Freshwater Fish in Chicago
FRESHWATER AQUARIUMS
Shop freshwater fish, plants and aquarium essentials with knowledgeable support for building and maintaining a healthy freshwater tank.
Visit us at 6622 W. North Ave, near Oak Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park.
Freshwater Fish, Plants + Aquarium Supplies
Big Fish Aquarium carries freshwater livestock and aquarium essentials for hobbyists throughout Chicago and the surrounding area. Whether you're starting your first tank or adding to an established aquarium, our team can help you choose livestock, equipment and supplies that work together.
YOUR LOCAL FRESHWATER FISH STORE
Healthy Freshwater Livestock
Quality fish, plants and invertebrates for established and new aquariums.
Shop Online or In Store
Browse current inventory online or visit our Chicago aquarium store.
Local Aquarium Experts
Get straightforward help choosing compatible livestock, equipment and care products.
Professional Livestock Shipping
Select freshwater livestock can be shipped directly to your door.
What Are You Looking For?
Find freshwater livestock, live plants and trusted supplies for building and maintaining a healthy aquarium.
Freshwater Fish
Explore freshwater species for community tanks, planted aquariums, specialty setups and more.
freshwater Plants
Add natural structure, color and habitat to your aquarium with live aquatic plants.
Freshwater Invertebrates
Shop shrimp, snails and other freshwater invertebrates for established aquarium systems.
Food + Nutrition
Shop frozen, dry and specialty foods for a variety of freshwater species.
Shop Current Freshwater Inventory
Freshwater inventory changes throughout the week. Browse what’s currently available online or visit our Chicago store for additional fish, plants and invertebrates.
The Platinum Koi Kohaku Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a powerhouse addition to any nano, planted, or community aquarium, blending high-impact aesthetics with essential utility. Featuring an exquisite color profile that mirrors the iconic Kohaku pattern of prize pond koi, this highly refined strain showcases a striking, iridescent platinum-white body contrasted by a brilliant, fire-orange head and matching orange tail fin. It is a master of the "showpiece nano" era of fish keeping—serving as a natural biological focal point for the upper-to-mid water column. It is a dedicated, highly active swimmer, making it a functional cornerstone of a dynamic freshwater ecosystem.
This exceptionally hardy fish thrives in mature, established systems with plenty of live plants, gentle-to-moderate water flow, and slightly hard water to support their mineral requirements. While entirely peaceful and an ideal choice for active community setups, its curious personality and fast-paced energy make it a joy to observe as it tirelessly cruises the middle and upper levels of the tank. To ensure long-term health and vibrant color displays, provide a premium, varied diet consisting of high-quality flakes, micro-pellets, and regular treats of frozen baby brine shrimp, daphnia, or cyclops. Ensure your aquarium features plenty of plant cover, which provides security for females and critical hiding spaces for any fry that appear.
Note: Images shown are stock images and not the actual fish you will receive.
Quick Specs
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful (Active, schooling community fish)
Minimum Tank Size: 5–10 Gallons
Diet: Omnivore
Plant Compatible: Yes
Max Size: 1.5–2 Inches
Water Conditions: 72 to 78°F, KH 4 to 12, pH 7.0 to 8.2
Husbandry Notes
The Platinum Koi Kohaku Guppy is a strategic choice for hobbyists looking for "unrivaled geometric color" and high-energy movement in a compact setup. Their specialized, high-contrast patterning adds a layer of bold graphic texture to the aquarium that beautifully contrasts against lush green foliage or dark aquascaping substrates. In the context of modern freshwater keeping, they are widely considered the ultimate "micro-showpiece" strain for adding both instant visual warmth and constant kinetic motion to a layout. For maximum success, keep them in groups with a ratio of two females to every male to diffuse natural breeding pursuit and facilitate their inherent social confidence.
Expert Shipping & Logistics
We’ve dialed in the logistics for national Overnight Delivery to ensure your premium livestock arrives in peak condition. Every order is packed using professional-grade insulation and climate-contingent heat or ice packs, designed to maintain stable temperatures throughout the journey. We handle the technical side of the move so you can focus on the acclimation. Our protocol is built on getting these active fish from the facility to your tank with zero compromise on health or vitality.
The Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) is a powerhouse addition to any freshwater community or planted aquarium, blending high-impact aesthetics with essential utility. Featuring a brilliant neon-blue horizontal stripe atop a striking red stripe on a translucent body, this active schooler is a master of the "dither fish" era of fish keeping—serving as a natural biological indicator of a stable environment. It is a dedicated middle-water dweller, making it a functional cornerstone of a healthy freshwater ecosystem.
This hardy characin thrives in established systems with dense planting, driftwood, and soft water conditions. While generally peaceful and plant-safe, its social nature means it is best kept in schools of six or more to ensure it feels secure and displays its shimmering, synchronized swimming behaviors. To ensure long-term health, provide a varied diet of high-quality micro-pellets, crushed flakes, and occasional treats of frozen daphnia or baby brine shrimp. Ensure your aquarium maintains stable water parameters, as these tetras look their best under subdued lighting and dark substrates.
Note: Images shown are stock images and not the actual fish you will receive.
Quick Specs
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Diet: Omnivore
Plant Compatible: Yes
Max Size: 1.5 Inches
Water Conditions: 70 to 81°F, KH 4 to 8, pH 6.0 to 7.0
Husbandry Notes
The Neon Tetra is a strategic choice for hobbyists looking for "high-voltage color" in a community setting. Its constant darting movement adds a layer of kinetic energy to the mid-water column that few other nano-species can match. In the context of modern aquascaping, it is widely considered an essential "accent fish" for creating a sense of depth and movement against lush green backgrounds. For maximum success, provide an environment with stable chemistry and plenty of hiding spots to facilitate its natural schooling instincts and vibrant coloration.
Expert Shipping & Logistics
We’ve dialed in the logistics for national Overnight Delivery to ensure your livestock arrives in peak condition. Every order is packed using professional-grade insulation and climate-contingent heat or ice packs, designed to maintain stable temperatures throughout the journey. We handle the technical side of the move so you can focus on the acclimation. Our protocol is built on getting these fish from the facility to your tank with zero compromise on health or vitality.
The Dwarf Rainbow Gourami (Colisa lalia) is a powerhouse addition to any freshwater aquarium, blending high-impact aesthetics with essential utility. Featuring a stunning iridescent blue body highlighted by brilliant red-orange vertical stripes, this peaceful centerpiece is a master of the "Answering Machine" era of fish keeping—serving as a natural biological control for surface-dwelling micro-pests and hydra. It is a dedicated labyrinth fish and mid-to-top level swimmer, making it a functional cornerstone of a healthy community ecosystem.
This hardy species thrives in established systems with low-to-moderate water flow and plenty of floating or broad-leafed plants to provide cover. While generally peaceful and exceptionally community-friendly, its vibrant color palette and deliberate movement add a layer of sophisticated character to the tank. To ensure long-term health, provide a varied diet of high-quality flakes, micro-pellets, and occasional frozen treats like bloodworms or daphnia.
Note: Images shown are stock images and not the actual fish you will receive.
Quick Specs
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 3.5 Inches
Water Conditions: 72 to 82°F, KH 4 to 10, pH 6.0 to 7.5
Husbandry Notes
The Dwarf Rainbow Gourami is a strategic choice for hobbyists looking for "visual prestige" in a nano or medium-sized setup. Its striking contrast and social interaction add a layer of kinetic energy to the water column that few other dwarf species can match. In the context of modern freshwater keeping, it is widely considered an essential "centerpiece fish" for its resilience and beauty. For maximum success, provide a well-planted environment to facilitate natural territorial boundaries and ensure stable water parameters.
Expert Shipping & Logistics
We’ve dialed in the logistics for national Overnight Delivery from our Chicago-area facility to ensure your livestock arrives in peak condition. Every order is packed using professional-grade insulation and climate-contingent heat or ice packs, designed to maintain stable temperatures throughout the journey. We handle the technical side of the move so you can focus on the acclimation. Our protocol is built on getting these fish from our facility to your tank with zero compromise on health or vitality.
Create a stunning, vibrant green backdrop in your aquarium with Echinodorus Bleheri, universally known as the Amazon Sword. This highly popular freshwater plant features broad, lance-shaped, bright green leaves that grow in a massive, bushy rosette. An exceptionally hardy and fast-growing species, it is perfect for beginners and experienced aquarists alike who want to quickly fill space and add structural height to their tanks. Due to its large size and dense foliage, it serves as an excellent natural shelter for fish, a perfect spawning site for angelfish and discus, and a strong biological filter that absorbs excess nutrients. Please note: Product images are AI-generated and will vary from the actual plant received.
Key benefits:
Instant Background Impact: Broad, sprawling leaves quickly grow to fill the midground or background of medium-to-large aquariums.
Perfect Spawning Site: The wide, sturdy leaves provide a preferred surface for egg-laying fish like discus and angelfish.
Extremely Resilient: Thrives in a wide range of water parameters, making it highly forgiving for beginners.
Specifications:
Form: Loose Bare-Root
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Placement: Midground to Background
Light Requirement: Low to Medium
Co2 Requirement: Low (Not required)
Water type: Freshwater
Suggested use: Trim any dead or damaged outer leaves before planting. Bury the roots directly into a deep substrate, ensuring you keep the crown (where the leaves meet the roots) completely above the gravel or sand to prevent rot. Amazon Swords are heavy root-feeders and develop extensive root systems; burying iron-rich root fertilizer tabs near the base is highly recommended to keep the foliage bright green and prevent yellowing.
What’s included: 1 x Loose bare-root plant of Echinodorus Bleheri
Elevate your aquascape with the elegant, flowing texture of the Narrow Leaf Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus "Narrow Leaf"). A beautiful variation of the classic Java Fern, this extremely hardy plant features slender, lance-shaped leaves that are significantly narrower and more graceful than the standard variety. It is famously easy to care for, thriving in almost any lighting or water condition without the need for high-tech setups or added CO2. Because it grows from a thick rhizome, this versatile epiphyte should be attached directly to rocks or driftwood, making it an excellent choice for adding natural detail and depth to your midground or background. Please note: Product images are AI-generated and will vary from the actual plant received.
Key benefits:
Graceful Narrow Texture: Slender, ribbon-like leaves sway beautifully in the water current, offering a lighter and more detailed look than standard Java Ferns.
Virtually Indestructible: One of the most resilient aquarium plants available, easily surviving low light, low nutrients, and varying water parameters.
Herbivore Resistant: Features tough, leathery leaves that are highly unpalatable to plant-eating fish like goldfish, cichlids, and silver dollars.
Specifications:
Form: Loose Bare-Root
Growth Rate: Slow
Placement: Midground to Background
Light Requirement: Low to Medium
Co2 Requirement: Low (Not required)
Water type: Freshwater
Suggested use: Do not bury the green horizontal stem (the rhizome) in the substrate, as this will cause the plant to rot and die. Instead, attach the rhizome directly to driftwood, rocks, or aquarium decorations using thread, fishing line, or a tiny dab of cyanoacrylate-based super glue gel. Alternatively, you can gently wedge the roots between cracks in your hardscape. Over time, the roots will naturally grip onto the surfaces.
What’s included: 1 x Loose bare-root plant of Microsorum Pteropus "Narrow Leaf"
The Bloody Mary Shrimp is a selectively bred Neocaridina davidi variety known for deep red coloration extending through its translucent body tissue. These peaceful dwarf shrimp spend the day grazing on biofilm, soft algae, and organic material.
Key benefits:
Deep Red Coloration: Adds strong color to planted and shrimp-focused aquariums.
Biofilm Grazer: Feeds continuously on mature aquarium surfaces.
Peaceful Temperament: Works well in shrimp colonies and carefully selected communities.
Specifications:
Scientific Name: Neocaridina davidi
Variety: Bloody Mary
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult Size: Approximately 1 to 1.5 inches
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons
Preferred Temperature: 68 to 76°F
pH Range: Approximately 6.8 to 7.6
Diet: Omnivore and biofilm grazer
Plant Compatibility: Yes
Suggested use: Add to a fully cycled aquarium with stable mineral content, moss, plants, and protected filter intakes. Feed quality shrimp food sparingly when natural biofilm isn’t sufficient. Avoid copper-based medications and aggressive fish.
Image note: Product images are for reference only. Some images may be AI-generated and may not represent the exact specimen received.
Find the Right Fish for Your Tank
Start with your aquarium type, experience level or preferred fish family to narrow down the best options for your setup.
Cichlids
Explore colorful African and New World cichlids with different care and compatibility needs.
Beginner-Friendly Fish
Explore hardy, manageable freshwater species that work well for newer aquarium keepers.
Fish for Planted Aquariums
Explore freshwater fish and invertebrates that complement planted aquarium environments.
Peaceful Community Fish
Browse fish that can thrive in thoughtfully stocked community aquariums.
Shrimp, Snails & Cleanup Crews
Browse freshwater invertebrates that add color and support a balanced aquarium.
Plecos, Catfish & Bottom Dwellers
Find bottom-dwelling fish that add variety and movement throughout the aquarium.
Freshwater Aquarium Essentials
Everything you need for a healthy freshwater aquarium.
Maintain Your Aquarium
Reliable filtration, proper feeding and regular maintenance help keep your aquarium clean and stable. Find filters, food, water care products and maintenance supplies for freshwater setups of all sizes.
Choose Healthy Livestock
The right freshwater aquarium starts with livestock that fits your tank size, water conditions and existing community. Big Fish Aquarium carries freshwater fish, plants and invertebrates for a wide range of aquarium styles and experience levels.
Shop Freshwater Fish
Shop Aquatic Plants
Shop Freshwater Invertebrates
Establish Stable Water
Consistent water quality is essential for freshwater fish and plants. Test your aquarium regularly, maintain the nitrogen cycle and use conditioners and treatments that match your water and livestock needs.
Freshwater Aquarium FAQ
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Big Fish Aquarium carries freshwater fish, plants, invertebrates, food and aquarium supplies in Chicago. Current livestock changes regularly, so check online inventory or contact the store if you're looking for a specific species.
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The right fish depends on tank size, water conditions and which species will live together. Big Fish Aquarium can help you choose livestock appropriate for your aquarium rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all list.
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Yes. Big Fish Aquarium can help with aquarium selection, filtration, equipment, livestock planning and ongoing aquarium care.
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Community compatibility depends on temperament, adult size, swimming level, water parameters and available space. Avoid choosing fish based on appearance alone. Our team can help you evaluate whether a species fits your existing aquarium.
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Yes. Share your tank size, temperature, water parameters and current livestock with our team. We’ll help you narrow down options that are better suited to your aquarium and maintenance routine.
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A planted aquarium typically requires suitable lighting, substrate, filtration, water testing and plants selected for your experience level. Some setups may also benefit from fertilizers or carbon dioxide supplementation, depending on the plants and equipment used.
Build a Better Freshwater Aquarium
NOT SURE WHAT WORKS TOGETHER?
Choosing fish is only part of building a healthy aquarium. Tank size, water parameters, temperament, filtration and the livestock already in your system all matter.
Visit Big Fish Aquarium and tell us what you're working with. We can help you narrow down options that make sense for your setup.