Tiny: under 5 cm
Gobies, guppies, tetras and the smallest fish in the world. 24 fish.
GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
🇨🇴 Colombia and 2 moreNeon tetra
A small, brightly coloured freshwater fish popular in home aquariums.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1936
Southeast AsiaBumblebee goby
Small striped freshwater and brackish gobies from AsiaOther · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United StatesLeast killifish
A tiny North American fish that gives birth to live young and measures just two centimetres long.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese rice fish
Small freshwater fish native to Japan and a key model organism.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇧🇷 Brazil and 4 moreSerpae tetra
Small red freshwater fish from South AmericaOther · Rivers and lakes · 1882
🇧🇷 BrazilEmber tetra
Tiny orange freshwater fish from BrazilOther · Rivers and lakes · 1987
🇧🇷 Brazil and 1 moreX-ray tetra
Small translucent South American freshwater fish popular in home aquariums.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1894
🇧🇷 Brazil and 4 moreMarbled hatchetfish
A small South American freshwater fish kept in aquariums for its unique shape and surface-dwelling habits.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1864
WorldSplash tetra
Small South American fish that lays eggs on leaves above waterOther · Rivers and lakes
Southeast AsiaPygmy gourami
A tiny freshwater fish from Southeast Asia known for its iridescent colours and ability to make sounds.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 moreCardinal tetra
Small freshwater fish with a bright red belly and iridescent blue stripe.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1956
🇧🇷 BrazilBlack neon tetra
Small freshwater characin with white and black stripes, popular in the aquarium trade.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇻🇪 Venezuela and 1 moreRam cichlid
Small colourful freshwater fish from South AmericaCichlid · Rivers and lakes · 1948
🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 morePygmy corydoras
A tiny armored catfish from South America kept in community aquariums.Catfish · Rivers and lakes · 1966
🇨🇳 ChinaWhite Cloud Mountain minnow
A small, hardy freshwater fish native to China, popular in aquariums for its cold tolerance and peaceful nature.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1930
🇲🇲 Myanmar and 1 moreCelestial pearl danio
A tiny, brightly coloured freshwater fish from Myanmar and Thailand, popular in the aquarium trade.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 2006
🇱🇰 Sri LankaVateria Flower Rasbora
Small freshwater fish from Sri Lanka streamsCarp · Rivers and lakes
🇱🇰 Sri LankaOrnate paradisefish
A tiny carnivorous gourami from Sri Lankan streams.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇮🇳 IndiaDwarf pufferfish
A tiny freshwater pufferfish from India prized for its bright colours and small size in home aquaria.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1941
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Neon tetra: Corpse89, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bumblebee goby: Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Least killifish: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, source
- Japanese rice fish: NOZO, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ember tetra: Pascal Wolterman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- X-ray tetra: Richard Bartz, Munich Makro Freak, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Marbled hatchetfish: SOK , Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Splash tetra: Zikamoi, CC BY 3.0, source
- Pygmy gourami: Zikamoi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cardinal tetra: Unknown author, Attribution, source
- Black neon tetra: Juan R. Lascorz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ram cichlid: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pygmy corydoras: Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- White Cloud Mountain minnow: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Celestial pearl danio: Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Vateria Flower Rasbora: Rupert A. Collins, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ornate paradisefish: Klaus de Leuw, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dwarf pufferfish: 5snake5, CC0, source