Freshwater aquarium fish in a planted aquarium

Freshwater Fish for Sale in South Africa

Shop freshwater aquarium fish online in South Africa, from Bettas, Corydoras and peaceful community fish to cichlids, shrimp and specialist species, with practical care guidance from Glass & Gill.

Shop Freshwater Fish

Freshwater aquarium habitat with plants and natural hardscape

Freshwater Livestock for Every Aquarium

From small planted communities and peaceful schooling fish to cichlids, bottom dwellers and specialist large species, the range is built to help you stock around the aquarium you actually keep.

Buying Freshwater Fish Across South Africa

Glass & Gill ships livestock throughout South Africa using trusted courier partners. Livestock is inspected before dispatch, carefully packed to minimise transit stress and sent on designated livestock shipping days.

Live Arrival Protection

If livestock arrives deceased, our Live Arrival Guarantee allows a claim within 2 hours of delivery. Submit clear photographs of the unopened bag and livestock together with your order details, subject to the policy terms.

Explore Freshwater Fish & Livestock by Type

Specialist pillar

Betta Fish

Colourful centrepiece fish with distinctive form, finnage and personality. Explore current Bettas, compare types and move into the complete Betta care and buying guide.

Explore Everything Betta

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Corydoras

Peaceful social bottom dwellers that are best planned as a proper group. Compare Cory species, substrate, tank size, feeding and community compatibility.

Explore Everything Corydoras

Blue Velvet Neocaridina shrimp in a planted freshwater aquarium

Specialist pillar

Freshwater Shrimp

Ornamental shrimp bring colour, grazing behaviour and detail to mature planted aquariums. Explore colour shrimp, Amano and specialist varieties with complete care guidance.

Explore Freshwater Shrimp

Electric Yellow African cichlid in a freshwater aquarium

Cichlid aquariums

African Cichlids

Bold colour and active behaviour make African cichlids a major freshwater direction, but stocking should be planned around territory, adult size and compatible water conditions.

Shop African Cichlids

Tiger Oscar cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus) in a freshwater aquarium

Cichlid aquariums

American Cichlids

From centrepiece cichlids to larger territorial species, American cichlids reward careful planning around adult size, personality, tank footprint and filtration.

Shop American Cichlids

Large & specialist fish

Bichirs & Monster Fish

Large specialist freshwater fish need serious long-term planning. Adult size, feeding, filtration, secure lids and permanent housing should be considered before purchase.

Explore Monster Fish

Harlequin Rasbora schooling fish in a freshwater aquarium

Community aquariums

Community, Nano & Schooling Fish

Rasboras, Barbs, micro fish and other peaceful community species bring movement and balance to planted aquariums. Choose around group size, adult size and the swimming space available.

Shop Freshwater Fish

Still deciding? Find the freshwater livestock that suits your aquarium

Use these quick routes as a shortcut after exploring the freshwater groups above.

Small & planted Nano Aquarium Start with smaller species suited to compact footprints and planted layouts. Gentle community Peaceful Schooling Fish Choose social species that show their best colour and behaviour in proper groups. Lower level Bottom Dwellers Explore Corydoras, loaches and other fish that bring activity to the substrate level. Focal fish Centrepiece Fish Choose a visually dominant fish and build compatible tankmates around it. Territory & colour Cichlid Aquarium Plan around aggression, adult size and water requirements instead of mixing at random. Big systems Large & Monster Fish For aquariums designed around substantial adult size and heavier filtration. Invertebrates Shrimp & Clean-Up Crew Explore shrimp, snails and compatible support livestock for established aquariums. See everything All Freshwater Livestock Browse the complete current freshwater range when you already know what you want.

Freshwater Fish Care Essentials

Freshwater fish are not one single care category. The right aquarium is built by matching adult size, behaviour, water conditions and filtration to the livestock you choose.

Adult size

Buy for the size the fish will reach, not the size it is when it arrives.

Social behaviour

Schooling, territorial and solitary species need very different stocking plans.

Water requirements

Temperature, hardness, pH and stability should overlap across the livestock you combine.

Swimming space

Consider tank footprint and how top, mid-water and bottom species use the aquarium.

Compatibility

Temperament and mouth size matter as much as broad labels such as community fish.

Filtration & maturity

Stable water and suitable filtration are the foundation for adding livestock successfully.

Freshwater Fish Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions aquarists ask before buying and stocking freshwater livestock.

Yes. Glass & Gill lists current freshwater livestock online so you can browse available fish and invertebrates, compare suitable groups and move into the relevant product pages before checkout.

Start with adult size, temperament, social behaviour, water requirements and tank size. Fish that share a temperature range are not automatically compatible, so compare the needs of each species before combining them.

Beginner-friendly choices depend on the aquarium you can maintain consistently. Peaceful community species with manageable adult sizes and straightforward water requirements are usually easier than highly territorial, delicate or very large specialist fish.

Many Rasboras, smaller community fish, Corydoras, selected Bettas and freshwater shrimp can work well in planted aquariums when their individual needs and compatibility are respected.

There is no reliable one-size-fits-all fish-per-litre rule. Stocking depends on adult size, body shape, activity, territory, waste production, filtration, aquarium footprint and how established the system is.

No. Temperature requirements vary by species. Many tropical freshwater fish require warm, stable water, while other species prefer cooler conditions.

Some peaceful fish can share an aquarium with shrimp, but compatibility is never guaranteed. Small shrimp and shrimplets can be viewed as food, so species choice and cover matter.

A new aquarium should be biologically established rather than judged only by the number of days it has been running. The nitrogen cycle and water stability matter more than a fixed calendar date.

Plan for adult size, tank footprint, filtration, feeding, secure lids, long-term housing and compatible tankmates before purchase.

Aquarium livestock availability changes with supplier lists, incoming shipments and live stock movement. Current collection and product availability is the most useful indication of what can be purchased now.

Buying and Keeping Freshwater Fish in South Africa

Freshwater aquariums cover an enormous range of livestock, from small schooling fish and Corydoras to Bettas, cichlids, shrimp and large specialist species. Choosing well starts with the aquarium you have: tank size, filtration, water conditions, adult size and behaviour should shape the fish you buy.

Glass & Gill brings current freshwater livestock together with practical care information for South African aquarists. Explore our Betta guide, Corydoras guide, freshwater shrimp guide, aquatic plants, water care and filtration to build a more stable, compatible freshwater aquarium.