AquaNexus knowledge library
Freshwater fish entries
Use the unified Aquatic Life Database to search freshwater fish by common name, scientific name, trade name, colour variety or breeding method, then open a focused entry or compare several fish side by side.
252 freshwater fish entries10 breeding methodsOriginal AquaNexus structure
Find a fish
Search the complete freshwater database.
This database covers the major fish commonly seen in freshwater aquarium keeping. It does not pretend to contain every one of the world’s freshwater species.
FishGroupBreeding methodEntry
African butterfly cichlidAnomalochromis thomasiDwarf cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →African butterflyfishPantodon buchholziOddballs and specialist fishPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Asian bumblebee catfishPseudomystus siamensisOther catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Bala sharkBalantiocheilos melanopterussilver sharkAlgae grazers and shark-like cyprinidsEgg scattererOpen entry →Beckford’s pencilfishNannostomus beckfordiTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →BettaBetta splendensSiamese fighting fish, halfmoon betta, plakat bettaBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Black ghost knifefishApteronotus albifronsOddballs and specialist fishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Black neon tetraHyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodiblack cardinal neon, black neonTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Black ruby barbPethia nigrofasciataBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Black skirt tetraGymnocorymbus ternetziblack widow tetra, white skirt tetra, GloFish tetraTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Bleeding heart tetraHyphessobrycon erythrostigmaTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Blood parrot cichlidDomestic hybrid cichlidparrot cichlidMedium cichlidsSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Blue acaraAndinoacara pulcherMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Boesemani rainbowfishMelanotaenia boesemaniRainbowfish and blue-eyesEgg scattererOpen entry →Bolivian ramMikrogeophagus altispinosusDwarf cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Bristlenose plecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosusbushynose pleco, albino bristlenose, spotted bristlenosePlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Bronze coryOsteogaster aeneaCorydoras aeneus, albino cory, bronze corydorasCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Buenos Aires tetraPsalidodon anisitsiHyphessobrycon anisitsiTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Cardinal tetraParacheirodon axelrodicardinal neonTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Celebes rainbowfishMarosatherina ladigesiRainbowfish and blue-eyesPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Celestial pearl danioDanio margaritatusgalaxy rasbora, CPDRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Checker barbOliotius oligolepischeckerboard barbBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Cherry barbPethia titteyaforest red barbBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Chili rasboraBoraras brigittaeRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Chinese algae eaterGyrinocheilus aymonierisucking loach, golden algae eaterAlgae grazers and shark-like cyprinidsSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Chocolate gouramiSphaerichthys osphromenoideschocolate gouramiBettas and gouramisMouthbrooderOpen entry →Clown killifishEpiplatys annulatusrocket killifishKillifishPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Clown loachChromobotia macracanthusLoachesSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Clown plecoPanaqolus maccusL104 pleco, ringlet plecoPlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Cockatoo dwarf cichlidApistogramma cacatuoidescockatoo apistoDwarf cichlidsCave spawnerOpen entry →Common goldfishCarassius auratuscomet goldfish, shubunkinGoldfish and pond carpEgg scattererOpen entry →Common mollyPoecilia sphenopsblack molly, dalmatian molly, balloon mollyLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Common plecoPterygoplichthys spp.suckermouth catfish, Hypostomus plecostomus, sailfin plecoPlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Congo tetraPhenacogrammus interruptusTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Convict cichlidAmatitlania nigrofasciataMedium cichlidsCave spawnerOpen entry →Crimson-spotted rainbowfishMelanotaenia duboulayiRainbowfish and blue-eyesEgg scattererOpen entry →Demasoni cichlidChindongo demasoniAfrican Rift Lake cichlidsMouthbrooderOpen entry →Denison barbSahyadria denisoniiroseline shark, red-line torpedo barbBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Diamond tetraMoenkhausia pittieriTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →DiscusSymphysodon spp.Large cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Dwarf coryGastrodermus hastatusCorydoras hastatus, tail-spot coryCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Dwarf gouramiTrichogaster laliuspowder blue gourami, flame gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Dwarf neon rainbowfishMelanotaenia praecoxpraecox rainbowfishRainbowfish and blue-eyesEgg scattererOpen entry →Electric blue acaraAndinoacara pulcher (domestic colour form)EBAMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Electric yellow cichlidLabidochromis caeruleusyellow labAfrican Rift Lake cichlidsMouthbrooderOpen entry →Elephantnose fishGnathonemus petersiiOddballs and specialist fishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Ember tetraHyphessobrycon amandaeemberTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Emerald coryBrochis splendensemerald brochis, emerald CorydorasCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Emperor tetraNematobrycon palmeriTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Endler’s livebearerPoecilia wingeiEndler guppy, EndlerLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Fancy goldfishCarassius auratus (domestic fancy forms)oranda, ranchu, fantailGoldfish and pond carpEgg scattererOpen entry →Firemouth cichlidThorichthys meekiMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Freshwater angelfishPterophyllum scalareangelfish, koi angelfishMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Frontosa cichlidCyphotilapia frontosaAfrican Rift Lake cichlidsMouthbrooderOpen entry →Gardneri killifishFundulopanchax gardneriblue lyretailKillifishPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →German blue ramMikrogeophagus ramireziblue ram, electric blue ramDwarf cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Giant danioDevario aequipinnatusRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Glass bloodfin tetraPrionobrama filigeraglass bloodfinTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Glass catfishKryptopterus vitreolusghost catfishOther catfishEgg scattererOpen entry →Glowlight tetraHemigrammus erythrozonusTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Gold barbBarbodes semifasciolatusChinese barb, Schuberti barbBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Golden wonder killifishAplocheilus lineatusstriped panchaxKillifishPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Green neon tetraParacheirodon simulansfalse neon tetraTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →GuppyPoecilia reticulatafancy guppy, koi guppy, albino guppyLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Harlequin rasboraTrigonostigma heteromorphaRasboras, danios and minnowsAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Head-and-tail-light tetraHemigrammus ocelliferbeacon tetraTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Honey gouramiTrichogaster chunahoney dwarf gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Jack Dempsey cichlidRocio octofasciataLarge cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Jewel cichlidHemichromis spp.forest red jewel cichlid, red jewelMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Keyhole cichlidCleithracara maroniiMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Kissing gouramiHelostoma temminckiipink kissing gouramiBettas and gouramisEgg scattererOpen entry →Koi carpCyprinus rubrofuscus (domestic koi)nishikigoi, koiGoldfish and pond carpEgg scattererOpen entry →KribensisPelvicachromis pulcherDwarf cichlidsCave spawnerOpen entry →Kuhli loachPangio semicinctacoolie loach, Pangio kuhliiLoachesEgg scattererOpen entry →Lambchop rasboraTrigonostigma espeiEspei rasboraRasboras, danios and minnowsAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Least killifishHeterandria formosadwarf topminnowLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Lemon tetraHyphessobrycon pulchripinnisTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Marbled hatchetfishCarnegiella strigataTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Medaka ricefishOryzias latipesJapanese ricefishRasboras, danios and minnowsPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Multifasciatus shell dwellerNeolamprologus multifasciatusmulti shell dwellerAfrican Rift Lake cichlidsCave spawnerOpen entry →Murray River rainbowfishMelanotaenia fluviatilisRainbowfish and blue-eyesEgg scattererOpen entry →Neon tetraParacheirodon innesineonTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Norman’s lampeyePoropanchax normanilampeye killifishKillifishPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Odessa barbPethia padamyaBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Orange Venezuelan coryOsteogaster aenea (aquarium strain)Corydoras venezuelanus, Venezuelan orange cory, orange laser coryCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →OscarAstronotus ocellatustiger oscar, red oscarLarge cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Otocinclus catfishOtocinclus spp.oto cat, dwarf suckermouthPlecos and suckermouth catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Pacific blue-eyePseudomugil signiferRainbowfish and blue-eyesPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Panda coryHoplisoma pandaCorydoras pandaCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Paradise fishMacropodus opercularisparadise gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Pea pufferCarinotetraodon travancoricusdwarf puffer, Malabar pufferOddballs and specialist fishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Peacock cichlidAulonocara spp.Malawi peacockAfrican Rift Lake cichlidsMouthbrooderOpen entry →Pearl danioDanio albolineatusRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Pearl gouramiTrichopodus leeriilace gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Peppered coryHoplisoma paleatumCorydoras paleatus, pepper coryCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Peppermint bristlenose plecoAncistrus dolichopterusL183 pleco, white seam bristlenose, peppermint plecoPlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Pictus catfishPimelodus pictusOther catfishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →PlatyXiphophorus maculatusmoonfish, Mickey Mouse platy, high-fin platyLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Pygmy coryGastrodermus pygmaeusCorydoras pygmaeusCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Rachov’s nothobranchNothobranchius rachoviibluefin nothoKillifishEgg burier / seasonalOpen entry →Rainbow cichlidHerotilapia multispinosaMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Rainbow sharkEpalzeorhynchos frenatumruby sharkAlgae grazers and shark-like cyprinidsSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Red-eye tetraMoenkhausia sanctaefilomenaeTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Red-tail black sharkLabeo bicolorred-tailed sharkAlgae grazers and shark-like cyprinidsSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Reticulated hillstream loachSewellia lineolataLoachesAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →RopefishErpetoichthys calabaricusreedfishOddballs and specialist fishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Rosy barbPethia conchoniusBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Rubber-lip plecoChaetostoma formosaerubbernose pleco, bulldog plecoPlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Rummy-nose tetraPetitella bleherifirehead tetra, Hemigrammus bleheriTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Sailfin mollyPoecilia latipinnagiant sailfin mollyLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Salt-and-pepper coryGastrodermus habrosusCorydoras habrosus, dwarf coryCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Scissortail rasboraRasbora trilineataRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Senegal bichirPolypterus senegalusdinosaur bichirOddballs and specialist fishSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Serpae tetraHyphessobrycon equesred minor tetraTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Severum cichlidHeros efasciatusgold severum, green severumMedium cichlidsOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Siamese algae eaterCrossocheilus oblongusSAEAlgae grazers and shark-like cyprinidsEgg scattererOpen entry →Silver dollarMetynnis hypsauchencommon silver dollarTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Silvertip tetraHasemania nanaTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Sparkling gouramiTrichopsis pumilapygmy gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Sterbai coryHoplisoma sterbaiCorydoras sterbai, Sterbai CorydorasCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →SwordtailXiphophorus helleriigreen swordtail, red swordtailLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →Threadfin rainbowfishIriatherina werneriRainbowfish and blue-eyesPlant or mop spawnerOpen entry →Three-line coryHoplisoma trilineatumCorydoras trilineatus, false julii cory, julii coryCorydoras-type catfishAdhesive egg layerOpen entry →Three-spot gouramiTrichopodus trichopterusblue gourami, gold gourami, opaline gouramiBettas and gouramisBubble-nest builderOpen entry →Tiger barbPuntigrus tetrazonaSumatran barb, green tiger barb, albino tiger barbBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Tinfoil barbBarbonymus schwanenfeldiiBarbsEgg scattererOpen entry →Turquoise rainbowfishMelanotaenia lacustrisLake Kutubu rainbowfishRainbowfish and blue-eyesEgg scattererOpen entry →Twig catfishFarlowella vittataOther catfishOpen substrate spawnerOpen entry →Upside-down catfishSynodontis nigriventrisOther catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →Weather loachMisgurnus anguillicaudatusdojo loach, pond loachLoachesEgg scattererOpen entry →Whiptail catfishRineloricaria lanceolatared lizard whiptailOther catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →White cloud mountain minnowTanichthys albonubeswhite cloudRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Wrestling halfbeakDermogenys pusillasilver halfbeakLivebearersLive birthOpen entry →X-ray tetraPristella maxillarisPristella tetra, water goldfinchTetras and characinsEgg scattererOpen entry →Yoyo loachBotia almorhaeLoachesSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Zebra danioDanio reriozebrafish, leopard danio, longfin gold danioRasboras, danios and minnowsEgg scattererOpen entry →Zebra loachBotia striataLoachesSpecialised breedingOpen entry →Zebra plecoHypancistrus zebraL046, L46 plecoPlecos and suckermouth catfishCave spawnerOpen entry →
No fish matched
Try a common name, scientific name, colour variety or broader breeding term.
Learn by reproduction
Breeding-method guides.
Each method article explains the shared pattern and lists every fish in the database assigned to it.
8 fish entries
Livebearers and live birth
Fish that fertilise eggs internally and release free-swimming young rather than laying exposed eggs.
Read method guide →53 fish entries
Egg scatterers
Fish that release eggs and sperm into plants, mops, gravel or open water without placing every egg deliberately.
Read method guide →14 fish entries
Adhesive egg layers
Fish that attach individual eggs or small groups of eggs to glass, plants, wood, mops or other surfaces.
Read method guide →13 fish entries
Cave and enclosed-space spawners
Fish that place eggs inside a cave, shell, tube, crevice or enclosed territory, often with one parent guarding the site.
Read method guide →15 fish entries
Open-substrate and surface spawners
Fish that place eggs on open rock, leaves, wood, glass or cleared substrate and often guard the clutch.
Read method guide →7 fish entries
Bubble-nest builders
Labyrinth fish in which a male usually builds a surface nest from bubbles and plant material, then tends the eggs.
Read method guide →5 fish entries
Mouthbrooders
Fish in which a parent carries eggs, larvae or fry in the mouth for protection during early development.
Read method guide →1 fish entries
Egg buriers and seasonal spawners
Fish adapted to placing eggs in peat, soil-like substrate or dense material, with some species producing eggs that tolerate a dry incubation period.
Read method guide →9 fish entries
Plant, mop and floating-root spawners
Fish that deliberately place or carry adhesive eggs into fine plants, roots or spawning mops rather than scattering freely.
Read method guide →13 fish entries
Specialised, hybrid and rarely documented breeders
Fish whose home breeding is uncommon, highly specialised, commercially assisted, or complicated by hybrid origin and uncertain fertility.
Read method guide →Database standard
Facts are useful. False precision is not.
Housing and water figures are practical starting guidance, not permission to crowd fish at a minimum. Review observed behaviour, adult size, group structure and local water together.
Read the research standard