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Discover some of the most interesting fish for your aquarium.
Japonolycodes abei
Japonolycodes abei is a temperate, deepwater demersal eelpout (family Zoarcidae) endemic to Japan (Kumano-nada Sea reported; other sources also report Sagami Bay and Tosa Bay). It is the only species in the genus Japonolycodes and occurs roughly 40-300 m depth, making it an uncommon/atypical aquarium species.
Japonoconger africanus
This is a smallish deep-water conger eel from the eastern Atlantic (Gabon down to the Congo), and it lives way deeper than anything we normally keep at home. It is a predator that eats fish and crustaceans, and while it is a cool species on paper, it is basically not an aquarium fish in any normal sense due to its deep-water habitat and lack of established captive care info.
Monodactylus sebae
This is that shiny, diamond-shaped "mono" that cruises around in a tight pack and looks like a little silver dinner plate with black bars when it's young. The big thing with African moonies is they're euryhaline-so they'll tolerate freshwater as juveniles, but they really shine long-term in brackish (and can be transitioned toward marine as they mature). Give them a big, open tank and a group, and they turn into nonstop, super fun midwater swimmers.
Jupiaba ajuricaba
Jupiaba ajuricaba is a South American freshwater characin from the Amazon basin in Brazil (rio Negro, rio Solimões, and rio Tapajós basins). It reaches about 9.5 cm SL and is diagnosed by a narrow dark midlateral stripe, an elongated humeral spot, and an ocellated spot on the upper caudal-fin lobe. Wild specimens have been collected from blackwater forest streams and also oxbow-lake habitats.
Bathyraja aleutica
This is a big, cold-water deep-slope skate from the North Pacific that cruises muddy bottoms and eats chunky benthic prey like crabs and shrimp. The really cool bit is its egg-laying skate life - it does distinct pairing (the classic skate "embrace") and drops those tough egg cases on the seafloor. Not an aquarium fish at all unless you're basically running a public-aquarium-style chilled system.
Hyphessobrycon amapaensis
This is a tiny, super sleek little tetra with a clean red stripe down the side that really pops once its settled in. It does best in a planted, slightly tinted "creek-style" setup and looks way cooler when you keep a proper group so they school and flash that line together. If you can give it soft, slightly acidic water and a calm community, its an easy fish to fall for.
Dive into our curated selection of resources to help you on your aquatic journey.
Explore some of our most popular care guides and articles curated for you.
Understand the different types of aquarium filters, including hang-on-back (HOB), canister, and sponge filters. Learn how each works, their pros and cons, and which option is best for your tank setup.
Understand the aquarium nitrogen cycle and how ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate affect fish health. Discover how beneficial bacteria establish in your tank, how cycling works, and how to prevent dangerous water quality issues.
Match fish species by overlapping temperature ranges so you can stock your aquarium with fish that thrive in the same conditions. This guide shows you how to compare ideal ranges, understand safe overlap, and plan a stable community tank built around shared water temperatures.
Take a quiz and find out how much you know about fishkeeping.
Pull up a chair and test your tank-spotting skills. An image will appear for each question... can you name these 5 freshwater fish?
Pull up a stool and test your fish spotter skills... Can you name these 10 popular aquarium fish from a classic hobbyist lineup?
