Freshwater species care guides
Beginner-relevant freshwater species sourced from FishBase and mainstream hobby references. Each card links to a care guide covering schooling, parameters, tank-mate fit, and the one detail most newcomers miss for that species.
Three paths through the catalog
- First fish: betta (solo centerpiece), guppy (livebearer, parameter-flexible), or mystery snail (no schooling requirement). Forgiving starts.
- Schooling fish: neon tetra, ember tetra, harlequin rasbora, zebra danio, cherry barb. Plan a 20-long minimum and groups of 6+ per species.
- Cleanup crew: corydoras (sand-sifter), kuhli loach (nocturnal scavenger), otocinclus (algae grazer — mature tanks only), or bristlenose pleco (wood-grazer).
Neon tetra
A staple beginner schooling fish. Tiny, peaceful, and one of the most-searched freshwater species.
Ember tetra
Small warm-orange schooler. Common starter for planted nano tanks; calm, easy to feed.
Guppy
Hardy livebearer. Beginners often start here, then realize they breed fast — a community-tank-management lesson.
Cherry barb
Calm-tempered barb (unlike its tiger cousin). Pairs well with tetras and corydoras in community setups.
Corydoras catfish
Bottom-dweller. Schooling species — keep at least 6. Beginner-friendly, reads as 'cute' in the hobby.
Mystery snail
Yes, snails. Beginners ask about them constantly. Algae cleanup crew, peaceful, surprisingly active for a snail.
Betta
The #1 most-searched freshwater fish. Solo display fish; aggressive toward other males. Real care guide ships in phase 3.
Angelfish
Tall-bodied cichlid; territorial as adults. Needs 30+ gallons with vertical height. The 'show piece' fish for a planted tank.
Harlequin rasbora
Mid-water schooler with the iconic black triangle marking. Calm, hardy, peaceful — one of the great community-tank starter fish.
Zebra danio
Active mid-to-surface darter. Cold-tolerant. Fin-nips when under-grouped, so school of 6+ is mandatory.
Dwarf gourami
Anabantid centerpiece fish — solo display, builds bubble nests. Two males in one tank fight; safe pair is M-F only.
Kuhli loach
Eel-bodied bottom dweller. Hides during the day, forages at dusk. Solo kuhlis disappear permanently — keep 5+ for active behavior.
Otocinclus catfish
Tiny algae-grazer. Schooling — solo otos waste away within weeks. Add only to tanks with established biofilm and algae buildup.
Bristlenose pleco
Workhorse algae eater — stays under 6 inches (unlike common plecos that hit 18+). One adult per 25-gal tank; harem only in 40+ gal.
Catch them in the fishing game. Every species in the catalog is catchable in the fishing game. Caught species join your local-save aquarium.