Many animals live in water, and fish are one of the most common. They swim in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Fish breathe through gills and have fins, scales, and tails to move easily in water.
This post lists fish names with pictures. You’ll learn common species found in both freshwater and saltwater, grouped to help build English vocabulary clearly.
List of Fish Names in English
Learn fish names in English with a full list for food, pets, and water types. Great for building vocabulary with clear names.
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Cod
- Mackerel
- Sardine
- Anchovy
- Trout
- Halibut
- Herring
- Snapper
- Catfish
- Tilapia
- Carp
- Bass
- Swordfish
- Grouper
- Eel
- Flounder
- Pike
- Perch
- Barramundi
- Marlin
- Dorado
- Roach
- Zander
- Kingfish
- Goby
- Betta
- Guppy
- Goldfish
Types of Fish
Fish are grouped by where they live. Below is a list showing the common freshwater and ocean fish.
Freshwater Fish
These fish live in rivers, lakes, or ponds. Here are some well-known freshwater fish names.
- Salmon: Known for jumping upstream and rich meat used in meals and vocabulary.
- Trout: Lives in clean, cold rivers. It’s often used in food and science learning.
- Carp: Large fish often seen in ponds and farming. It’s used in many food cultures.
- Catfish: Has whisker-like feelers and is often used in southern cooking.
- Tilapia: Easy to raise and cook. Common in meals and simple English lessons.
- Bass: Popular with fishers. Known for strength and used often in sports fishing.
- Perch: Small and striped. Found in lakes and sometimes used in local dishes.
- Pike: Long, sharp-teethed fish. Known for its speed and hunting behavior.
- Zander: A European fish, related to perch, often cooked and talked about in food learning.
- Roach: A small silvery fish seen in ponds and rivers. It’s common in science and local terms.
Ocean Fish
These live in salty sea water. They are often found in vocabulary, meals, and fishing contexts.
- Tuna: A fast swimmer and very large. It’s used in many canned and fresh dishes.
- Cod: Famous for its white meat and often used in fish and chips.
- Mackerel: An oily fish with a strong taste. Seen often in healthy meal plans.
- Herring: Small but oily. It’s used often in European dishes and learning about sea life.
- Snapper: Bright-colored and tasty. It’s used in meals and has many kinds.
- Halibut: A giant flatfish that lives deep. It has white meat and is commonly eaten.
- Swordfish: Has a long, pointed nose like a sword. It’s strong and fast in water.
- Grouper: Big and slow. Known for its thick body and often used in food words.
- Kingfish: Sleek and fast. Seen in fishing terms and ocean food lessons.
- Marlin: Another pointed-nose fish. Big and seen in fishing sports or sea lessons.
- Dorado: Also called mahi-mahi. It has bright skin and is used in cooking words.
- Flounder: A flat fish that lies sideways. Known for its odd body and used in marine talk.
- Eel: Long and slippery. It’s electric in some kinds and found in food and animal topics.
- Barramundi: An Australian fish, farmed for food. It appears in cooking and water topics.
Aquarium Fish
These fish are popular in tanks and classrooms. They are bright, small, and easy to talk about.
- Goldfish: Classic orange pet fish. Seen in bowls and often used in basic English topics.
- Betta: Beautiful fins and often fights with others. Common in tank and color topics.
- Guppy: Small, active fish. It breeds quickly and shows up in many tank scenes.
- Goby: Sits at the bottom of tanks. Known for hopping and sticking to things.
Edible Fish
These fish are eaten in meals. Some are lean and some are oily. Below is a list of each.
Table Fish Names
These are the fish you’ll often see on plates, in restaurants, or food vocabulary.
- Salmon: A fatty fish used in sushi, grilled meals, and food words.
- Tuna: Eaten raw or cooked. Seen in sandwiches and often shown in learning food types.
- Cod: A white fish found in western cooking. Known for its flaky texture.
- Snapper: Tasty and red-skinned. It’s seen in spicy and grilled dishes often.
- Trout: Similar to salmon but smaller. Caught in rivers and cooked in many ways.
- Catfish: Fried or grilled. It’s popular in southern U.S. food and learning.
- Tilapia: Cheap, mild-tasting. It’s farmed and used in many food-related lessons.
- Halibut: A flat white fish used in meals that teach types of seafood.
- Barramundi: A large white fish eaten in Asia-Pacific food talk.
- Grouper: Big and slow-growing. Seen in restaurant words and large meal types.
Oily and Lean Fish Names
These fish are sorted by fat level. This helps in teaching food and health words.
- Oily Fish: High in omega-3. Often seen in healthy diet talks.
- Mackerel: Strong taste. Common in food and nutrition lists.
- Sardine: Small and canned. Used in many cultures.
- Anchovy: Salty and tiny. Often added to pizzas or sauces.
- Herring: Used pickled or smoked. Common in northern foods.
- Salmon: Very oily and tasty. Seen often in healthy eating lessons.
- Lean Fish: Less oily. Common in simple meals or food learning.
- Cod: Mild taste and flaky. Often used in food vocabulary.
- Tilapia: White and soft. It’s used in low-fat food words.
- Snapper: Meaty and red-skinned. Known in healthy cooking.
- Trout: Less oily than salmon. Used in freshwater food talk.
- Flounder: Flat and light. Seen in seafood vocabulary.
Tropical and Coldwater Fish
Fish are also named based on the water temperature they live in. Below are those groups.
- Betta: Tropical fish with fancy fins. Often used in warm water lessons.
- Guppy: Lives in tropical tanks. Known for breeding and color topics.
- Goby: Also tropical. It hides under rocks and sticks to tank glass.
- Tetra: Small and shiny. Seen in warm water tank words.
- Angelfish: Large and flat. Lives in warm aquariums.
- Goldfish: Coldwater tank fish. Easy to raise and often used in learning pets.
- Trout: Wild coldwater fish. Found in rivers and often cooked.
- Carp: Coldwater and slow. Raised in ponds and known in food lists.
- Zander: Cool-living European fish. Seen in fishing and cooking.
- Perch: Cold and freshwater. Common in local fishing and food words.
Fish by Shape or Features
Some fish are known by how they look. Here are types by body or traits.
- Flounder: Flat and lies on one side. Easy to spot in lists about shape.
- Halibut: Big and flat like flounder but heavier. Common in deep sea fish topics.
- Eel: Long and snake-like. Found in both salt and freshwater.
- Pike: Long, sharp face. Known for its hunting behavior.
- Snapper: Deep body and curved back. Used in food and ocean fish words.
- Tilapia: Round and soft-bodied. Common in farming or fish body talks.
- Swordfish: Sharp long nose. Looks like a blade and fast in the sea.
- Marlin: Also has a pointed nose. Often compared with swordfish in fish lists.
Conclusion
Learning fish names in English helps build vocabulary for animals, food, and nature-related topics. With grouped lists and picture-supported sections, this post makes it easier to understand how fish are classified and named. From aquarium pets to edible species, each category adds value to your English learning. Use these words when talking about meals, science, or describing animals in daily conversation. Keep practicing, and these names will soon feel natural.
FAQs About Fish Names
Use fish as both singular and plural in most uses. Fishes is used only when referring to different species.
Oily fish (like mackerel, herring, sardine) are rich in omega‑3 fats. Lean fish (like cod, tilapia, flounder) have lower fat content .
Edible fish include salmon, trout, snapper, catfish, tilapia, halibut, and barramundi commonly eaten and taught in food contexts
Popular aquarium fish vocabulary includes goldfish, betta, guppy, angelfish, tetra, molly, and goby.
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