Species

Malapterurus electricus

A living electric weapon that can knock out prey with a 400-volt discharge.

Chaca bankanensis

A master of disguise that lures prey with its own barbels like a living trap.

Pterois antennata

A venomous nocturnal predator draped in bold bars and elaborate fins.

Mastacembelus circumcinctus

A secretive burrowing eel that vanishes into the substrate for days at a time.

Polypterus delhezi

A living fossil from the Congo that breathes air and hunts by smell.

Polypterus bichir bichir

A living fossil that breathes air and hunts by smell alone.

Channa melasoma

A compact, nocturnal predator built for dark, acidic forest streams.

Amblydoras nauticus

A hardy little catfish that talks in the dark and rarely shows its face by day.

Batrochoglanis raninus

A compact, cave-hoarding ambush predator with serious attitude for its size.

Pseudopimelodus bufonius

A boldly patterned South American catfish that's surprisingly easy to keep.

Vaillantella maassi

A secretive, eel-like loach with a bold orange dorsal stripe and a sky-high price tag.

Synodontis decorus

A bold Congo catfish with a clown's wardrobe and a surprisingly peaceful personality.

Cnidoglanis macrocephalus

A peaceful Australian giant that hides by day and hunts by night.

Butis butis

The brackish ambush predator that hunts just as happily upside down as right-side up.

Dendrochirus brachypterus

A venomous pocket predator that spends most of its time just sitting there, looking menacing.

Gnathonemus petersii

A trunk-nosed African oddball that navigates the dark using its own electric field.

Silurus glanis

One of the largest freshwater fish alive, and it knows it.

Dactylopus dactylopus

A sand-walking dragonet that tiptoes across the seafloor on finger-like fins.

Mastacembelus erythrotaenia

A bold, snake-like predator that rewards patient keepers with years of personality.

Sorubimichthys planiceps

A massive Amazonian predator that demands serious space and serious commitment.

Gymnothorax polyuranodon

A true freshwater moray that mistakes fingers for fish when hungry.

Zungaro zungaro

A river giant that grows big enough to swallow your other fish whole.

Potamotrygon henlei

A bold, boldly patterned river predator that demands respect and serious space.

Chaca chaca

A living lure: the ambush catfish that fishes for its own dinner.

Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi

A rare Sri Lankan loach hidden beneath leaf litter, seldom seen in the hobby.

Pimelodus ornatus

A bold, predatory catfish with toxic spines and serious schooling instincts.

Pangio cuneovirgata

A rare kuhli lookalike from blackwater peat swamps, seldom seen outside expert collections.

Pangio piperata

A speckled, secretive kuhli loach that turns up as a mystery in mixed shipments.

Macropharyngodon meleagris

A boldly patterned reef wrasse that rewards patient, experienced keepers.

Cryptocentrus leptocephalus

A burrow-sharing goby that stands guard while its pistol shrimp partner digs.

Cleidopus gloriamaris

A living lantern: the fish that carries its own lights on its jaw.

Pangio semicincta

The fish sold as kuhli loach is almost certainly this one instead.

Ageneiosus inermis

A giant, predatory catfish with one of the most unusual reproductive strategies in freshwater.

Oxyeleotris marmorata

A motionless giant that eats anything fitting in its enormous mouth.

Macrognathus meklongensis

A secretive Thai spiny eel that comes out of hiding when hunger calls.

Polypterus mokelembembe

An ancient, armored predator from the Congo's murky depths.