Small: 5 to 20 cm
Sardines, anchovies, most aquarium fish and many reef fish. 17 fish.
GroupSharkRayCarpCatfishSalmonidHerringCodTunaPerch-likeCichlidReef fishEelFlatfishLivebearerAncientOther
WaterRivers and lakesEstuaries and mangrovesCoasts and shelvesCoral reefsOpen oceanDeep seaPolar and cold seasCaves and springsBetween sea and river
🇺🇬 Uganda and 2 moreSilver cyprinid
A small pelagic fish from Lake Victoria that supports regional food security.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreDesert pupfish
Small desert fish that survives extreme heat and saltOther · Rivers and lakes · 1853
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreMexican tetra
A freshwater characin with surface and blind cave forms, studied for evolutionary biology.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United StatesDelta smelt
A tiny, endangered fish native to California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.Other · Rivers and lakes · 1963
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreZebrafish
Small striped fish from South Asia kept in aquariums and labsCarp · Rivers and lakes
WorldMarine hatchetfish
Small deep-sea fish with a distinctive compressed body shape and bioluminescent camouflage.Other · Open ocean
WorldThree-spined stickleback
Small northern fish known for rapid evolution and complex breeding.Other · Rivers and lakes
WorldNinespine stickleback
Small freshwater fish with variable spines found across the Northern Hemisphere.Other · Rivers and lakes
EuropeEuropean bullhead
Small freshwater sculpin found in European rivers and streams.Other · Rivers and lakes
WorldSabertooth fish
Small deep-sea aulopiforms with large recurved teeth and tubular eyes.Other · Deep sea
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreEuropean mudminnow
Small freshwater fish from Central and Eastern EuropeOther · Rivers and lakes
WorldGlasshead barreleye
Deep-sea fish with mirror-based eyesOther · Open ocean
WorldBarreleye
Deep-sea fish with tubular eyes and a light-producing anusOther · Open ocean
WorldRasbora
A diverse genus of small freshwater fish native to South and Southeast Asia.Carp · Rivers and lakes · 1822
🇲🇽 Mexico and 3 moreXiphophorus
A genus of small livebearing fish native to Mexico and Central America, known for aquarium use and genetic research.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
WorldKillifish
Small egg-laying fish known for hardiness and short lifespansLivebearer · Rivers and lakes
WorldHumpback anglerfish
Deep-sea black seadevil with a glowing lureOther · Open ocean · 1863
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Silver cyprinid: Boulenger, George Albert; Loat, L., Public domain, source
- Desert pupfish: jkirkhart35, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mexican tetra: User:Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Delta smelt: Peterson, B. Moose / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, source
- Zebrafish: Roundish, CC0, source
- Marine hatchetfish: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Three-spined stickleback: Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ninespine stickleback: Piet Spaans, Public domain, source
- European bullhead: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- European mudminnow: Zsoldos Márton, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Glasshead barreleye: Adrian Flynn, CC BY 1.0, source
- Barreleye: S. Johnsen (Duke Uni.) for courtesy of photos, J. Hlidberg for courtes, CC BY 4.0, source
- Rasbora: Captain R C Beavan, Public domain, source
- Xiphophorus: Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Killifish: TinoStrauss, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Humpback anglerfish: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, source