Preferred Levels of Community Fish

Choosing fish that prefer different levels is often overlooked when setting up a community aquarium. Here is a list, split by preferred level, of one hundred community fish. Keep in mind that water conditions (pH, temp, hardness), size, and compatibility must also be considered when choosing fish for your community tank.

Prefer Any Level
Bala Shark
Giant Danio
Pearl Danio
Rosy Barb
Two Spot Barb
Upside Down Catfish
White Clouds
Zebra Danio

Prefer Top Level

Betta
Halfbeak
Hatchetfish

Prefer Top and Mid Level

African Glass Catfish
Axelrod's Rainbowfish
Banded Rainbow
Black Neon Tetra
Bloodfin Tetra
Blue Gourami
Boesmans Rainbow
Celebes Rainbowfish
Chocolate Gourami
Congo Tetra
Dwarf Gourami
Guppy
Harlequin Rasoboras
Honey Gourami
Kissing Gourami
Lake Kutubu Rainbowfish
Lake Wanam Rainbowfish
Lemon Tetra
Molly
Moonlight Gourami
Mosquito Fish
Neon Rainbowfish
Papuan Rainbowfish
Pearl Gourami
Pencilfish
Penguin Tetra
Red Rainbowfish
Scissortail Rasbora
Swordtail

Prefer Mid-Level

Angelfish
Black Widow Tetra
Bleeding Heart Tetra
Blind Cave Fish
Buenos Aires Tetra
Diamond Tetra
Emperor Tetra
Flame Tetra
Glassfish
Glowlight Tetra
Goldfish
Head and Tailight Tetra
Horse-faced Loach
Phantom Tetra
Platy
Red Eye Tetra
Rummy Nose Tetra
Serpae Tetra
Silver Dollar
Silver-tipped Tetra
Tiger Barb
X-Ray Tetra

Prefer Mid and Bottom Level

Agassiz' Dwarf Cichlid
Algae Eater
Bolivian Ram
Butterfly Ram
Cardinal Tetra
Cherry Barb
Clown Loach
Discus
Dwarf Loach
Farlowella
Festivum
Flying Fox
Gold Barb
Green Barb
Headstander
Neon Tetra
Otocinclus
Paradise Fish
Red Tailed Shark
Snakeskin Gourami
Spanner Barb
Tinfoil Barb

Prefer Bottom Level

Adolfos Cory
Albino Cory
Bandit Cory
Blackfin Cory
Bristlenose catfish
Bronze Cory
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
Corydoras
Kribensis
Kuhli Loach
Leopard Cory
Panda Cory
Peppered Cory
Pictus Catfish
Pleco
Weather Loach