Guides

Community Fish

25 articles · All guides

Aquarium Stocking Guide: How Many Fish Can Your Tank Hold?

Forget the old inch-per-gallon myth. Stock by bioload, adult size, temperament, and filtration so your community stays healthy long-term.

Freshwater

Paradise Fish (Macropodus opercularis)

An classic labyrinth fish with jewel-toned bars — hardier and cooler-tolerant than bettas, but males can be territorial with their own kind.

Freshwater

Chinese Algae Eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri)

Often sold as a harmless algae eater — adults grow large, territorial, and may graze fish mucus. Know the real husbandry before you buy.

Freshwater

Dwarf Chain Loach (Ambastaia sidthimunki)

A small, patterned social loach that shoals in midwater — playful, curious, and far more community-friendly than large Botia species.

Freshwater

Yo-Yo Loach (Botia almorhae)

Bold black-and-white patterned loaches with quirky personalities — best kept in groups with caves, soft sand, and a mixed meaty diet.

Freshwater

Dwarf Cory (Corydoras habrosus)

Tiny ‘salt-and-pepper’ corys that school in midwater as often as on the sand — perfect busy cleaners for nano and shrimp community tanks.

Freshwater

Three-Stripe Cory (Corydoras trilineatus)

A leopard-spotted Corydoras often sold near julii corys — social sand sifters that need groups, soft substrate, and clean oxygenated water.

Freshwater

Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra (Hemigrammus ocellifer)

Classic community tetras with glowing shoulder and caudal spots — hardy, peaceful, and perfect for planted mid-size aquariums.

Freshwater

Silver Tip Tetra (Hasemania nana)

Small copper-bronze tetras with white-tipped fins — lively but peaceful shoalers that suit planted community and nano aquariums.

Freshwater

Bloodfin Tetra (Aphyocharax anisitsi)

Silver-bodied tetras with bright blood-red fins — hardy, energetic schooling fish that prefer longer tanks and cooler room temps.

Freshwater

Black Phantom Tetra (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus)

An elegant schooling tetra with smoky flanks and tall black dorsal sails on males — calm mid-water movement for planted aquariums.

Freshwater

Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus)

A compact Brazilian tetra with fiery red rear flanks — peaceful, hardy, and ideal for colour in smaller planted community tanks.

Freshwater

Green Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon simulans)

A soft-water blackwater gem with a teal-green neon stripe — smaller and more demanding than classic neons, stunning in dense plant thickets.

Freshwater

Penguin Tetra (Thayeria boehlkei)

A sleek schooling tetra with a bold diagonal black stripe — peaceful, active mid-water swimmers for planted community aquariums.

Freshwater

Pearl Danio (Danio albolineatus)

A pearlescent, high-energy schooling danio that rewards long tanks and cooler tropical rooms with constant mid-water motion.

Freshwater

Bleeding Heart Tetra (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma)

A larger Amazon tetra with a distinctive crimson ‘heart’ spot — bold in a school, elegant in planted aquariums with soft water.

Freshwater

Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus)

A hardy, gold-and-orange dwarf cichlid that brings personality to planted community tanks without the drama of larger New World cichlids.

Freshwater

Lemon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis)

A soft yellow schooling tetra with a dramatic black dorsal fin — elegant, peaceful, and made for planted community tanks.

Freshwater

Odessa Barb (Pethia padamya)

An active, scarlet-flanked barb that brings motion and tropical colour — best kept in schools with room to cruise.

Freshwater

Sparkling Gourami (Trichopsis pumila)

A shy nano labyrinth fish with iridescent spots and a soft croaking call — perfect for quiet, heavily planted aquariums.

Freshwater

Endler’s Livebearer (Poecilia wingei)

Tiny, jewel-toned livebearers packed with colour and personality — easier than fancy guppies in many setups, and endlessly rewarding to breed.

Freshwater

White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes)

A hardy, colourful schooling minnow that thrives in cooler unheated tanks — perfect for beginners who want movement without tropical complexity.

Freshwater

Rummynose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus)

The aquarium’s living water-quality signal — a brilliant red nose and bold black-and-white tail that shine brightest in pristine, stable water.

Freshwater

Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)

A tiny flame-orange schooling tetra that lights up planted nano and community aquariums — peaceful, hardy, and happiest in a group.