Common name | Taxonomy | Picture | Size | Remarks | Temperature range | pH range |
Dwarf gourami | Trichogaster lalius | | | Suitable for small to mid-sized aquariums but cannot compete with more aggressive fish and males kept together may fight. Several color varieties available. Massive inbreeding has led to high rates of Dwarf gourami iridovirus in pet store fish. Beautiful but short-lived at best. | | |
Paradise fish | Macropodus opercularis | | | One of the few freshwater aquarium fish that survive in cold water. Can live without aeration. Most common variety is the Blue Paradise. | | |
Pygmy gourami, Sparkling gourami | Trichopsis pumila | | | Often confused with the croaking gourami. Does not compete well with larger fish. Hunts and eats small shrimp. | | |
Moonlight gourami | Trichopodus microlepis | | | | | |
Snakeskin gourami | Trichopodus pectoralis | | | | | |
Siamese fighting fish | Betta splendens | | | Numerous color and fin pattern varieties. Betta is the name of the genus that includes more than 60 species other than the Siamese fighting fish. Multiple males in a tank will result in conflicts and possibly death. Females can be housed together in groups of 5+ in a tank, though they may become territorial and attack each other. Males have long flowing fins with vibrant colors, and females have shorter fins. This fish is best put with fish that do not nip fins, as the fins of the betta are easy to attack. They should also not be housed with other fish with long, flowing fins as the Betta may confuse it with another male, and attack. Minimum tank size for one male or female and maybe a few shrimp or snails is 5 gallons. Minimum tank size for a female betta sorority is 20 gallons. | | |
Malay combtail | Belontia hasselti | | | | | |
Slender betta | Betta bellica | | | | | |
Betta burdigala | | | | | | - |
Scarlet betta | Betta coccina | | | | | |
Crescent betta | Betta imbellis | | | | | |
Betta miniopinna | | | | | | - |
Toba betta | Betta rubra | | | | | |
Betta simorum | | | | | | - |
Giant Pikehead | Luciocephalus pulcher | | | | | |
Parosphromenus phoenicurus | | | | | | - |
Chocolate gourami | Sphaerichthys osphromenoides | | | | | |
Pearl gourami | Trichopodus leerii | | | | | |
Three spot gourami | Trichopodus trichopterus | | | Various color varieties each given a different name | | |
Croaking gourami | Trichopsis vittata | | | Often confused with the pygmy gourami, but larger. May hunt and eat aquarium shrimp. | | |
Giant gourami | Osphronemus goramy | | | Occasionally, some other gouramis are also referred to as "giant gouramis" | | |
Common name | Taxonomy | Picture | Size | Remarks | Temperature range | pH range |
Red rainbowfish | Glossolepis incisus | | | Almost all rainbowfish species are bred in captivity and wild populations may be protected. | | |
Lake Wanam rainbowfish | Glossolepis wanamensis | | | | | |
Threadfin rainbowfish | Iriatherina werneri | | | Threadfins have very tiny mouths and cannot compete well with other fish for food. Keep in species only tanks or with small Pseudomugil | | |
New Guinea rainbowfish | Melanotaenia affinis | | | | | |
Western rainbowfish | Melanotaenia australis | | | | | |
Boeseman's rainbowfish | Melanotaenia boesemani | | | | | |
Duboulayi's rainbowfish | Melanotaenia duboulayi | | | a.k.a. Crimson-Spotted rainbowfish | | |
Australian rainbowfish | Melanotaenia fluviatilis | | | | | |
Lake Tebera rainbowfish | Melanotaenia herbertaxelrodi | | | | | |
Lake Kutubu rainbowfish | Melanotaenia lacustris | | | | | |
Lake Kurumoi rainbowfish | Melanotaenia parva | | | a.k.a. Flame rainbowfish | | |
Neon rainbowfish | Melanotaenia praecox | | | A good beginner fish, but sensitive to water quality. Peaceful and very bold; for example it is unafraid of gravel cleaners and algae scrubbers. It is relatively tolerant of other fish chasing and/or bulling it. | | |
Eastern rainbowfish | Melanotaenia splendida splendida | | | | | |
Banded rainbowfish | Melanotaenia trifasciata | | | | | |
Celebes rainbow | Marosatherina ladigesi | | | | | |
Forktail blue-eye | Pseudomugil furcatus | | | An active species. Requires space to swim; not suitable for nano tanks in spite of its small size. | | |
Spotted blue-eye | Pseudomugil gertrudae | | | Often recommended for nano tanks. A schooling fish. Males do spectacular displays with their expanded dorsal and anal fins. | | |
Pacific blue-eye | Pseudomugil signifer | | | | | |
Delicate blue-eye | Pseudomugil tenellus | | | | | |
Madagascar rainbowfish | Bedotia madagascariensis | | | | | |
Common name | Taxonomy | Picture | Size | Remarks | Temperature range | pH range | - |
Pygmy sunfish | Elassomatidae | | | Require small tanks 1 gallon or more. Can only be fed live or frozen foods. | | | |
Blackbanded sunfish | Enneacanthus chaetodon | | | Relatively peaceful, small sunfish. | | | |
Blue-spotted sunfish | Enneacanthus gloriosus | | | Relatively peaceful, small sunfish. | | | |
Redbreast sunfish | Lepomis auritus | | | | | | |
Green sunfish | Lepomis cyanellus | | | Likely the most aggressive sunfish. Difficult to keep with other green sunfishes, other sunfishes, or even other perciform fishes in general unless kept in very spacious aquaria or ponds. Like many fishes, more tolerant of distantly related species, if too large to be eaten. Very aware of environment outside of aquarium, making it an engaging "wet pet." Accepts a variety of foods. | | | |
Orangespotted sunfish | Lepomis humilis | | | Among the less aggressive of the sunfishes. | | | |
Pumpkinseed | Lepomis gibbosus | | | One of the more aggressive sunfishes. Good at preying on snails. | | | |
Warmouth | Lepomis gulosus | | | | | | |
Bluegill | Lepomis macrochirus | | | Fairly aggressive, but prefers to live in shoals. | | | |
Dollar sunfish | Lepomis marginatus | | | | | | |
Longear sunfish | Lepomis megalotis | | | | | | |
Redear sunfish | Lepomis microlophus | | | Also known as shellcracker for its ability to prey on snails. | | | |
Redspotted sunfish | Lepomis miniatus | | | Formerly considered conspecific with the spotted sunfish. | | | |
Northern sunfish | Lepomis peltastes | | | Until recently considered conspecific with the longear sunfish. | | | |
Spotted sunfish | Lepomis punctatus | | | A fairly peaceable sunfish. | | | |