Which fish should not go in a community tank?

Aggressive or predatory species (most large cichlids, larger catfish), notorious fin-nippers kept in small numbers (tiger barbs, serpae tetras), and anything that grows big enough to eat its tank mates. Also avoid mixing fish with clashing water needs, like hard-water African cichlids with soft-water tetras.

How do I stock a community tank across levels?

Think in three layers. Bottom: corydoras, loaches or a bristlenose pleco. Middle: shoals of tetras, rasboras or danios. Top: hatchetfish, gouramis or livebearers that favour the upper water. Spreading fish across levels uses the whole tank, reduces competition and looks far more natural.

How much do community fish cost in the UK?

Most community species start at about £2-£12 each depending on the fish, with centrepiece species more. A full community can be stocked affordably over a few weeks. Prices on this page are live: what you see is what's in stock today.

How many different species should a community tank have?

Quality over variety. A few species kept in proper numbers — say three shoals of eight plus a centrepiece and a bottom group — looks better and behaves more naturally than one or two of a dozen different fish. Shoaling fish especially need company of their own kind to thrive.

Is it safe to buy community fish online?

Yes. Community fish post reliably in oxygen-charged bags inside a polystyrene-insulated box with a winter heat pack, sent midweek by a licensed live-animal courier. Tuesday or Wednesday dispatch avoids the weekend, and our photo-proof live arrival guarantee covers every order.

Community Tank Fish for Sale UK

Community tank fish for sale UK — peaceful, compatible species that coexist happily. Perfect for mixed-species tropical aquariums.

570 products available

This page brings together the peaceful, sociable species that live happily side by side in a mixed community aquarium. Everything listed is live stock held in our own system, dispatched with a licensed live-animal courier under our live arrival guarantee.

A good community tank layers fish across the levels: shoaling tetras, rasboras and danios in mid-water, corydoras and loaches along the bottom, a gourami or dwarf cichlid as a centrepiece, and livebearers throughout. The art is choosing species with compatible size, temperament and water needs.

Read the species care guides linked below before ordering. The commonest community mistakes are mixing fin-nippers with long-finned fish, adding a species that outgrows or eats the others, and understocking shoaling fish so they turn nervous or nippy.

Current delivery and offer information

Follow each link for the latest terms before ordering.

Arrival guaranteeLive Arrival GuaranteeRead the current claim and evidence terms.Specialist deliverySpecialist live-animal deliverySee current price, postcode coverage and dispatch information.First-order offerCurrent first-order offerCheck the offers page for active terms.570 in stock570 in stockBrowse the current in-stock catalogue.

Browse all 570 Community Tank Fish

Explore related categories

Visual route into our wider UK live-fish range.

Beginner Fish

The best tropical fish for beginners UK — hand-picked easy-care species that thrive with minimal fuss. Perfect starter community tank candidates.

Nano Tank Fish

Best nano tank fish for UK aquariums — species that thrive in tanks under 40 litres. Micro schoolers, dwarf species, shrimps.

Planted Tank Fish

Planted-tank fish for sale UK — peaceful, plant-safe species that showcase aquascaped layouts. Tetras, rasboras, dwarf cichlids, shrimps.

Algae Eaters

Best algae eaters for sale UK — Bristlenose Plecos, Otocinclus, Siamese Algae Eaters, Nerite Snails, Amano Shrimp.

Bottom Dwellers

Bottom dweller fish for sale UK — Corydoras, Loaches, Plecos, Synodontis. Cleanup crew for the aquarium substrate.

Schooling Fish

Schooling fish for sale UK — species that thrive in groups of 6+. Tetras, Rasboras, Barbs, Danios, Rainbows.

Centerpiece Fish

Centerpiece fish for sale UK — large, attention-grabbing species that anchor a display tank. Oscars, Discus, Angelfish, Arowanas, Severums.

Rare & Collector Fish

Buy exotic fish online UK — L-number plecos, wild-caught Apistogramma, altum angelfish, rare cichlids and collector livebearers. Live arrival guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Peaceful temperament, a similar adult size to its tank mates, and compatible water requirements. The best community fish — most tetras, rasboras, danios, corydoras, platies, honey gouramis — are non-aggressive, stay modestly sized and enjoy the same warm, neutral-ish water. Match those three traits and fish coexist calmly.

Shop related

Buying guides

Tropical Fish for Sale UK — all species