List of Aquarium Fish Species by Common Name By Shirlie Sharpe Shirlie Sharpe Shirlie Sharpe is an aquatic expert and writer with over three decades of experience keeping and raising ornamental fish. She has consulted with The Minnesota Zoo and the National Aquarium. Shirlie has also authored a book on setting up aquariums. Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process Updated on 10/23/25 Reviewed by Nick Saint-Erne Reviewed by Nick Saint-Erne Dr. Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, is a highly accomplished veterinarian and writer who has treated zoo animals and exotic pets for more than 35 years. He has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve pet store animal care among other endeavors. Dr. Saint-Erne is part of The Spruce Pets' veterinary review board. Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Veterinary Review Board Credit: Hoxton / Tom Merton / Getty Images Key Takeaways The article offers an extensive alphabetical list of popular aquarium fish species by common name from A to Z.It highlights how many fish species have multiple common names, with examples provided (e.g., bandit cory).The FAQ section provides guidance on selecting fish based on various needs, such as beginner-friendly species and recommendations for small tanks. A complete alphabetical listing of all the fish species in the world would have at least 30,000 items, and those are just the official saltwater and tropical fish names. Many fish—especially popular varieties for aquariums—also have any number of nicknames. For example, the Corydoras metae, or bandit cory, is also known as a bandit catfish, masked cory, Meta River catfish, and Rio Meta cory. Below is a curated list of popular aquarium fish names, arranged alphabetically from A to Z. A Adolfo's coryAdonis tetraAfrican peacock cichlidAngelfish Credit: Jakraphan Inchukul / Getty Images Archerfish Atlantic mudskipper Auratus cichlid Australian rainbowfish Azureus cichlid B Bandit cory Barb - gold Barb - rosy Barb - tiger Betta - female Betta - male Black-banded leporinus Black neon tetra Black phantom tetra Black skirt tetra Black widow tetra Blind cavefish Blood parrot cichlid Credit: Pornpimon Lekudom / Getty Images Blue gourami - albino morph Blue gourami - cosby hybrid Blue gourami - traditional color Boeseman's rainbowfish Bronze cory C Cardinal tetra Credit: DEA / C. DANI / Getty Images Catfish - upside down Cavefish - blind Cichlid - five-bar Cichlid - purple Cichlid - Six-bar Clown loach Cory - Bandit Cory - Bronze D Danio - pearl Danio - zebra Debauwi catfish Deepwater haplochromis Denison's flying fox Dojo loach Dovii loach Dragonfish Dusky piranha Dwarf croaking gourami Dwarf gourami Dwarf pencilfish Dwarf snakehead Credit: Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images E Eartheater Eastern mudminnow Edible gourami Eduard's mbuna Ell loach Egyptian mouthbrooder Eight-barb loach Electric blue hap Credit: Reimar Gaertner / UIG / Getty Images Electric catfish Electric yellow haplochromis Elegant rasbora Elephant-nose Emperor tetra F Fairy cichlid False bumblebee catfish Fathead bichir Fighting fish Credit: DEA / C. DANI / Getty Images Figure eight puffer Five-bar cichlid Five-stripe lamprologus G Gold barb Gourami - blue Gourami - dwarf Gourami - gold Gourami - kissing Credit: Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images Gourami - leeri Gourami - marbeled Gourami - moonlight Gourami - opaline Gourami - pearl Gourami - three spot H Haitian cichlid Half-lined pyrrhulina Hampala barb Harlequin rasbora Credit: Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images Harlequin shark Harrison's pencilfish Hatchetfish Heterotis bonytongue Hi-fin banded shark J Jack Dempsey cichlid Jae barb Jaguar catfish Jelly bean tetra Jewel cichlid Credit: Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images Johanni mbuna cichlidJordan's catfishJumping characin K Kafirnigani gray loach Katangae Nile bichir Keyhole cichlid Kissing gourami Kribensis cichlid Credit: Jerry Young / Getty Images L Labidochromis sp "Yellow" cichlid Credit: Christian Hutter / Getty Images Lamprologus - five-stripe Lamprologus - six-stripe Leeri pearl gourami Leporinus - black-banded Loach - clown Loach - dojo Loach - weather M Marbled gourami Marigold lyretail swordtail Marigold wag swordtail Melanotaenia splendida tatei Moonlight gourami N NandusNeedle fin eaterNeedlefish Credit: Daniela Dirscherl / Getty Images Neon tetra - black Nigerian red krib Nile puffer Nyerere's Victoria cichlid O Obese syndontis Obliquidens hap Obscure snakehead Ocellated freshwater stingray Ocellated shell-dweller Ocellated synodontis Opaline gourami Oxeye herring Ozola barb P Palembang puffer Papuan rainbowfish Parrot - blood Pearl danio Pearl gourami Credit: Bruno Cavignaux / Getty Images Platy - red wagtail Puffer - figure eight Purple cichlid R Credit: Ko Hungyu / Eyeem / Getty Images Rainbowfish - Papuan Rasbora - red Red eye tetra Red rasbora Red wagtail platy Rosy barb S Schwanefeld's barb Siamese fighting fish Credit: Quang Nguyen Duc / EyeEm / Getty Images Silver dollar - Metynnis argenteus Six-bar cichlid Six-stripe lamprologus cichlid Swordtail - marigold lyertail Swordtail - marigold wag T Tetra - black neon Tetra - black phantom Tetra - black skirt Tetra - black widow Tetra - cardinal Tetra - emperor Credit: Quentin Martinez / Getty Images Tetra - red eye Tetra - white skirt Three spot gourami Tiger barb U Uaru cichlid Unicorn fish Upside down catfish Credit: Dave Fleetham / Design Pics / Getty Images V Vampire plecoVariegated platyVariegated sharkVenustusViolet goby W Wallago catfish Warmouth Weather fish Weather loach West African bichir West Australian pygmy perch White skirt tetra Whiptailed banjo catfish Y Yellow banded moenkhausia Yellow Julie cichlid Yellow king piranha Yellow kribensis Yellow lab Yellow regal peacock cichlid Yellow-finned xenotilapia Yellow-tailed conga tetra Yo-yo loach Z Zebra danio Credit: isoft / Getty Images FAQ What is the best fish for a beginner? If you are new to freshwater aquariums, there are plenty of choices that will make it easy to begin. Besides the common goldfish, consider these pretty fish with equally colorful personalities to get started:AngelfishBarbsBettaNeon tetraPlatiesRasborasZebra danio Which fish is most playful? Pufferfish are the most fun-loving fish to watch thanks to their inflating antics and facial expressions. They are also eager to meet new arrivals, and seem to want to play with you by darting around the tank. What is the best fish for a small tank? If you have a small or miniature tank, you will need small fish. You won't be disappointed with the choices you have, which include the following tiny fish with big personalities:BettaBlack phantom tetraConga tetraDwarf gouramiGold barbHatchetfishNeon tetraPlatiesRasboraSwordtailTiger barbWhite cloud mountain minnowZebra danios Explore more: Small Pets Exotic Pets Exotic Pet Names