Did you know there are well over 30,000 different species of tropical fish identified? This number continues to rise as more species are discovered.
This article will give you a list of our 7 favourite tropical fish beginning with the letter B.
Some you may have heard of, whilst some I am sure you won’t as they are more unusual. We are using their common names, as who actually uses their scientific names when popping into the local pet shop?! I have included the scientific names as well though for the nerdy types.
For the purpose of variation (and because, quite frankly, some of these letters were hard to research!), we may have included some saltwater fish as well. These are clearly marked, as rule number 1 in the world of fishkeeping is that you can’t mix your freshwater fish with your saltwater fish.
Tropical Fish that Start with the Letter B.
- Bandit Corydoras
- Boseman’s Rainbowfish
- Blue Dwarf Gourami
- Blue Acara Cichlid
- Blind Cavefish
- Blue Emperor Tetra
- Black Ruby Barb
Bandit Corydoras.
Scientific name: Corydoras metae.
The Bandit Corydoras gets its name due to the black marking over their eyes. They grow to around 2 inches and originate from South America, namely Colombia.
The Bandit Corydoras is known as an armoured fish. It doesn’t possess the typical scales like many other fish. They have rows of bony plates which meet halfway down each side (you can see where in the photo). This actually provides better protection than scales, hence the amour reference.
This species is peaceful and social, and they like to hang out at the bottom of the tank, mooching around the substrate for food.
Boseman’s Rainbowfish.
Scientific name: Melanotaenia boesemani.
The most distinctive thing about this fish is that their colouring is in two halves! The front half is always of a blue nature, whilst the back half is orangey. As usual, the males are always a lot more vivid in colour than the females.
These peaceful fish hail from New Guinea, and grow to around 4 inches.
They love nothing better than a good old swim, so your tank needs to have plenty of space. They also need to be in small groups or they get lonely.
Blue Dwarf Gourami.
Scientific name: Trichogaster lalius.
The Blue Dwarf Gourami is always a popular choice among fishkeepers, due to its lovely colour and relatively small size. They grow to around 2.5 inches. The males are much more colourful. Even they are called blue, there is usually quite a bit of red in their colouring as well, that gives the impression of stripes. They really do stand out in a tank.
The Blue Dwarf Gourami hails from Northern India, and they are mostly social and peaceful. The males can sometimes be a bit moody but that can be avoided with a nice big tank that gives everyone plenty of space.
They are best kept in pairs as they will form a very close bond.
Blue Acara Cichlid.
Scientific name: Andinoacara pulcher.
This stunning species can be a bit of a handbag fish, in that it can get territorial but not actually aggressive. They are considered to be one of the more peaceful members of the cichlid family. As most fish only get territorial when short of space, this can be easily remedied with the correct sized tank that isn’t overcrowded.
The Blue Acara Cichlid originates from central and northern South America, and can grow to an impressive 8 inches, so needs a decent sized tank to give them lots of space.
Their colouring can vary but in the main they have a dark blue background with paler blue markings. The happier they are, the better their colour gets, especially with the males.
They are a very hardy breed, and, if kept in optimum tank conditions, can live for over 10 years.
Blind Cavefish.
Scientific name: Astyanax mexicanus.
The Blind Cavefish hails from Mexico in South America (the clue was in the scientific name). They are also sometimes referred to as a Mexican Tetra or Blind Tetra.
Their natural habitat is deep in caves (another clue in the name!). This has caused the breed to evolve with extremely poor eyesight, or complete blindness, as well as no pigmentation on their body. The pink colour is where you can see their blood flowing around their body.
They are a placid breed, which can grow up to 3 inches. They are usually best kept in a single species tank that doesn’t have any plants in. They need to have some friends in with them as they are schooling fish.
Blue Emperor Tetra.
Scientific name: Inpaichthys kerri.
Blue Emperor Tetras get brighter in colour the better their water conditions are. The males are slimmer and brighter coloured than the females. They also have a distinctive black band that goes along one side, across their eyes, and back along their other side.
They hail from South America and grow to around 2 inches.
Blue Emperors are best kept in groups of at least 6. If they are kept in smaller groups they tend to get a bit naughty, and have been known to resort to a little bit fin nippy. They need a nice open space for swimming with their friends to keep them occupied.
Black Ruby Barb.
Scientific name: Pethia nigrofasciata.
The Black Ruby Barb can grow up to 3 inches and originates from streams in the mountains of Sri Lanka.
The males tend to be bigger than the females. The females tend to be more of a silver colour, whereas the males can become a very vivid ruby and black colour, when in optimum tank conditions. When they are juveniles they actually look a yellow colour!
The Black Ruby Barb is peaceful and social, but can also be a bit of a nervous fish. They are best in a slightly dimmer tank, with plenty of spaces where they can hide themselves. They also need to be kept in groups of at least 6 as they are schooling fish.
Related Articles:
The ultimate A-Z list of tropical fish
