Nine Upper Level Fish for Your Home Aquarium

Including upper level fish in your home aquarium is a great idea if you want to maximize varieties. Fish who occupy the upper level waters usually eat floating food. This article gives an overview of ten upper level fish to add interest to your home aquarium.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Leopard or Zebra Danio

While the leopard danio is spotted, the zebra has bold blue and silver stripes. Both varieties of the danio swim in the upper levels of the aquarium. These fish prefer to live in a school of over seven. They are very fast swimmers.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Scissortail

The scissortail is another fast-swimming fish. It schools with others of its kind on the upper levels of your home aquarium. The caudal fin is deeply forked and twitches in a scissor-like motion when the fish is at rest.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Hatchetfish

One look at the hatchetfish's body shape shows you it is built for upper level swimming. These fish will leap and 'fly' out of the water for short periods of time. There are black-winged, marbled, and silver hatchetfish varieties.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Gourami

The many types of gourami prefer to swim in the upper or middle levels of your home aquarium. They are large-bodied fish with attractive coloration and thread-like pelvic fins.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Killifish

The killifish are some of the most colorful tropical freshwater fish for your home aquarium. Their long bodies and fancy fins are perfect for swimming at the upper levels of the water.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Upside Down Catfish

The one catfish that swims at the upper levels of the aquarium, the upside down catfish swims upside down. It feeds on floating food at the surface of the water.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Butterfly Fish

The butterfly fish is an unusual fish for the home aquarium. With wing-like pectoral fins, this fish can jump and glide over the surface of the water for a short time.

Upper Level Aquarium Fish - Archer Fish

The archer fish is an unusual upper level fish in that it preys upon terrestrial insects. It either leaps out of the water to catch its prey, or spits to knock the insect into the water.