggs on the leaves of overhanging plants and splash them with water to keep them wet.
SPOTTED CLIMBING PERCH: Picture Required
Species Name: Ctenopoma acutirostre
Origin: Tropical African streams
Size: 15cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Carnivore aquarium food and plenty of live food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. This fish will eat any smaller fish in the tank. Requires a very large tank with lots of plants.
SPOTTED HEADSTANDER: Picture Required
Species Name: Chilodus punctatus
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful shy
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Mostly bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. Does not like a lot of light and needs plenty of hiding places. Requires regular green food.
SPOTTED RASPORA: Picture Required
Species Name: Raspora maculata
Origin: S E Asian rivers and streams
Size: 2.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Quite hard to keep as they need special water conditions. Difficult to sex
STEELE-BLUE APHYOSEMION: 
Thanks To
Species Name: Aphyosemion gardneri
Origin: Tropical African streams
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Males are one of the most colourful of all freshwater aquarium fish. Females are duller with rounded fins. Easy to breed providing you have only one male and several females in the tank.
STRIPED ANOSTOMUS: Picture Required
Species Name: Anostomus anostomus
Origin: S. American streams
Size: 18cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food plus extra green food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Very active fish that needs a large tank with hardy plants
SUCKERMOUTH CATFISH: 
Species Name: Hypostomus multiradiatus
Origin: S. American streams and rivers
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Peaceful shy
Food: Special Catfish and Pleco food plus extra daily green foods such as cucumber
Tank Areas: Mostly bottom
Notes: Every large tank should have one of these lovely fish. Good algae eaters. Difficult to sex and to breed. Often called Pleco's by shops due to the fact that their species name used to be Plecostomus.
Species Name: Barbus ticto stoliczkae
Origin: S. Asian streams & rivers
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Quite colourful egg layer. Females are slightly plumper and males usually have more redness to their dorsal fin. Will spawn in community tank but the eggs will probably be eaten.
TIGER BARB: 
Species Names: Barbus tetrazona
Origin: S. E. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 6cm
Temperament: Mainly peaceful but can be a fin nipper.
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Very popular aquarium fish. Males usually have a bright red snout, females are plumper at breeding time. Fairly easy to breed in the aquarium. Available in several colour shades.
TIGER SHOVELNOSE CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Pseudoplatystoma fasciata
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 90cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: Carnivore aquarium food including small fish
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Nocturnal fish which should definitely not be kept in a community tank both because of its size and its predatory nature.
TINFOIL BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus schwanenfeldi
Origin: S. E. Asian island rivers and lakes
Size: 30cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food plus duckweed
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: This large fish needs a very large tank with lots of swimming space. Difficult to sex and to breed.
UPSIDE DOWN CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Synodontis contractus
Origin: Tropical African streams
Size: 8cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Carnivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Difficult to sex and to breed. These fish get their name by swimming upside down while feeding from the surface. Most of the time they swim the correct way up.
WALKERS BARB: Picture Required
Species Name: Barbus walkeri
Origin: African coastal rivers
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Difficult to sex egg layer which is quite rare in UK aquariums. Prefers a brackish water setup.
WALKING CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Clarias batrachus
Origin: S. Asian waters
Size: 55cm
Temperament: Aggressive
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Mostly bottom
Notes: I hate seeing this fish being sold in shops as it is totally unsuitable for most home aquariums. It needs a very large aquarium with a very strong hood. It has poisonous spines so needs careful handling. Gets its common name from the fact that it is able to "walk" short distances over land.
WEATHER LOACH: 
Species Name: Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Origin: E. Asian streams
Size: 10cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: An easy to keep fish that can be kept in a slightly heated (65 F) cold water tank or a cool tropical one. Gets quite lively when barometric pressure is low.
WHIPTAIL CATFISH: Picture Required
Species Name: Rineloricaria species
Origin: S. American rivers
Size: 13cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: Herbivore aquarium food
Tank Areas: Bottom
Notes: Some varieties of this fish can grow quite large so be careful when buying. Plastic pipes make a good spawning site for this difficult to sex egg depositor.
WHITE CLOUD MOUNTAIN MINNOW: Picture Required
Species Name: Tanichthys albonubes
Origin: E. Asian lakes and streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Egg laying females are usually a bit plumper. Very easy to breed, just put a group in the tank and leave them to it! Virtually cold water fish since they can survive in quite cool water for extended periods.
Species Name: Pristella maxillaris
Origin: S. American streams and lakes
Size: 2.5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium food
Tank Areas: All
Notes: Egg laying females are slightly plumper. Difficult to breed in the home aquarium
YELLOW TETRA: Picture Required
Species Name: Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus
Origin: S. American lakes & streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Peaceful shoaling
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Middle
Notes: Males usually have a concave anal fin. This fish is known to be a fin nipper.
Species Name: Barbus fasciatus
Origin: S. E. Asian streams and rivers
Size: 11cm
Temperament: Peaceful
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Middle and bottom
Notes: Egg laying females are plumper than males with an arched back and less stripes. Quite difficult to breed in aquarium.
ZEBRA DANIO: 
Species Name: Brachydanio rerio
Origin: S. Asian streams
Size: 5cm
Temperament: Mostly peaceful shoaling but can be a "fin nipper"
Food: All aquarium foods
Tank Areas: Top
Notes: Easy to sex as the egg laying females are larger and plumper than the males. Reasonably easy to breed but eggs tend to be eaten by tank inhabitants including parents. If possible, remove fry when they are seen swimming to a well matured tank. Available in long and short fin varieties.
Thanks To
Thanks To