Freshwater aquarium invertebrates are thus becoming an increasingly popular choice among aquarium enthusiasts. Over the course of the earth’s evolution, invertebrates have evolved to an amazing level of diversity. Their fascination stems from their bizarre forms, fantastic colours or markings and their interesting behavior. Often small size makes them ideal for nano aquariums. Most aquarium invertebrates such as freshwater shrimps and snail species are tolerant of salinity and pH ranges but are very sensitive to ammonia/ammonium and heavy metal concentrations.

Popular Invertebrates for Aquascape Aquarium

There are many aquarium invertebrates like shrimps and snails species available to the aquascape aquarium. Some are purely ornamental, while others (namely neocardina and cardinia species for shrimps and Neritina species for snails) are kept primarily as algae eaters.

Freshwater Snails
Freshwater snails make their appearance in every aquarium sooner or later, sometimes becoming a real nuisance. Recently, these former “undesirables” have found their own place in some aquarium enthusiasts.  Some varieties such as Ramshorn Snails are highly interesting and also useful helpers in aquascape aquarium.

Dwarf Crayfish

Crayfish are also fascinating aquarium inhabitants. Most varieties grow to a considerable size, however, and require an appropriately large habitat. Dwarf crayfish of the Cambarellus genus are ideal for nano aquarium. With a size of 3-5 cm, they are suitable maintained in nano tanks of 25 liter or larger.

As dwarf crayfish are not interested in destroying plants, any aquarium greenery of your choice is appropriate. However, Crayfish are the great “escape artists”. They are able to survive in air for some time and are excellent climbers. An aquarium containing crabs or crayfish thus needs to be “escape-proof”.

Aquarium Shrimps

These lively little invertebrates are highly robust animals which flourish when kept in the right conditions. Most aquarium shrimp varieties have a relatively large tolerance range with regard to water values. A good supply of oxygen is particularly important. If the oxygen level drops too low, this will have an adverse effect on their health.

Shrimp are generally omnivorous, with a preference for plants. In addition to algae, their menu also contains natural animal plankton, detritus (dead plant material, decaying leaves, etc.). And even carrion.

Keeping Freshwater Aquarium Invertebrates

Of the many invertebrates species found to be useful to the aquaria hobby, like the Japanese Marsh Shrimp which better known as the Yamato or Amano Shrimp is by far the most popular algae eater in the hobby. And Ramshorn snails on the other hand, are not far behind, they will rid algae from your rocks, driftwood and make your aquarium equipment as if they were brand new. Even Black Beard Algae (BBA) doesn't stand a chance.

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Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat

Keeping Freshwater Shrimp with Fluval EBI Nano Aquarium
If you want to learn keeping freshwater invertebrates at home, I recommend  starting with the Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat by Hagen. The nano shrimp aquarium has been designed with freshwater shrimp specifically in mind. The Fluval Ebi comes fully equipped to provide the ideal habitat for freshwater shrimp and crayfish.

With their vibrant colours and entertaining disposition, freshwater shrimp (called ebi in Japanese) are a truly fascinating species to collect and keep. The Fluval EBI Nano Shrimp Habitat kit includes everything you need to enjoy this wonderful and increasingly-popular hobby. Equipped with an internal filter designed for maximum water clarity and biological capacity, the Fluval Ebi is a great habitat to get you started and experience the fascinating lives of shrimp. read more.

For the majority of shrimps a neutral and medium hardness water is generally suitable. Some species of shrimp do have preferences for slightly acidic or moderately alkaline waters though a range of 5.6 to 7.5 pH and hardness levels around 5-10 gH. Temperature, likewise has to be kept below 30C.

While changing water, ensure that chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals are removed with dechlorinators prior to adding to the tank. It is highly recommended not to use any hot tap water when performing water changes. It should be noted that if keeping these aquarium shrimps, snails and other freshwater aquarium invertebrates, copper based water additives or medicines should never be used.

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There are thousands of freshwater fish species in the world, but not all types of fish suitable for acuascape aquarium. The best freshwater fish for aquarium aquascaping must meet several requirements.

In addition to general requirements such as the types of freshwater fish that are kept should be able to live in harmony, or other types of Tetras and Rasboras maintained in groups, there are also some special requirements; the fish that are kept does not include the aquatic plant eaters (herbivores), such as Gold fish, or types of cichlid that like digging sand.

Which fish are safe for a freshwater planted tank?

Most planted tanks are tropical, so I will list tropical fish you should avoid most large South American Cichlids - really only dwarfs, Discus, Keyholes, and a select few others will not eat plants. African Cichlids will also terrorize your plants.

Those fish who eat plants include headstanders, silver dollar, distichodus, leporinus, goldfish, butterfly goodeid, pacu, prochilodus, silver shark, tinfoil barb, severum, some African cichlids, oscars, plecos, bristlenose catfish. Some fish will eat any kind of plants, while others may prefer certain types like fine-leaved ones.

Many of the above mentioned fish grow to a large size, so imagine how much damage they can do in a planted tank.


There are those who can uproot plants by their digging and large size eg. African cichlids, large catfish. Aquarium plants with short roots and foreground/ground cover plants are most at risk. Digging fish such as Loaches, Catfish, and other burrowing species can be problematic as they often uproot plants, while herbivorous fish such as Silver Dollars and most species of Plecostomus will readily devour your plants. The best thing is to wait until your plants are established and well rooted before introducing large fish & bottom feeders.

Cichlids are commonly cited as fish to avoid in planted tanks, but there are exceptions, for example: Cockatoo (apisto cacatuoides), Jewel (only tough plants), Ram, Kribensis, Angelfish, Discus, Firemouth (hardy plants & protect roots eg plant in pots). Some African cichlid species can also live with plants but plants are not a natural and major feature in their habitat, so no point having plants (the high pH & hardness also doesn't suit most tropical plants).


The best freshwater fish for planted aquarium with small / medium size tanks (<200 Liters) are the smaller ones like Tetras, Rasboras, most Barbs, Danios, Minnows, Gouramis, Dwarf Cichlids, Discus, Kuhli Loaches, Glass Catfish, Killifish, Rainbowfish, including freshwater Gobies and Blennies would all make great displays, and also those who can eat algae and scavenge in the substrate. There is a fish compatibility chart that also lists compatibility with plants by usually compatible, sometimes compatible and rarely compatible. This table will greatly help us in choosing the best freshwater fish for aquarium aquascaping.

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Another best freshwater fish for aquarium and aquascaping enthusiasts is Killifish. The name "Killifish" is derived from the Dutch word "kilde", meaning small creek, and puddle. Most killies are small fish, from one to two inches, with the largest species growing to just under six inches. They comprise of a group of fishes of the family Cyprinodontidae and are commonly known as the egg laying tooth carps, cousins to live-bearing fish such as mollies and guppies. Like their live-bearing counterparts, killifish are usually mosquito larvae eaters. There are about 350 species of killifish found within the equatorial belts throughout the world and in practically all regions except Australasia. Many killifish species are as brightly colored as salt-water fish and have incredible finnage.

In the wild most species of this best freshwater fish for aquarium are territorial by nature, the male defending his area against intrusion by other males. They mate with whichever females they can tempt into their territory. In the aquarium, it's best to keep a ratio of one male with two or three females. Killies are excellent jumpers so keep a closely fitting lid. In their natural environment most killifish live in soft and slightly acidic waters (pH 6.2-6.8) with temperature ranging from 22 to 26° C.


Killifish are divided into three general breeding groups of annuals, semi annuals, and non-annuals (plant spawners). In the wild, the annuals spawn every day, because in nature, when the pond dries up, the eggs go into a hibernation phase known as diapauses. When the pond fills with the rains from the next season (sometimes 6 months) the eggs hatch and it isn't long before the whole pond is filled with killifish.

Spawning of this best fish for aquarium is done every day, just in case in the next rainy season, the first rains are insufficient to fill the pool. By spawning daily (2-3 eggs or more), this ensures hatching times of the next generation of killies are thus spread out over time. Species of annual killifish therefore grow and mature quickly, so they can repeat the process before the ponds dry up again, between rainy seasons. Killifish that come from areas that are wet year round, such as streams, ponds, and swamps, tend to livelonger, some as many as 5 years or more.

Semi-annuals live in areas, which sometimes dry out to moist mud, but at other times retain water throughout the dry season. They are therefore substrate (in the mud, leaves, etc.) spawners and tend to live a little longer than the annual species of killifish. Semi-annual killifish can be water incubated, but also have higher hatching rates if allowed to be stored in moist peat for 30 -60 days. After this 'drying' period put the peat and eggs in water and within a few days’ baby fish hatches. Semi-annuals generally tend to be substrate spawners, meaning they will spawn in peat moss, Java Moss or in spawning mops placed at the bottom of the aquarium.

The non-annuals, such as the Aphyosemion genus species of this best freshwater fish for aquarium live in permanent bodies of water and, in some cases, will live for up to five years. These species, although there are some more difficult and require more to keep, breed, and raise species. The non-annuals, or plant spawners, can be bred using the spawning mop method for higher yield and with water incubation of the eggs. Most non-annual killifish eggs hatch on an average of 21 days or so.

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Rainbowfishes are another tropical fish species suited for freshwater aquarium plants. An additional plus with Rainbowfish is that they leave plants alone – they will not eat them nor uproot them. They did not grew popular among aquarists until fairly recently, which is actually a bit strange considering their beauty and sturdiness.

It's a family of small, colorful, freshwater fish that are indigenous to Africa, Australia, Madagascar, New Guinea, and other South Asian Islands. Rainbowfish can vary in size (1" to 6") and belong to the family Melanotaenia, the blue-eyed rainbows to the family Pseudomuglidae, the Rice fish to the family Orziatidae and the Silversides to the family Atherinidae. They inhabit streams, creeks, lakes, and brackish waters. Rainbow fish are normally very active swimmers, and are often very hardy and fit well in many community tanks.

Depending on the species, pH requirements can vary from 6.5 to 8.0 and temperatures should be maintained between 25 to 28° C. Good filtration and regular partial water changes are important. With a few exceptions all these fish like medium hard to hard water and the pH on the Alkaline side of neutral. Good water quality is a must and as the quality decreases the coloration on the fish tend to fade and get washed out.

Rainbowfishes is also an excellent choice for aquarists who like their fish to spawn in the aquarium. They have very similar breeding habits, their food requirements are similar, and adapt to a wide range of water chemistry. All are of good-natured temperament and will live harmoniously, more or less, with one another.

Similiar to Tetras or Rasboras, Rainbowfish is a schooling fish and should be kept in groups consisting of at least six individuals, preferably not less than 10-15. This is not only beneficial for the fish, it is also much more beautiful to look at a large school of shimmering Rainbow fish than one or a few shy individuals that spend most of their time hiding.

Keeping several males together will also make them develop more vibrant colors, since they need to compete with each other for female attention. Juveniles often show little of their stunning adult colors. The natural habitat of Rainbowfish is filled with aquatic plants and they will therefore appreciate a planted aquarium with some open space available for these active and energetic fishes to swim around in. A good plant to use is the Java moss as it is native to the region and can also serve as a spawning medium.

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Rasboras are members of a group of small minnow-type fish belonging to the Family Cyprinidae. Currently the genus Rasbora contains around 70 species, which can be found in parts of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and southern Thailand), and Africa. Rasboras inhabit streams and other watercourses characterized principally by low mineral content, high concentrations of dissolved humic acids, a consequence of those waters flowing through peat swamp forests. The waterlogged soils of these forests inhibit the complete decay of leaf litter, and result in the formation of peat, which leaches humic acids and related compounds into the watercourses flowing through these forests. The conditions thus resemble those found on a different continent, namely the blackwater habitats of South America.


These colorful, hardy fish fare best in groups of six or more fish. Rasboras are rewarding fish when maintained in the planted community aquarium, displaying beautiful coloration, and unique color patterns. Most of the rasboras are small, up to 10 cm long. They share the same family with many popular aquarium fishes such as the goldfish, koi, barbs, tetras and danios. Rasboras are the ideal fish for the community aquarium as most are small, peaceful, colorful and easy to care for.

In their natural environment many come from soft, slightly acid water. In an aquarium they are tolerant of most aquarium conditions as long as the water is well-filtered and partial water changes are conducted regularly. Rasboras are considered very hardy fish and can tolerate a wider pH range of 5.5 to 7.8, and hardness ranges from zero to 15°dH. The temperature range for Rasboras is around 22°C to 27°C.

They are fast and active shoaling fish, and should be kept in a group comprising a minimum of six individuals, though shoals of larger numbers are preferable not only from the standpoint of the well-being of the fish, but from an aesthetic standpoint - a large shoal of Rasboras presents a striking vista even to non-fishkeepers, and their active disposition in the water adds to the spectacle. Being a peaceful species, the Rasboras may be maintained in a community aquarium setup with other similarly sized and peaceful aquarium fishes, including many of the small Tetras, Danios, Pencilfish, Corydoras, Plecos and others.


An aquarium intended to house Rasboras should be well planted with some open areas for swimming. Most Rasboras are egg-scattering spawners, however, in some types of rasboras species (such as Harlequin Rasbora), they will deposits adhesive eggs on the underside of the leaves of plants such as Cryptocoryne and Aponogeton, these being among the plants that inhabit the Rasbora's native waters.

The female will swim in an inverted position beneath a chosen leaf, rub her belly along the leaf in preparation for spawning, this action seemingly encouraging the male to join in spawning. When the male joins the female, he adopts a similar inverted position alongside her, and as the female extrudes her eggs and attaches them to the underside of the leaf, the male curls his tail fin around the body of the female and with a trembling motion, emits the sperm that will fertilize the eggs.

The freshwater fishes repeat this course of action over a period of 2 hours or more, during which a large and well-conditioned female may deposit as many as 100 eggs. The lifespan of Rasboras has not been systematically determined, but individuals in the aquarium can be expected, with good care, to live for 5 to 6 years.

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Pterophyllum is a small genus of freshwater aquarium fish from the family Cichlidae known to most aquarists as "Angelfish". All three Pterophyllum species (Altum, Leopoldi, and Scalare) originate from the Amazon River basin in tropical South America. Angelfish are unusually shaped for cichlids being greatly laterally compressed, with round bodies and elongated triangular dorsal and anal fins. They are normally found in swamps or flooded grounds where vegetation is dense and the water is either clear or silty. Depending on the species, most Angelfish are frequently found in the well oxygenated, extremely soft waters, with a pH range between 4.5 to 6.8. Temperature range in their natural habit is between 24°C - 30°C. Angelfish are ambush predators and prey on small fish and macroinvertebrates. All Pterophyllum species form monogamous pairs. Eggs are generally laid on a submerged log or a flattened leaf. As is the case for other cichlids, brood care is highly developed.

In the aquascape aquarium, Angelfish are one of the most commonly kept freshwater fish. They are prized for their unique shape, color and behavior. Many hobbyists consider angelfish to be a relatively intelligent fish, able to recognize their owners. Ideal water conditions for Angelfish (hybird species) should be warm water, ideally around 28°C, pH range between 5.5 to 6.8, and a water hardness of up to 5–12 dGH. They will do best if fed a mixture of flake, frozen and live food.

Angelfish do best in groups of 4-6 of the same species. Being Cichlids and like most Cichlids, if you keep just 2 or 3 in the same aquarium, the strongest one will make the others miserable. Sexing can be extremely difficult... Look for a slight cichlid hump on the male, although it's not always accurate. The best way to sex is to look at the breeding tubes on a pair when they are spawning. The male's breeding tube will be much smaller than the female's. Angelfish are compatible with some South American Cichlids such as the Blue Rams, Kribensis or any of the Apistogramma species. Larger tetras are fine.

Depending on the size of the angelfish, do not keep with very small tetras or other small fish under one inch in size, they will become lunch, or overly aggressive fish. While Angelfish have been known to eat small fish, this can be largely prevented by adding small fish when the Angelfish are very young. It then doesn't regard these fish as food. Avoid known fin nippers such as Tiger Barbs or Serpae Tetras. Other territorial mid-top dwellers such as Betta splendens and Gouramis are not advisable either as they may become too curious towards the Angels.

Domestic angelfish have been bred and crossbred for several decades. There are hundreds of mutations. These so called 'hybrids' are with little more than a superficial resemblance to wild Pterophyllum species. Some typical Angelfish varieties include, Silver, Zebra, Black Lace, Black, Half Black, Veiltail, Marble, Chocolate, Golden, Blushing, Pearl Scale, Albino, and Koi.

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Tetras are small freshwater aquarium fish species found in streams and rivers throughout the subtropical and tropical zones of South & Central American, and Africa. They are members of the Characidae family which are distinguished from other fish by the presence of a small adipose fin between the dorsal fin and caudal fin. Most tetras are peaceful and have an unaggressive temperament and save for any aquarium plants which makes them suitable in any peaceful community aquarium. They are are active schooling fish that work well in the peaceful community aquarium. It is ideal to keep six or more fish of the same species in the aquarium.

Many different schools of tetras can be maintained in the aquarium providing a unique display of color. In their natural enviornment most tetras live in soft and acidic waters (pH 5.5-6.8) with temperature ranging from 25 to 28° C.

Tetras do best in a well-planted aquarium with moderate lighting using dark substrate to display their vibrant colorations. In many species, male tetras claim small territory which they defend against other males, but this leads to the liveliness of the aquarium.

Good tankmates for smaller tetras include rasboras, dwarf cichlids, corydoras, hatchetfish, pencilfish, and plecos. Larger tetras such as Bleeding Heart Tetras, Diamond Tetras and Congo Tetras can be kept with larger fish such as Angelfish and Discus. Species such as the cardinal tetras are among the most popular of all freshwater fish, adding a touch of brilliance and social interaction to the community aquarium.

In some species, sexing is quite easy. Adult females are more full bodied and wider in the stomach area, whereas, males are slimmer, sometimes having larger dorsal fin, and coloration is usually more intense. Males are often territorial and will defend their space against their neighbors by presenting themselves in profile with the dorsal and anal fins fully extended, and their coloration intensified, making the edging of the body patch stand out prominently. This is a wonderful display when it happens. Sometimes they will exchange blows which can tear the fins, but this damage heals quickly.

Most tetras are not easily breed. The Aquarist must be willing to spend a lot of time and have patience to breed them. The tetras do not engage in any type of brood care, but simply deposit their eggs on plants or scatter them around the tank. Water conditions must be very soft and acidic with a separate breeding tank for this purpose. Once the eggs are laid the parents must be removed or they will eat the eggs. The finest of food must be available for the fry, and in some species baby brine shrimp is even too large for the first couple of days. Although difficult to do, breeding the freshwater tropical fish is not impossible and can be one of the best experiences in your hobby.

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Generally, tropical freshwater fish are found all over the world. The ones kept for home aquariums include wild-caught specimens, single-species individuals born in captivity, some are selectively bred for special physical features such as long fins, or particular colorations such as albino, and others are hybrids of more than one species. In today's aquarium hobby, almost every common tropical freshwater fish has been bred in captivity. Many countries have even set up fish farms, also known as 'aquaculture facilities', in order to avoid depleting fish from their native habitat.

Because of the complementary relationship between fish and plants, an established natural aquarium is usually easier to maintain than other aquarium setups. Fish provide carbon dioxide and nutrients for healthy plant growth. In turn, aquatic plants provide supplementary biological filtration and oxygen to create a clean, healthy environment for fish.

Whatever the choice of freshwater aquarium you plan to set up usually begins with the choice of tropical fish species you would like to keep in it. Besides personal preferences, there are many factors to be taken into consideration - especially if you plan to set up freshwater planted aquarium - fish's adult size, water preferences, feeding habits, compatibility with other species, and more.

There are literally thousands of fish species available in the aquarium hobby and more and more are being discovered. Our goal here is not to show you all of them but provide you with some information of the types of fish and invertebrates we carry. Most of the fish species on our list are suitable for the freshwater aquarium plants and likely to live peacefully with each another.

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