Central America

Belonesox belizanus

A surface-hunting predator built like a pike, from Central American wetlands.

Xiphophorus maculatus

The beginner-proof livebearer that comes in more color forms than you can count.

Cyprinodon alvarezi

A fish extinct in the wild, kept alive by dedicated hobbyists worldwide.

Xiphophorus pygmaeus

A pint-sized livebearer with all the personality of its larger swordtail cousins.

Herotilapia multispinosa

A rare Central American cichlid that actually plays well with others.

Characodon lateralis

A rare Mexican livebearer with a complicated identity and real conservation value.

Amphilophus labiatus

A notoriously aggressive cichlid that somehow also becomes your best friend.

Xiphophorus helleri

A selectively bred swordtail with a ruffled dorsal fin and deep crimson color throughout.

Amphilophus calobrensis

A rare Panamanian cichlid with a ferocious personality and fascinating parental behavior.

Xenotoca eiseni

A hardy livebearer with a nasty streak and genuinely fascinating reproductive biology.

Awaous banana

A sand-sifting river giant that grazes algae like an aquatic lawnmower.

Archocentrus spinosissimus

A spiny Central American cichlid from Guatemala's Lake Izabal basin, rarely seen in the hobby.

Sturisoma panamense

An elegant whiptail catfish that grazes algae and breathes air when needed.

Poecilia latipinna

The male's enormous sail-like dorsal fin makes this livebearer instantly recognizable.

Poecilia velifera

The towering dorsal fin of this livebearer is a true showpiece when conditions are right.

Cichlasoma salvini

Colorful, compact, and surprisingly ferocious. A Central American cichlid with real attitude.

Thorichthys callolepis

A lesser-known Mexican cichlid from swift, rocky headwaters worth a closer look.

Paraneetroplus bulleri

A hardy Mexican cichlid built for fast currents and long-term companionship.

Cyprinodon desquamator

A tiny Bahamian pupfish that makes its living stealing scales from other fish.

Cyprinodon variegatus

A tough little pupfish that thrives where most fish would struggle to survive.

Poecilia mexicana

The wild ancestor of the molly we all know, built for tough conditions.

Thorichthys maculipinnis

A gentle Central American cichlid that surprises with its delicate spotted fins.

Heterandria bimaculata

A bold Central American livebearer with attitude to match its size.

Xiphophorus hellerii

The elongated tail sword makes males one of the most recognizable livebearers in the hobby.

Herichthys tamasopoensis

A rare Mexican cichlid from crystal-clear limestone rivers, built for hard water.

Amatitlania sajica

A compact Costa Rican cichlid with fierce parental instincts packed into a small frame.

Zoogoneticus tequila

A fish kept in aquariums that may no longer exist anywhere in the wild.

Ariopsis seemanni

A venomous, migratory catfish that's far more demanding than its juvenile looks suggest.

Herichthys cyanoguttatus

The only cichlid native to the United States, and it has the attitude to prove it.

Cichlasoma trimaculatum

A bold, territorial Central American cichlid with legendary parenting instincts.

Hoplias malabaricus

A nocturnal ambush predator with jaws that mean serious business.

Atractosteus tropicus

A living fossil from Central America that grows to canoe-like proportions.

Vieja bifasciata

Two bold facial stripes mark this colorful, feisty Central American cichlid.

Astyanax bimaculatus

A robust South American characin that rewards keepers willing to think big.

Xiphophorus variatus

Dozens of color forms, endless fry, and tolerant enough for any community tank.

Theraps wesseli

A little-known Honduran cichlid with big personality and bold Central American roots.