Top-dwelling fish bring activity to the top layer of the tank. They live there due to surface feeding and intake of surface air. You can find various species for freshwater, saltwater, and community tanks. This article will discuss some famous species for different types of tanks. At the end, you’ll also find some recommended species of top dwellers aquarium fish.
Content Table
Top Dwellers Aquarium Fish
In aquariums or nature, the surface feeders or top dwellers are fish species that live and prey at the top water. They live there due to their evolutionary nature and natural preference. They have various properties.
Features
- They have an upward-facing mouth position. This position helps them to fetch their food from the surface.
- Top dweller fish have flattened or laterally compressed bodies. This body shape helps them navigate and stay at the top of the water column.
- They have streamlined bodies that enable them to make a quick move to catch their food.
top dweller
Why Do They Live at the Surface?
Other than their evolutionary nature, there are three main reasons why these fish live on the surface of the water.
- Their food source, insects, drifting detritus, etc., are widely available at the top surface. They stick around in areas where food is abundant.
- Their bodies largely depend on surface oxygen, and prefer to live at the surface to meet their oxygen requirements.
- Living near the surface increases the chances of their survival. They have a defense instinct at the top.
Typical Habitat for the Top Dwellers
Top dwellers have a typical habitat that smoothly functions in their lives. Here are wild and aquarium living environments for them.
Wild Habitat
They live in calm or slow-moving water bodies. You can find them typically in the following natural setups.
| Tropical ponds | Swamps | River margins |
Aquarium Setup
Set a similar environment in your tank, i.e., a slow and calm surface.
Some top dweller species
| Corydoras | Congo tetra | Celestial Pearl Danio | Neon rainbowfish |
| Guppy | Rummy-nose tetra | Clown killifish | Neon tetra |
| Pencilfish | Silver hatchet fish | Clown loach | Platy |
| Betta Fish | African Butterflyfish | Furcata rainbowfish (pseudomugil furcatus) | Plecostomus |
Freshwater Top Dwelling Fish
There are several freshwater top-dwelling fish species that aquarists love to keep in their tanks. Here are some of such species.
Guppies
Guppy fish are a famous freshwater top-dweller species among aquarists. They are distinctive due to their bright coloration. They are highly energetic and bring some activity to the top layer of the tank. Moreover, they are hardy, which makes them suitable for beginners. They are easy to breed in aquarium setups.
Mollies
Mollies are another famous freshwater top dwellers. They have vibrant yellow and many other colorations. In any tank setup, they bring life and color into the tank. Mollies are a relatively hardy species. Therefore, they suit beginners as they can bear beginners’ errors and are adaptable to various water temperatures. They are highly energetic and can live in the community tank. Moreover, their live-bearing ability makes them unique. Extend read: The Facts of Molly Fish Breeding
Platies
Platies are another famous top dweller fish species in tanks. There are many reasons behind their popularity. Aquarists love to keep them for their striking coloration. Moreover, they are highly active and playful.
They live in groups and continually explore the tank’s corners. They are a peaceful community of tank fish species. Moreover, they are easy to care for due to their hard nature. They have an interesting feature of a live bearer.
Swordtails
Swordtails are another interesting fish species with a unique body shape, i.e., elongated and sword-like tails. Their presence in any tank brings life as they are highly active. They live at the top in search of food and interaction with the other species. Aquarists love to keep them due to their easy breeding, vibrant coloration, peaceful nature, etc.
Bettas
Bettas are another common top dweller. They are also known as Siamese fighting fish. They are usually present in poor-oxygen environments. They have a unique body organ, a labyrinth, that enables them to intake surface air. This body part helps them to survive. Their diverse fin shapes, vibrant coloration, and ease of care for betta are some reasons that make them popular among aquarists.
top dwellers aquarium fish
Top Dwellers Aquarium Fish for Saltwater
Halfbeak Fish
This marine coastal top dweller is famous among aquarists, and you can keep it in your marine tank. They have a unique physique, i.e., slender body with an elongated lower jaw. Aquarists love to keep them for their active behavior, i.e., they keep moving at the surface and prey on insects. They exhibit peaceful behavior. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep with aggressive partners.
Pajama Cardinalfish
Pajama cardinalfish are another popular top-dwelling fish. In nature, they are present around shallow coral reefs and lagoons. They are featured with unique coloration, i.e., red and green bodies, and have black bands. These schooling fish are not restricted to top dwellers but can live at the top and middle of the tank. Aquarists love them due to their coloration and activity at the top of the tank.
Banggai Cardinalfish
Banggai is another top-dweller cardinalfish species. They usually live around shallow reefs and low-flow areas. They have distinct silver bodies with vertical black stripes. They have long and flowing fins. Their slow and graceful swimming style is a major incentive for the aquarists to keep them in their tanks.
Four-line Wrasse
Four-line wrasses live around shallow reefs, usually in the Indo-Pacific oceans. These active top dwellers have bright blue and yellow horizontal stripes on their bodies. These stripes run through their length. These attributes attract the aquarists to keep them in their tanks.
Green Chromis
Green Chromis is another top-dweller species. They live in open waters and usually live around coral reefs. They have a schooling nature and peaceful behavior. They have a beautiful iridescent blue-green coloration. Aquarists love to keep them for their hardiness and easy care. Moreover, they help to create a reef-like environment in the tank.
Most Peaceful Top-Dwelling Fish
The Most Peaceful Top-Dwelling Fish
Here is a list of the top 5 most peaceful top-dwelling fish species.
| Species | Characteristics | |
| Hatchet fish | Behavior | Peaceful toward their species
Social |
| Size | 1.5 – 3 inches | |
| Unique attributes | Unique gliding movement
Bring life to the surface |
|
| Tank mates | Tetras
Corydoras Rasboras Peaceful small fish |
|
| Poecilia reticulata | Behavior | Friendly
Social Beginner-friendly |
| Size | 1.5 – 2.5 inches | |
| Unique attributes | Bright coloration
Bring life to the surface |
|
| Tank mates | Mollies
Platies Neon tetras Small catfish |
|
| Carnegiella myersi | Behavior | Timed
Peaceful Social |
| Size | 1 inch | |
| Unique attributes | Delicate
Suitable for nano tanks Live in groups |
|
| Tank mates | Small tetras
Rasboras Shrimp |
|
| Golden Wonder Killifish | Behavior | Peaceful toward the same and large size, but a predator for the dwarf species. |
| Size | 3–4 inches | |
| Unique attributes | Shimmering gold color
Top dwellers |
|
| Tank mates | Gouramis
Larger tetras Peaceful barb species |
|
| Endler’s Livebearer | Behavior | Active
Social Peaceful |
| Size | 1 to 1.5 inches | |
| Unique attributes | Hardy
Colorful Great for community tanks |
|
| Tank mates | Shrimps
Tetras Small livebearers |
|
Recommendation on Top Dwelling Fish for Community Tanks
| Species | Water type |
| Guppy | Freshwater |
| Hatchetfish | Freshwater |
| Banggai Cardinalfish | Saltwater |
| Green Chromis | Saltwater |
| Halfbeak Fish | Brackish Water |
The Bottom Part
Top dwellers usually live in a calm environment, and they evolved to intake surface air. Guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, and bettas are some freshwater top dwellers. Similarly, saltwater tanks also have top dwellers options, i.e., halfbeak fish, Pajama cardinalfish, Banggai cardinalfish, four-line wrasse, and blue-green Chromis. Do proper care to enjoy these top dweller aquarium fish in your tanks.
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