Small: 5 to 20 cm
Sardines, anchovies, most aquarium fish and many reef fish. 24 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
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
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreEuropean mudminnow
Small freshwater fish from Central and Eastern EuropeOther · Rivers and lakes
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
🇺🇸 United States and 4 moreMosquitofish
Small North American fish introduced globally for mosquito control.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes
🇺🇸 United StatesEastern mosquitofish
A small livebearing fish native to the eastern US, now invasive in many regions.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes · 1859
🇲🇽 MexicoButterfly splitfin
A critically endangered livebearing fish from Mexico.Livebearer · Rivers and lakes · 1971
WorldHeadstander
South American freshwater fish known for swimming with their heads pointed downwards.Other · Rivers and lakes
🇨🇳 ChinaButterfly loach
A small, flat freshwater loach from fast Chinese streams.Other · Rivers and lakes
South AsiaGreen spotted puffer
Small brackish water pufferfish with a tiny genomeOther · Rivers and lakes
🇰🇭 Cambodia and 1 moreFigure 8 puffer
A small brackish water pufferfish with distinctive eye-like markings.Other · Rivers and lakes
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
- 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
- Rasbora: Captain R C Beavan, Public domain, source
- Xiphophorus: Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Killifish: TinoStrauss, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mosquitofish: NOZO, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Eastern mosquitofish: JeffreyGammon, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Butterfly splitfin: Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Headstander: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, source
- Butterfly loach: Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Green spotted puffer: Starseed, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, source
- Figure 8 puffer: ColdmachineUK, CC BY 2.5, source