The Americas

Gambusia affinis

The notorious mosquitofish: tough, prolific, and not a friendly neighbor.

Orbicella annularis

A reef-building powerhouse that forms the backbone of Caribbean coral ecosystems.

Auchenipterus nuchalis

A surface-roaming catfish with bizarre ossified barbels and secretive nocturnal habits.

Porites astreoides

A tough Western Atlantic reef builder that keeps its polyps out around the clock.

Pomacea bridgesii

A peaceful, algae-grazing snail that comes in a rainbow of shell colors.

Gymnocharacinus bergi

A scaleless South American oddity from one of the world's most isolated streams.

Naso lituratus

A wide-ranging Pacific grazer that needs serious space to thrive.

Nassarius vibex

A tireless sand-sifting scavenger that keeps reef substrate clean and aerated.

Gobiosoma oceanops

A tiny reef cleaner that punches way above its weight.

Elacatinus oceanops

A tiny cleaner fish that runs its own reef spa service.

Paracheirodon innesi

The fish that turned millions of people into aquarium keepers.

Corydoras reticulatus

A fine-patterned bottom dweller that lives surprisingly long in good company.

Hypancistrus sp. "L066"

A boldly patterned pleco with a variable maze-like network across its body.

Corydoras nijsseni

A rare Rio Negro cory with bold patterning and a surprisingly long lifespan.

Plexaurella nutans

A tall, branching sea rod that sways gently in moderate reef currents.

Corydoras septentrionalis

A long-lived Orinoco bottom-dweller that breathes air and blinks at you.

Channa argus

A true apex predator that can survive days out of water. And is banned in many countries.

Vieja zonata

A rare Mexican cichlid with big personality and even bigger space requirements.

Potamotrygon motoro

A disc-shaped apex predator that can learn to recognize its keeper.

Asterophysus batrachus

A gulper catfish that can swallow prey nearly twice its own size.

Corydoras simulatus

A rarely documented Colombian cory with a color pattern that keeps even experts guessing.

Nannostomus unifasciatus

A tiny pencilfish that swims at a permanent angle, day and night.

Satanoperca lilith

A rarely traded eartheater with a single bold flank spot and surprising social depth.

Pseudocorynactis caribbeorum

A nocturnal Caribbean predator with sticky orange-tipped tentacles that can snag small fish.

Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) elegans

A vivid cold-water coral that thrives in the shade where most corals fail.

Neoheterandria elegans

A tiny Colombian livebearer with a fascinating near-mammalian reproductive twist.

Epizoanthus scotinus

A cold-water Pacific zoanthid that brings bold orange color to cooler reef tanks.

Bryconops affinis

A restless, fast-moving shoaler from the Guiana Shield's coastal streams.

Laetacara fulvipinnis

A tiny blackwater cichlid with warm-toned fins and a gentle personality.

Geophagus sp. "Orange Head"

A vividly capped cichlid that rewards patient keepers with fascinating mouthbrooding family life.

Andinoacara sp. "Orinoco"

A mellow Orinoco cichlid that pairs easily and rewards patient breeders.

Biotodoma wavrini

A slender eartheater that thrives in groups and rewards patient, experienced keepers.

Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus

A dinosaur-sized algae grazer built for decades of service in large tanks.

Hemigrammus barrigonae

A rare Orinoco tetra that rewards patient keepers willing to seek it out.

Corydoras ornatus

A long-lived Tapajós bottom-dweller that thrives in sociable, peaceful groups.

Astronotus ocellatus

The cichlid that recognizes your face and rearranges its own tank.