The Aquarium Species
Authority
Peer-reviewed water parameters, scientific care data, breeding protocols, and disease identification for 103+ species — freshwater fish, shrimp, snails, live foods, microfauna, and aquatic plants. Built for serious aquarists and breeders.
African Clawed Frog
Xenopus laevis
Sub-Saharan Africa
African Dwarf Frog
Hymenochirus boettgeri
Central Africa — Congo basin
Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare
South America, Amazon Basin
Assassin Snail
Clea helena
Southeast Asia — Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
North America, Mexico
Baby Brine Shrimp (BBS)
Artemia salina
Hypersaline lakes worldwide — Great Salt Lake, San Francisco Bay, Tibetan plateau
Banana Worms
Panagrellus nepenthicola
Cosmopolitan — fermenting organic matter
Banggai Cardinalfish
Pterapogon kauderni
Indonesia — Banggai Archipelago
Betta Fish
Betta splendens
Southeast Asia
Black Beard Algae (BBA)
Audouinella / Rhodophyta
Cosmopolitan — a red alga (Rhodophyta) of fresh and brackish water
Bladder Snail (Pest Snail)
Physella acuta
Cosmopolitan — introduced worldwide; native to North America
Blue Tang (Regal Tang)
Paracanthurus hepatus
Indo-Pacific
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
Cyanobacteria
Cosmopolitan — one of the oldest life forms on Earth
Boesemani Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani
Indonesia — West Papua
Bolivian Ram
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
Bolivia, Brazil
Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus sp.
South America, Amazon Basin
California Blackworms
Lumbriculus variegatus
North America, Europe — temperate wetlands
Cardinal Tetra
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Brazil, Colombia
Celestial Pearl Danio
Danio margaritatus
Myanmar
Cherry Barb
Puntius titteya
Sri Lanka
Cherry Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
East Asia, Taiwan
Chinese Fire-Belly Newt
Cynops orientalis
China
Clown Loach
Chromobotia macracanthus
Indonesia — Borneo and Sumatra
Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Indo-Pacific, Coral Triangle
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma cacatuoides
Peru, Colombia
Congo Tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Convict Cichlid
Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Central America — Guatemala to Costa Rica
Copepods
Cyclops / Tigriopus spp.
Cosmopolitan — fresh, brackish, and marine waters
Copperband Butterflyfish
Chelmon rostratus
Indo-Pacific
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Centropyge bispinosa
Indo-Pacific
Corydoras Catfish
Corydoras paleatus
South America
Daphnia
Daphnia magna
Cosmopolitan — temperate freshwater worldwide
Denison Barb
Sahyadria denisonii
India — Western Ghats
Detritus Worms
Naididae spp.
Cosmopolitan — freshwater substrates worldwide
Diamond Goby
Valenciennea puellaris
Indo-Pacific
Discus Fish
Symphysodon spp.
South America, Amazon Basin
Duckweed
Lemna minor
Cosmopolitan — temperate and tropical still freshwater worldwide
Dwarf Gourami
Trichogaster lalius
India, Bangladesh
Electric Yellow Cichlid
Labidochromis caeruleus
Lake Malawi, Africa
Ember Tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
Brazil
Fire-Bellied Toad
Bombina orientalis
Korea, Northeast China
Firefish Goby
Nemateleotris magnifica
Indo-Pacific
Firemouth Cichlid
Thorichthys meeki
Mexico, Guatemala
Flame Angelfish
Centropyge loriculus
Pacific Ocean
Foxface Rabbitfish
Siganus vulpinus
Western Pacific
German Blue Ram
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Venezuela, Colombia
Goldfish
Carassius auratus
East Asia
Green Chromis
Chromis viridis
Indo-Pacific
Green Water (Phytoplankton)
Chlorella / Scenedesmus spp.
Cosmopolitan — sunlit nutrient-rich freshwater
Grindal Worms
Enchytraeus buchholzi
Cosmopolitan — temperate soils
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
South America, Caribbean
Harlequin Rasbora
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Malaysia, Thailand
Hillstream Loach
Sewellia lineolata
Southeast Asia
Honey Gourami
Trichogaster chuna
India, Bangladesh
Hydra
Hydra spp.
Cosmopolitan — freshwater worldwide
Infusoria (Paramecium)
Paramecium caudatum
Cosmopolitan — freshwater worldwide
Java Moss
Taxiphyllum barbieri
Southeast Asia — Java, Malaysia, and across tropical Asia
Kribensis
Pelvicachromis pulcher
Nigeria, Cameroon
Kuhli Loach
Pangio kuhlii
Southeast Asia
Lawnmower Blenny
Salarias fasciatus
Indo-Pacific
Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Melanoides tuberculata
Africa and Southern Asia — introduced worldwide
Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus
Western Pacific
Maroon Clownfish
Premnas biaculeatus
Indo-Pacific
Microworms
Panagrellus redivivus
Cosmopolitan — soil and decaying organic matter
Moina (Russian Red Daphnia)
Moina macrocopa
Cosmopolitan — warm freshwater worldwide
Molly Fish
Poecilia sphenops
Central America, Mexico
Mystery Snail
Pomacea bridgesii
South America — Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil (Amazon basin)
Neocaridina Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi var.
East Asia, Taiwan
Neon Goby
Elacatinus oceanops
Caribbean, Western Atlantic
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
South America, Amazon Basin
Nerite Snail
Neritina natalensis
East Africa — coastal rivers and estuaries
Oscar Fish
Astronotus ocellatus
South America, Amazon Basin
Otocinclus
Otocinclus vittatus
South America — Amazon basin
Pajama Cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Indo-Pacific
Paradise Fish
Macropodus opercularis
China, Vietnam
Pea Puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
South Asia
Pearl Gourami
Trichopodus leerii
Malaysia, Thailand
Percula Clownfish
Amphiprion percula
Western Pacific, Great Barrier Reef
Planaria
Dugesia spp.
Cosmopolitan — freshwater worldwide
Platy Fish
Xiphophorus maculatus
Central America, Mexico
Ramshorn Snail
Planorbella duryi
Cosmopolitan — introduced worldwide; native to the Americas
Rope Fish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
West Africa, Central Africa
Rotifers
Brachionus plicatilis
Cosmopolitan — fresh, brackish, and marine waters
Royal Dottyback
Pictichromis paccagnellae
Western Pacific
Royal Gramma
Gramma loreto
Caribbean, Western Atlantic
Rummynose Tetra
Hemigrammus rhodostomus
Brazil
Scuds (Freshwater Amphipods)
Hyalella azteca
North America, Cosmopolitan in freshwater
Seed Shrimp (Ostracods)
Cypridopsis vidua
Cosmopolitan — freshwater worldwide
Siamese Algae Eater
Crossocheilus oblongus
Thailand, Malaysia
Silver Dollar
Metynnis argenteus
South America — Amazon basin
Six-Line Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Indo-Pacific
Spanish Ribbed Newt
Pleurodeles waltl
Spain, Portugal
Swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii
Mexico, Central America
Tiger Barb
Puntigrus tetrazona
Indonesia, Malaysia
Tomato Clownfish
Amphiprion frenatus
Western Pacific
Vinegar Eels
Turbatrix aceti
Cosmopolitan — fermenting acidic liquids
Vorticella
Vorticella spp.
Cosmopolitan — freshwater and marine
Walter Worms
Panagrellus silusiae
Cosmopolitan — fermenting organic matter
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
Tanichthys albonubes
China
White Worms
Enchytraeus albidus
Europe, Cosmopolitan in temperate soils
Yellow Tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
Pacific Ocean — Hawaii
Yellow Watchman Goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Indo-Pacific
Zebra Danio
Danio rerio
South Asia
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