Freshwater Aquarist

Popular Fish Species for your Aquarium

Here are some of the most popular freshwater fish species that are commonly kept in aquariums, each with unique characteristics and care requirements.

A common rule of thumb for how many freshwater fish you can keep in an aquarium is to allow about 1 inch of fish per gallon of water; however, this can vary depending on the specific fish species, their adult size, activity level, and bioload, with heavily planted or densely stocked tanks often needing more filtration and swimming room.

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Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Catfish

Overview "Otocinclus" or "oto" covers several small algae-eating catfish. The one sold most often is probably Otocinclus macrospilus. [UNVERIFIED] Shipments are often mixed species. O. macrospilus comes from the upper Amazon in Peru, and possibly Colombia and Ecuador....

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Zebra Loach

Zebra Loach

Overview The Zebra Loach (Botia striata) is a small botiid with fine yellow and dark stripes. Native to the Western Ghats region of southern India, described from the Tunga River. Grows to about 3.5 in (9 cm) standard length. Probably the best Botia for general...

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