Aquarium Fish That Start With A—Familiar to Exotic

You probably won’t choose a fish based on the first letter of its name, but it can be fun and educational to explore. All fish have both common and scientific names, and the names listed here include both. Many fish have multiple common names but only one scientific name.

If a description intrigues you, explore further by looking up the fish by its scientific name. For example, if Adolfo’s Cory interests you, search for Corydoras adolfoi. This ensures you find the correct fish when shopping.

Most Intriguing Fish Starting With the Letter A

Not all fish are ideal for community tanks, but many are worth learning about. Here are some intriguing fish whose names start with the letter A.

Adolfo’s Cory (Corydoras adolfoi). The scientific name for this freshwater fish comes from the Greek korus (helmet) and dora (skin or hide), likely referring to the orange and black helmet it bears, along with the plates on its sides. Native to Rio Negro in equatorial Brazil, this attractive fish is known as peaceful, playful, and friendly, often getting along with other fish.

African Knifefish (Xenomystus nigri). Found in central African coastal rivers, this fish compensates for its bland appearance with extraordinary traits. It lacks a dorsal fin, and its anal and caudal (tail) fins are joined, allowing it to swim backward. It can also use its swim bladder to make a barking sound!

Albino Red-Tailed Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor). This attractive species, primarily from the Chao Phraya River in Thailand, features a dark gray to black body with a large, bright orange tail. It is highly endangered in the wild and was declared extinct in the mid-1990s, though small populations have since been found. [Insert paragraph break here] Warning: Seek expert advice before keeping this fish with others, as they can be challenging in community settings.

Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula). Unsuitable for home aquariums, the Alligator Gar is one of the largest freshwater fish in North America, usually reaching 6.5 feet and 100 pounds, but it can grow much larger. Its long, tooth-filled snout and torpedo-shaped body make it resemble alligators, though no attacks on humans have been reported.

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata). Found in Greenland and along the eastern coast of Canada, the United States, and south to Trinidad, this species migrates to the Sargasso Sea to spawn. It can live for more than 40 years and may take 40 years to reach sexual maturity.

Angel Fish (Pterophyllum scalare). Among the most popular aquarium fish, it has a disc-shaped body, stunning spiny rays, and a large, triangular dorsal fin. Male and female partners team up during the brooding cycle to protect their eggs.

More Fish With Names That Start With A

While it’s not comprehensive, this list should provide plenty of ideas for expanding your home aquarium.

• Aba Aba (Gymnarchus niloticus)
• Ablabes Barb (Barbus ablabes)
• Adonis Characin (Lepidarchus adonis signifer)
• Adonis Pleco (Acanthicus adonis)
• Adonis Tetra (Lepidarchus adonis)
• African Blockhead Cichlid (Steatocranus casuarius)
• African Brass Tetra (Brycinus humilis)
• African Broad-Band Darter (Nannocharax parvus)
• African Butterfly Cichlid (Anomalochromis thomasi)
• African Glass Catfish (Pareutropius buffei)
• African Moon Tetra (Bathyaethiops caudomaculatus)
• African Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara nyassae)
• African Pike-Characoid (Hepsetus odoe)
• African Red-Eyed Characin (Arnoldichthys spilopterous)
• African Tiger Fish (Hydrocynus goliath)
• African Whiptail Catfish (Phactura ansorgii)
• African Wood Catfish (Chrysichthys ornatus)
• Agassiz’s Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizii)
• Ahl’s Rummy Nose Tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus)
• Akure Aphyosemion (Fundulopanchax gardneri)
• Alabama Hog Sucker (Hypentelium etowanum)
• Albert’s Synodontis (Synodontis alberti)
• Albino Driftwood Cat (Auchenipterus nuchalis)
• Albino Fetivum (Mesonauta festiva)
• Albino Ram (Microgeophagus ramirezi)
• Albino Tiger Barb (Barbus tetrazona)
• Algae Eater, False Siamese (Epalzeorhynchos sp)
• Algae Eater, Lemon (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri)
• Algae Eater, Siamese (Crossocheilus siamensis)
• Altum Angel (Pterophyllum altum)
• American Flagfish (Jordanella floridae)
• Amur Catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)
• Angelicus (Synodontis angelicus)
• Anostomus (Anostomus anostomus)
• Ansorge’s Neolebias (Neolebias ansorgii)
• Apollo Shark (Luciosoma trinema)
• Arapaima (Arapaima gigas)
• Arched Corydoras (Corydoras arcuatus)
• Archer eelpout (Lycodes sagittarius)
• Archerfish (Banded) (Toxotes jaculatrix)
• Archerfish (Common) (Toxotes chatareus)
• Armor Bill Tetra (Phago loricatus)
• Armored Catfish (Callichthys callichthys)
• Armoured Bichir (Polypterus delhezi)
• Arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)
• Arulius Barb (Puntius arulius)
• Asian Arowana (Scleropages formosus)
• Asian Bumblebee Catfish (Leiocassis siamensis)
• Asian Redtailed Catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides)
• Asiatic Knifefish (Notopterus notopterus)
• Atlantic Mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus)
• Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio)
• Auratus (Melanochromis auratus)
• Aurora Cichlid (Pseudotropheus aurora)
• Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata)
• Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri)
• Australian Pearl Arowana (Scleropages jardini)
• Australian Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)
• Australian Spotted Arowana (Scleropages leichardti)
• Australian Swamp Eel (Ophisternon gutturale)
• Axelrod’s Corydoras (Corydoras axelrodi)
• Axelrod’s Rainbowfish (Chilatherina axelrodi)
• Azureus Cichlid (Copadichromis azureus)