Amazon & South America
The Amazon basin and its sister rivers (Orinoco, Xingu, Tapajós) — home to tetras, cichlids, catfish, and many of the hobby's most iconic freshwater species.
629 species · fish
Other regions in The Americas
Rose Common Pleco
FishHypostomus roseopunctatus
A hefty South American pleco with an unusual ability to breathe air.
Rosette River Stingray
FishPotamotrygon schroederi
A rare, patterned freshwater ray that demands respect and serious commitment.
Rosy Basketmouth
FishCaquetaia spectabilis
A bold Amazonian cichlid that pairs for life and defends its brood fiercely.
Rosy Tetra
FishHyphessobrycon bentosi
A rosy, fin-flaring little characin that puts on its best show in a crowd.
Rosy Tetra
FishHyphessobrycon rosaceus
A softly blushing schooling tetra that rewards keepers who think in groups.
Rotpunct Apisto
FishApistogramma alacrina
A pint-sized Colombian dwarf cichlid with a uniquely spotted pectoral fin base.
Royal Farlowella Whiptail Catfish (Tank-Bred)
FishSturisoma panamense
An elegant whiptail catfish that grazes algae and breathes air when needed.
Royal Pleco
FishPanaque nigrolineatus
A wood-rasping giant with bold racing stripes and a reclusive personality.
Royal Whiptail
FishSturisoma festivum
A sleek, whiskered algae grazer from the Maracaibo basin with a surprising trick up its sleeve.
Ruby Tetra
FishAxelrodi riesei
A tiny red gem from Colombia that rewards patient, species-focused keepers.
Rummy Nose Tetra
FishHemigrammus bleheri
A tight-schooling tetra whose vivid red nose blazes brightest in a large group.
Rummy Nose Tetra
FishHemigrammus rhodostomus
The original rummy-nose, built for tight shoals and soft Amazon water.
Saddleback Acara
FishAequidens tetramerus
A wide-ranging South American cichlid with vivid locality color forms worth hunting down.
Saddle Corydoras
FishCorydoras ephippifer
A rarely-seen Amazonian cory with clear fins and a surprisingly long lifespan.
Sailfin Pimeloid
FishLeiarius marmoratus
A massive schooling catfish with dramatic fins and a nocturnal personality.
Sailfin Pleco
FishGlyptoperichthys gibbiceps
A decades-long commitment: this armored giant lives longer than most pets.
Sailfin Tetra
FishCrenuchus spilurus
A solitary little predator with theatrical fin displays and devoted fathering instincts.
Salmacis Cory
FishScleromystax salmacis
A tiny armored catfish from Brazilian ponds, with a venomous sting to respect.
Salt and Pepper Cory
FishCorydoras habrosus
A pint-sized armored catfish that breathes air and blinks at you.
Sands' cory
FishCorydoras davidsandsi
A rarely exported Rio Negro cory with a bold split dorsal bar and surprising longevity.
San Francisco Piranha
FishPygocentrus piraya
The largest piranha, and the one that earns the reputation others borrow.
Santa cruz cory
FishCorydoras cruziensis
A tiny armored catfish from Bolivia with a gut that doubles as a lung.
Scarlet Livebearer
FishMicropoecilia picta
A pint-sized livebearer with a taste for brackish water and bold color.
Schwartz's Cory
FishCorydoras schwartzi
A long-lived, armored bottom dweller that genuinely thrives in good company.
Serpae Tetra
FishHyphessobrycon eques
Fiery red schooler that turns fin-nipper when kept in too-small groups.
Seuss' cory
FishCorydoras seussi
A long-lived Bolivian cory that breathes air and rewards patient keepers.
Severum
FishHeros efasciatus
A gentle giant of the Amazon that plays surprisingly well with others.
Severum
FishHeros severus
A large, easygoing cichlid with personality to spare and a surprisingly gentle nature.
Sheep Pacu
FishAcnodon normani
A compact pacu with tiger stripes and a bad habit of snacking on scales.
Sheepshead Pupfish
FishCyprinodon variegatus
A tough little pupfish that thrives where most fish would struggle to survive.
Shining Pencilfish
FishNannostomus nitidus
A rarely-seen pencilfish with a glittering lateral stripe and fascinating nocturnal color shifts.
Short-lined Pyrrhulina
FishPyrrhulina brevis
A compact Amazonian predator with surprising personality for its size.
Shovel-nosed Catfish
FishSorubim lima
A head-down ambush predator that swims like a falling leaf among the roots.
Shy Cory
FishCorydoras gracilis
A tiny, shy cory with a bold arched stripe and a surprising air-breathing trick.
Silver Arawana
FishOsteoglossum bicirrhosum
An ancient, leaping predator that quickly outgrows almost every home aquarium.
Silver Croaker
FishPlagioscion squamosissimus
A riverside predator built like a torpedo, surprisingly manageable for its size.