Black-finned Goodea
Goodea atripinnis
The Black-finned Goodea (Goodea atripinnis) is a semi-aggressive fish that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 150 litres (40 US gallons), water held at 64-75°F, and a pH of 7-8.5. Always keep a group of at least 6 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
North America (Mexico)
- Central America & Mexico
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Black-finned Goodea Tank Setup
A tank of at least 150 litres (40 US gallons) works well. Keep the water at 64-75°F with a pH around 7-8.5, and set up both cover and open swimming space where they spend most of their time (Mid). Always keep a group of at least 6 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour. They reach about 12 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Black-finned Goodeas Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Black-finned Goodea Tank Mates
Larger goodeid; requires space The Black-finned Goodea is semi-aggressive, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's a known fin-nipper, so avoid bettas, guppies, and other slow, long-finned fish. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 6 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Black-finned Goodeas Good for Beginners?
Doable once you test water regularly and catch problems before fish look sick. If this is your first tank, pick something more forgiving and come back later.
Black-finned Goodea - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Black-finned Goodeas need?
Black-finned Goodeas need a tank of at least 150 litres (40 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Black-finned Goodeas should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 6. Black-finned Goodeas are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Black-finned Goodeas need?
Keep them at 64-75°F with a pH of 7-8.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Black-finned Goodeas eat?
Black-finned Goodeas are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Black-finned Goodeas good for beginners?
Black-finned Goodeas are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Common mistakes with Black-finned Goodeas
- Buying fewer than 6 - Black-finned Goodeas need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 150 litres (40 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
- Mixing with long-finned fish - Black-finned Goodeas will nip at bettas, angelfish, and other fish with flowing fins, causing stress and infection risk.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Black-finned Goodeas
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- AxolotlPredator - Axolotl will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Betta (Male)Predator - Betta (Male) will eat or injure smaller tank mates
