Breed directory

Aquarium and pond fish

Temperament, diet, lifespan and how each breed copes with a Gulf summer. Select a breed for its full profile.

Angelfish

Cichlid · Amazon Basin
10–12 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Banggai Cardinalfish

Cardinalfish · Banggai Islands
3–5 years Marine
UAE heat

Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)

Labyrinth fish · Thailand & Cambodia
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Bicolor Blenny

Blenny · Indo-Pacific
3–5 years Marine
UAE heat

Black Skirt Tetra

Characin · Paraguay & Brazil
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Blue Tang

Surgeonfish · Indo-Pacific
8–20 years Marine
UAE heat

Bristlenose Pleco

Suckermouth catfish · Amazon Basin
5–10 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Cardinal Tetra

Characin · Orinoco & Negro rivers
4–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Cherry Barb

Cyprinid · Sri Lanka
4–6 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Clown Loach

Loach · Indonesia
15–20 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Clownfish (Ocellaris)

Damselfish · Indo-Pacific reefs
6–10+ years Marine
UAE heat

Coral Beauty Angelfish

Dwarf angelfish · Indo-Pacific
5–7 years Marine
UAE heat

Corydoras (Bronze)

Armoured catfish · South America
5–10 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Discus

Cichlid · Amazon River
10–15 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Dwarf Gourami

Labyrinth fish · South Asia
4 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Electric Yellow Cichlid

African cichlid · Lake Malawi
6–10 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Endler’s Livebearer

Livebearer · Venezuela
2–3 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Firefish Goby

Dartfish · Indo-Pacific
3–5 years Marine
UAE heat

Flowerhorn

Hybrid cichlid · Malaysia
10–12 years Freshwater
UAE heat

German Blue Ram

Dwarf cichlid · Venezuela & Colombia
2–3 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Goldfish (Common / Comet)

Carp family · China
10–20 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Goldfish (Fancy)

Carp family · China
10–15 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Guppy

Livebearer · North-eastern South America & Caribbean
2–3 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Harlequin Rasbora

Cyprinid · Southeast Asia
5–8 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Koi

Carp family · Japan
25–35 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Kribensis

Dwarf cichlid · Nigeria & Cameroon
5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Kuhli Loach

Loach · Southeast Asia
10+ years Freshwater
UAE heat

Mandarin Dragonet

Dragonet · Western Pacific
2–4 years Marine
UAE heat

Molly

Livebearer · Central America
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Neon Tetra

Characin · Amazon Basin
5–8 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Oscar

Cichlid · South America
10–20 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Otocinclus

Suckermouth catfish · South America
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Pearl Gourami

Labyrinth fish · Malaysia & Thailand
4–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Platy

Livebearer · Mexico & Central America
3–4 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Royal Gramma

Basslet · Caribbean reefs
5+ years Marine
UAE heat

Rummy-nose Tetra

Characin · Amazon Basin
5–8 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Silver Arowana

Bonytongue · Amazon Basin
10–15 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Six-line Wrasse

Wrasse · Indo-Pacific
4–6 years Marine
UAE heat

Swordtail

Livebearer · Mexico & Central America
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Tiger Barb

Cyprinid · Indonesia & Malaysia
5–7 years Freshwater
UAE heat

White Cloud Mountain Minnow

Cyprinid · China
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Yellow Tang

Surgeonfish · Hawaii
10–20 years Marine
UAE heat

Yellow Watchman Goby

Goby · Indo-Pacific
5–10 years Marine
UAE heat

Zebra Danio

Cyprinid · South Asia
3–5 years Freshwater
UAE heat

Dog breeds follow the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) ten-group system. Ratings and UAE heat scores are general guides; individual animals vary.