🛌Bottom dwellers

Species that spend most of their time on the substrate. Bottom dwellers add movement and interest to an often-overlooked tank zone.

428 species

🌱Nano tank friendly ☮Peaceful community 💎Centerpiece fish 🐠Schooling fish 🌙Nocturnal 🛌Bottom dwellers

Acary Avion

Fish

Acanthicus adonis

A spotted pleco that outgrows almost every home aquarium it enters.

Adolf's Cory

Fish

Corydoras adolfoi

A boldly patterned Rio Negro cory that thrives in lively groups.

African blockhead

Fish

Steatocranus casuarius

A bottom-bouncing Congo cichlid with a legendary pair bond and comical personality.

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African Bumblebee Catfish

Fish

Microsynodontis batesii

A pint-sized African catfish with bold juvenile patterns that transform as it matures.

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African jewelfish

Fish

Hemichromis letourneuxi

A bold, pair-bonding cichlid that earns its jeweled reputation through color and attitude.

African Striped Darter

Fish

Nannocharax fasciatus

A tiny West African characin that rewards patient keepers with fascinating bottom-dwelling behavior.

Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid

Fish

Apistogramma agassizii

A jewel of the Amazon riverbed with big cichlid personality in a small package.

Algae Blenny

Fish

Atrosalarias fuscus fuscus

A jet-black reef algae grazer that earns its keep on the rockwork.

Allauad's Haplo

Fish

Astatoreochromis alluaudi

A versatile Victorian cichlid with teeth built to crush snails whole.

Amazon Sailfin Catfish

Fish

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

A gentle giant that moonlights as your tank's algae cleanup crew.

Ambiacus Cory

Fish

Corydoras ambiacus

A spotty little armored catfish that occasionally surfaces for a gulp of air.

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Anchor Catfish

Fish

Erethistes jerdoni

A tiny, peaceful catfish that hides by day and explores by night.

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Andean Catfish

Fish

Astroblepus ubidiai

A small Ecuadorian mountain catfish with big personality for planted setups.

Armoured Catfish

Fish

Auchenoglanis occidentalis

A giraffe-patterned gentle giant that needs serious space to roam.

Arrow Loach

Fish

Nemacheilus masyai

A boldly patterned river loach that holds its own with attitude to spare.

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Asian Stream Catfish

Fish

Akysis pulvinatus

A pint-sized Thai hillstream catfish that hides among rocks and rarely reaches an inch.

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Asian Stream Catfish

Fish

Akysis vespertinus

A tiny, venomous stream catfish from Myanmar, rarely seen outside specialist collections.

Atlantic Mudskipper

Fish

Periophthalmus barbarus

A true amphibious fish that walks, climbs, and breathes air on land.

Atropersonatum Cory

Fish

Corydoras atropersonatus

A long-lived little armored catfish that actually breathes air from the surface.

Australian Anemonefish

Fish

Amphiprion rubrocinctus

Australia's own anemonefish, rarely seen outside its home waters.

Banded Banjo

Fish

Platystacus cotylephorus

A leaf-mimicking catfish that carries its eggs on fleshy belly stalks.

Banded Bream

Fish

Tilapia sparrmanii

A peaceful, plant-grazing tilapia that pairs up to raise its young.

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Banded Jawfish

Fish

Opistognathus macrognathus

A burrow-digging Atlantic oddity that broods its eggs in its mouth.

Banded Mountain Loach

Fish

Schistura notostigma

A feisty Sri Lankan stream dweller that climbs waterfalls and holds its ground.

Banded Tiger Loach

Fish

Syncrossus helodes

A bold, large loach that needs space, company, and an owner who means business.

Banded Unicornfish

Fish

Naso annulatus

A genuinely massive unicornfish that schools on outer reef walls across the Indo-Pacific.

Bandit Cory

Fish

Corydoras metae

The bandit-masked cory with a longer lifespan than most fishkeepers expect.

Bannertail Cory

Fish

Corydoras robineae

The bannertail cory: bold markings, fascinating air-gulping behavior, and surprising longevity.

Barred Danio

Fish

Devario pathirana

A rare Sri Lankan danio with bold vertical bars and a lively, boisterous personality.

Barred Loach

Fish

Nemacheilus fasciatus

A neatly patterned stream loach from the cool highlands of Sumatra and Java.

Barred Loach

Fish

Syncrossus beauforti

A boldly patterned, boisterous loach that demands space and respectful tankmates.

Batik Loach

Fish

Mesonoemacheilus triangularis

A boldly patterned Indian hillstream loach with a famously unpredictable temper.

Bearded Cory

Fish

Scleromystax barbatus

The giant of the cory world, with a beard and a serious attitude to match.

Belted Rockclimbing Goby

Fish

Sicyopus zosterophorus

A tiny goby built for life on wet rocks in fast-flowing jungle streams.

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Black Catfish

Fish

Trachycorystes trachycorystes

A hefty South American catfish with unusual reproductive biology and serious presence.

Blackfin Coral Goby

Fish

Paragobiodon lacunicolus

A tiny goby that spends its entire life tucked inside a single coral colony.

Popular strains & varieties

Named color morphs and bred strains across bottom dwellers species.

Gold Stripe Maroonstrain of Maroon ClownfishThe Gold Stripe Maroon is defined by its three broad, gold-to-yellow stripes set against a deep burgundy-red body — a combination that looks almost metallic under aquarium lighting. Juveniles typically show white stripes that gradually transition to gold as the fish matures, usually becoming fully golden around 2–3 years old. This is the most widely kept Maroon variant. When selecting, look for even stripe width and a rich, dark body color; faded or blotchy stripes can indicate stress or poor genetics. Like all Maroons, these fish are notably aggressive — plan tankmate selection carefully and give them a large anemone host if possible.White Stripe Maroonstrain of Maroon ClownfishWhite Stripe Maroons carry the classic three crisp, bright-white stripes on that signature deep maroon body — essentially the 'standard' patterning most people picture when they think of this species. The stripes remain white throughout the fish's life, unlike the Sumatran Gold Stripe form. Body color ranges from a brownish-red in juveniles to a rich, dark burgundy in large adults, particularly in females. These are widely captive-bred and generally considered slightly hardier than some designer variants. Avoid specimens with thin, broken, or yellowing stripes, as that can hint at hybridization or subpar husbandry history.Lightning Maroonstrain of Maroon ClownfishThe Lightning Maroon is immediately unmistakable: its white stripes fragment and branch into wild, irregular lightning bolt patterns across the entire body, sometimes extending into isolated spots and swirls that make every individual unique. This is arguably the most visually spectacular clownfish strain in the hobby. The Lightning pattern is caused by a recessive genetic mutation, and captive breeding programs have established consistent production of Lightning offspring. When buying, understand that pattern intensity and complexity vary — some fish show finer, denser branching while others are simpler. Pair them carefully; Maroons are still highly aggressive regardless of how stunning they look.Gold Nugget Maroonstrain of Maroon ClownfishGold Nugget Maroons — also sold as Gold Flake Maroons — display the Lightning Maroon's fragmented, branching stripe pattern but expressed in gold rather than white, creating a dramatic mosaic of gold splotches and irregular markings over a deep maroon body. The gold coloration develops with age, so juveniles may show less impressive patterning than adults; buy with that trajectory in mind. Because this variant combines two complex traits (Lightning pattern + Gold stripe genetics), it remains relatively rare and commands premium prices. Captive-bred specimens are strongly preferred — wild-caught examples with this pattern combination are essentially nonexistent as a reliable source.

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