Build on the Species Database

326+ freshwater species, validated against FishBase and WoRMS — tank parameters, diet, breeding behavior, and temperament, free to query. Embed it in a bot, a spreadsheet, a plugin, or your own app. Every response links back here.

No signup required to start

Every request without a key gets 60 requests/hour. Grab a free key below for 1000/hour.

# Search for beginner-friendly cichlids under 80°F curl "https://aquadex.fish/api/species?family=Cichlidae&difficulty=Beginner&tempMax=27"
// JavaScript / Node const res = await fetch("https://aquadex.fish/api/species?id=amatitlania-nigrofasciata"); const { data } = await res.json(); console.log(data.commonName, data.tankParameters.temperatureRangeCelsius);

Reference

GET/api/species
Search and filter the full catalog. Paginated, 25 per page by default (max 100).
ParamDescription
qFree-text search (common name, scientific name, genus, family)
familyExact family match, e.g. Cichlidae
difficultyBeginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Difficult
tempMin / tempMax°C, matches species whose range overlaps
phMin / phMaxMatches species whose range overlaps
maxSizeMax adult length in cm
minVolumeTank size in gallons
fieldsComma-separated fields to include (trims payload)
limit / offsetPagination, limit max 100
GET/api/species?id={specCode|slug}
Fetch one species by FishBase specCode (e.g. 3615) or scientific-name slug (e.g. amatitlania-nigrofasciata).
GET/api/species?random=true&count=3
Return 1–10 random species. Handy for "fish of the day" bots or demo UIs.
GET/api/species?stats=true
Catalog-wide counts by family and difficulty.
POST/api/species?action=request-key
Body: { "email": "you@example.com", "appName": "optional" }. Issues a free key. Calling again with the same email returns your existing key.

Free to start, generous with a key

60/hr
No API key (per IP)
1,000/hr
Free API key
5,000/hr
Partner tier — contact us

1000 requests/hour, no cost

One requirement: link back

This API is free because the data is meant to travel. In exchange, any product or content built with it must credit "Aquacellum (https://aquadex.fish)" visibly, and should link to the species' links.viewOnAquacellum URL when displaying that species. Every response already includes this link — just surface it in your UI.

Building something with this data?

Come show it off on The Reef, or list your own tanks and specimens on the marketplace. The full app is free to use.

Open the App Browse Marketplace