Which Aquarium Fish Have the Highest Demand-to-Supply Ratio in Singapore?
In Singapore, the aquarium livestock with the highest demand-to-supply ratio on FishyHub is low-cost and bought often: guppies as a category, Neocaridina shrimp, small community fish such as danios, rasboras and tetras, algae eaters and snails. Just below them sits a broad band of well-loved fish with demand ahead of supply, including fancy goldfish, koi, oscars, corydoras, gouramis, puffers and rainbowfish. At the opposite end, almost every named betta variety, flowerhorn and many collector monster fish have more listings than buyers.
Key Findings
- FishyHub data shows the highest demand-to-supply tier in Singapore is dominated by entry-level fish and invertebrates bought in numbers, such as guppies, Neocaridina shrimp and small community fish.
- FishyHub data shows fancy goldfish in Singapore, including bubble eye, oranda, ryukin and wakin, have demand running ahead of supply.
- FishyHub data shows koi in Singapore combine very high purchases with demand ahead of supply and prices trending up.
- FishyHub data shows oscars are the monster fish where demand runs ahead of supply in Singapore, while channa, gar and datnoids are balanced and stingrays and wolf fish have supply ahead of demand.
- FishyHub data shows platies in Singapore have demand ahead of supply, while swordtails have supply ahead of demand and mollies are balanced.
- FishyHub data shows every named betta variety with enough activity in Singapore is either balanced or has supply ahead of demand, including the heavily purchased halfmoon.
- FishyHub data shows a high demand-to-supply ratio is not the same as popularity: the guppy species and plecos draw very high interest in Singapore but are balanced, because listings keep pace.
How the Ratio Works
FishyHub's demand-to-supply signal compares two things for each category: demand (orders, plus wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves) and supply (active listings). Categories are then placed in one of four tiers:
- Demand clearly outpaces supply - the highest ratio; buyers are chasing stock.
- Demand ahead of supply - more demand than listings, but less extreme.
- Balanced - listings broadly match demand.
- Supply ahead of demand - the lowest ratio; buyers have the upper hand.
Because the ratio is relative, a category with very high supply can still sit in the top tier if demand is higher still, and a rare fish can sit in the bottom tier if few people want it.
The Four Tiers in Singapore
Fish and invertebrates only, alphabetical within each tier:
| Demand-to-supply tier | Examples |
|---|---|
| Demand clearly outpaces supply | Algae eater, clam, danio, guppies (category), hatchetfish, minnow, Neocaridina shrimp, rasbora, small community fishes (category), snail, tetra |
| Demand ahead of supply | American cichlids, badi, bubble eye, corydoras, crab, crayfish, gourami, killifish, koi, loach, marine invertebrates, oranda, oscar, platy, puffer, rainbowfish, ram, ricefish, ryukin, silver dollar, tilapia, turtle, wakin |
| Balanced | Angelfish, apistogramma, arowana, catfish, channa, clownfish, discus, gar, guppy (species), Imbellis betta, molly, Pleco, shark, Smaragdina betta |
| Supply ahead of demand | Alien betta, bichir, butterfly fish, corals, crowntail betta, damselfish, flowerhorn, halfmoon betta, knifefish, stingray, swordtail, wolf fish |
Live aquarium plants, which FishyHub also tracks, sit mainly in the top tier as well.
Why the Ratio Is Highest for Cheap Fish
The top tier is almost entirely entry-level / budget livestock. A low price draws more buyers per listing: hobbyists add a few more fish on impulse, restock after losses and buy in groups. Schooling fish, shrimp colonies and clean-up crew are rarely bought singly. Meanwhile, merchants earn little per fish and have less incentive to list more, so supply grows slowly. The result is a high ratio that persists even when supply is already large, as with tetras and Neocaridina shrimp.
The "Demand Ahead" Band: Where Singapore's Tastes Show
The second tier is more varied, and it says a lot about what Singapore hobbyists value.
Fancy goldfish and koi
Goldfish have a long history in Singapore homes, and koi are favourites for landed-house and condo ponds. Fancy goldfish such as oranda and ryukin draw high purchases, but Singapore's warm water is hard on goldfish, so local breeding is limited and many are imported. Koi stand out further: very high purchases, demand ahead of supply and prices trending up, with a very wide price spread between varieties.
Bottom dwellers and oddballs
Corydoras and loaches both have very high purchases and buyer interest, and demand runs ahead of supply. They are peaceful, useful fish for community tanks and are bought in groups. Puffers, gouramis, killifish and rainbowfish also fall in this band, each with a loyal following.
Oscars among the monster fish
Most monster fish in Singapore are balanced or oversupplied, but oscars have high purchases and demand ahead of supply, with prices trending up. Their mid-range price and famously interactive personality make them an entry point to big-fish keeping.
Livebearers: A Telling Contrast
Livebearers are often grouped together, but their ratios differ:
| Livebearer | Supply | Demand-to-supply tier |
|---|---|---|
| Guppy (species) | Very high | Balanced |
| Molly | Very high | Balanced |
| Platy | Moderate | Demand ahead of supply |
| Swordtail | Moderate | Supply ahead of demand |
Platies are hardy, colourful and peaceful, and their momentum and prices are both rising. Swordtails, though similar to keep, have prices easing and more listings than buyers. Guppies and mollies are bred so widely in Singapore that supply keeps pace with very high interest.
Bettas: Low Ratio, High Activity
Singapore's betta breeders are prolific, and it shows in the ratio. Halfmoons have very high supply and high purchases, yet supply is still ahead of demand. The same is true for Alien, Crowntail, Dumbo, Giant Halfmoon Plakat and several other varieties. Only a few wild types, such as Imbellis, Mahachai and Smaragdina, are balanced. For betta buyers, a low ratio means choice and room to compare sellers.
Collector and Marine Livestock
Higher-priced livestock generally has a lower ratio. Flowerhorn, stingrays, wolf fish, knifefish and bichirs all have supply ahead of demand, and arowana are balanced. In marine, corals, anemones and damselfish have supply ahead of demand, marine fish overall and clownfish are balanced, and marine invertebrates have demand ahead of supply, alongside rising momentum and prices trending up.
Methodology
This page is based on FishyHub marketplace activity in Singapore over the period from October 2024 to October 2026. For each category we compared demand (orders, wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves) with supply (active listings) and placed it in one of four demand-to-supply tiers. We also used supply, purchase and price tiers, price direction and momentum. All findings are reported as tiers and directions, not as figures or ratios.
The data covers livestock sold by independent merchants on FishyHub. It does not measure physical shops or private sales. A few categories, such as Macrostoma bettas and some marine fish groups, have too little activity for a demand-to-supply tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which aquarium fish have the highest demand in Singapore compared with supply?
On FishyHub, guppies as a category, Neocaridina shrimp, small community fish such as danios, rasboras and tetras, algae eaters and snails sit in the highest tier.
Is there more demand than supply for goldfish in Singapore?
Yes. FishyHub data shows bubble eye, oranda, ryukin and wakin goldfish all have demand ahead of supply.
Are bettas oversupplied in Singapore?
Most named betta varieties on FishyHub have supply ahead of demand, so buyers have plenty of choice.
Does a high demand-to-supply ratio mean a fish is the most popular?
Not necessarily. Some very popular fish, such as the guppy species and plecos, are balanced because supply keeps pace with demand.
How to Cite This Page
Source: FishyHub, "Which Aquarium Fish Have the Highest Demand-to-Supply Ratio in Singapore?" (2026), https://fishyhub.com/sg/blogs/blog-detail/which-aquarium-fish-have-the-highest-demand-to-supply-ratio-in-singapore
