Aquarium Fish Losing Popularity in Singapore: What the Data Shows
In Singapore, FishyHub data shows several aquarium groups cooling: African and American cichlids, rams and parrot fish; the fancy goldfish trio of oranda, ranchu and ryukin; and the monster fish category, led by bass and knifefish. Cooling is not collapse, though. Many groups that are cooling, such as tetras, neocaridina shrimp and snails, are still heavily bought, with demand outpacing supply. Only a few, notably knifefish and bichirs, show the full fading pattern of slowing activity with supply running ahead of demand.
Key Findings
- FishyHub data shows African cichlids, American cichlids, parrot fish and rams are cooling in Singapore, while angelfish, apistogramma and discus are rising.
- FishyHub data shows oranda, ranchu and ryukin goldfish are cooling in Singapore, with ryukin prices easing, even as goldfish as a whole are still rising.
- FishyHub data shows knifefish and bichirs are cooling in Singapore with supply ahead of demand, the clearest fading pattern on the marketplace.
- FishyHub data shows the monster fish category is cooling in Singapore, even though buyer interest stays high and prices are trending up.
- FishyHub data shows danios, loaches, neocaridina shrimp, snails and tetras are cooling in Singapore but still have high or very high purchases, with demand ahead of supply.
- FishyHub data shows flowerhorn prices easing in Singapore, with supply ahead of demand, even though new flowerhorn listings are rising.
- FishyHub data shows Smaragdina is the only betta variety cooling in Singapore, while most betta varieties are rising.
- FishyHub data shows background and floating plants are cooling in Singapore, while foreground plants and epiphytes are rising.
Cooling Is Not the Same as Disappearing
FishyHub tracks momentum by comparing new listings and orders in the most recent year with the year before. A group can cool for very different reasons, so it helps to sort them by what the other signals say:
| Pattern | What it means | Examples in Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling from a high base | Still heavily bought; fewer new listings or orders than last year | Algae eaters, crabs, danios, gouramis, loaches, neocaridina shrimp, snails, tetras |
| Cooling with fading demand | Activity slowing and supply ahead of demand | Bichirs, knifefish |
| Smaller groups cooling | Moderate or limited activity, slowing | African cichlids, elephantnose, parrot fish, pencilfish, rams, ricefish, silver dollars |
The first group matters most for anyone reporting on trends. When demand clearly outpaces supply, cooling momentum often reflects fewer fish available to list, not fewer people wanting them. Neocaridina shrimp, snails and tetras all have prices trending up, which fits a supply squeeze better than a loss of interest.
Cichlids: Interest Moving Within the Family
The cichlid picture in Singapore is a shift, not a slump. African cichlids, American cichlids, parrot fish and rams are cooling, while angelfish, apistogramma and discus are rising, and prices for the cichlid category as a whole are trending up.
Singapore's soft tap water and warm rooms suit South American fish well, and the local planted-tank scene favours angelfish, discus and dwarf cichlids such as apistogramma that live peacefully among plants. Mbuna and other African cichlids need hard, alkaline water and rocky, plant-free tanks, and many are aggressive, which makes them a harder fit for a living-room tank in a flat. American cichlids are an interesting case: they are cooling, yet demand is ahead of supply and prices are trending up, suggesting fewer sellers rather than fewer buyers.
Fancy Goldfish After a Strong Run
Goldfish as a category are still rising in Singapore, but the three best-known fancy types are cooling. Orandas still have high purchases with demand ahead of supply, so they remain well loved. Ryukin prices are easing. Ranchu, a collector-tier fish, is cooling while its prices trend up, which points to a narrower group of serious keepers paying more for show-grade fish.
Climate is part of the story. Goldfish prefer cooler water than Singapore's room temperature, so keeping fancy varieties well often means a fan, a chiller or a shaded corridor spot. That extra effort tends to trim casual buying after a wave of enthusiasm.
Monster Fish: High Interest, Slower Activity
The monster fish category is cooling, yet buyer interest remains high and prices are trending up. Within it, bass and knifefish are cooling, while gar and stingrays are rising and channa holds steady with very high buyer interest. Bichirs, listed with bottom dwellers on FishyHub, are cooling with supply ahead of demand. Space is the obvious limit: a fish that outgrows a standard tank is a big commitment in an HDB flat or condo, so many admirers wishlist without buying.
Flowerhorn: Prices Easing
Flowerhorn sits in the collector tier in Singapore, and new listings are rising. But purchases are limited, supply is ahead of demand and prices are easing. Flowerhorn has had boom-and-bust cycles in the region before. More sellers listing at a time of steady demand is exactly the setting in which prices soften.
What Is Gaining Instead
Groups rising on FishyHub in Singapore include, in alphabetical order:
- Angelfish, apistogramma and discus
- Bettas, especially halfmoons and halfmoon plakats
- Caridina shrimp
- Epiphytes, foreground plants and tissue-culture plants
- Gar and stingrays
- Guppies, platies and rainbowfish
- Marine fish, clownfish and marine invertebrates
- Silver arowana
Methodology
This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in Singapore over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at active listings, listed prices and how they are moving, orders, wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves, and new listings and orders compared with the previous year. "Cooling" means activity is lower than the year before; it does not mean a fish is unpopular. All findings are reported as tiers and directions, not figures.
The data covers livestock sold through independent merchants on FishyHub. It does not measure how many Singapore households keep a given fish, or sales at fish farms and shops outside the marketplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What aquarium fish are losing popularity in Singapore?
On FishyHub, the clearest fading pattern is in knifefish and bichirs, which are cooling with supply ahead of demand. African and American cichlids, rams, parrot fish and fancy goldfish are also cooling.
Are tetras and shrimp losing popularity in Singapore?
Not really. Their activity is cooling, but purchases are very high, demand clearly outpaces supply and prices are trending up, which points to tight supply.
Is flowerhorn still popular in Singapore?
Flowerhorn listings are rising, but purchases are limited and prices are easing, so supply has run ahead of demand.
Which aquarium fish are becoming more popular in Singapore?
Angelfish, apistogramma, discus, most bettas, caridina shrimp, guppies, gar, stingrays and marine fish are all rising on FishyHub.
How to Cite This Page
Source: FishyHub, "Aquarium Fish Losing Popularity in Singapore: What the Data Shows" (2026), https://fishyhub.com/sg/blogs/blog-detail/aquarium-fish-losing-popularity-in-singapore-what-the-data-shows
