Aquarium Fish That Are Becoming More Popular in 2026
The aquarium fish clearly becoming more popular with US shoppers on FishyHub in 2026 are bettas, especially halfmoon plakats, halfmoons and giant halfmoon plakats, which draw rising listings and strong buyer interest. Beyond bettas, shoppers search heavily for angelfish, discus, guppies, plecos, tetras, oscars and arowana, and US listings for nearly every freshwater and reef fish family are growing. For some of the most searched fish, such as oscars and arowana, US supply is still limited.
Key Findings
- FishyHub data shows halfmoon plakat bettas draw very high buyer interest in the US, with listings rising and demand ahead of supply.
- FishyHub data shows halfmoon bettas draw high buyer interest in the US, with demand and supply in balance.
- On FishyHub in the US, giant halfmoon plakat bettas draw moderate interest from limited listings, and demand clearly outpaces supply.
- FishyHub shopper searches show very high interest in angelfish, arowana, bettas, discus, flowerhorn, guppies, koi, oscars, plecos and tetras.
- FishyHub data shows oscars and arowana have limited US supply despite very high search interest.
- FishyHub data shows US listings rising for nearly every fish family on the marketplace in 2026.
- FishyHub data shows wild bettas, giant bettas and female bettas among the betta searches shoppers make on FishyHub.
How Popularity Is Measured Here
On the US side of FishyHub, there are three kinds of evidence about which fish are gaining popularity:
- Buyer interest from US users: wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves. This is currently measured for bettas.
- Search terms: what shoppers type into FishyHub's search. These combine the US and Singapore markets.
- Listing momentum: whether new US listings are rising, which shows where sellers see demand.
The US marketplace is new, so there is no order history yet. This page treats a fish as becoming more popular where interest, searches and listings point the same way.
Bettas: The Clearest Rise
| Betta | US buyer interest | Demand vs supply | Momentum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant halfmoon plakat | Moderate | Demand clearly outpaces supply | Rising |
| Halfmoon | High | Balanced | Rising |
| Halfmoon plakat | Very high | Demand ahead of supply | Rising |
Halfmoon plakats
Halfmoon plakats combine the short, sturdy fins of the traditional fighting plakat with the full, even spread of a show halfmoon. They are active, hardy and available in a huge range of colors. On FishyHub in the US they sit in the mid-range price tier with a narrow price spread, which makes a quality fish accessible.
Halfmoons
Halfmoons are the classic long-finned show betta, in the upper mid-range price tier. Interest is high and supply keeps pace, so buyers can choose among many sellers.
Giant halfmoon plakats
Giant plakats grow much larger than standard bettas, which gives them presence in a bigger tank. Interest is moderate, but listings are limited, so these fish sell into a market that wants more than it gets.
What Shoppers Are Searching For
FishyHub search data, across both of its markets, shows which fish people are looking for. The fish in the very high search tier, listed alphabetically, are:
- Angelfish
- Arowana
- Barbs
- Bettas
- Bichirs
- Catfish
- Channa (snakeheads)
- Discus
- Eels
- Flowerhorn
- Gar
- Gouramis
- Guppies
- Koi
- Mollies
- Oscars
- Plecos
- Pufferfish
- Tetras
Searches in the high tier point to growing niches, including apistogrammas, axolotls, corydoras, endlers, pea puffers, rasboras, stingrays and wild bettas.
Searched For, Hard to Find
Comparing searches with US listings shows where popularity is running ahead of availability:
- Oscars are searched very often, but US supply is limited and they sit in the entry-level price tier. Listings are rising.
- Arowana are searched very often, but US supply is limited and most are in the collector tier. Some Asian arowana species cannot be legally imported into the US, which keeps supply narrow.
- Koi are searched very often, with moderate US supply in the mid-range tier and rising listings.
Some highly searched fish, such as channa (snakeheads), are restricted in the US under federal wildlife rules, so search interest for them comes largely from outside the US.
Where US Listings Are Growing Deepest
Rising listings with very high supply show which fish US sellers are betting on:
- American cichlids, discus and other cichlids
- Barbs, guppies and tetras
- Catfish and plecos
- Goldfish
These are long-standing hobby favorites that are now easier to find online in specific varieties and color forms.
Why These Fish Are Gaining Ground
- Small-space keeping. Bettas and nano schooling fish suit desks, apartments and small tanks.
- Variety you can choose. Online sellers let buyers pick an exact betta, pleco or discus strain rather than whatever a local store stocks.
- Video discovery. Short fishkeeping videos introduce oddballs and show fish to new audiences.
US buyers in colder states still need a heater for tropical fish, and fish ship by overnight courier in insulated boxes across the Midwest & Central; East Coast & Northeast; South & Southeast; West Coast & Mountain West; and Alaska, Hawaii & territories delivery zones, with remote zones typically costing more.
Methodology
The popularity picture here comes from FishyHub's US marketplace over October 2024 to October 2026. We looked at wishlists, likes and "my tank" saves from US users, active listings and new listings against the previous year, listed prices and their spread, and FishyHub search terms. We express each result as a tier or direction, with no figures.
US buyer interest is reported for bettas only, and the US marketplace has no order history in this data. Search terms combine the Singapore and US markets, so they show what shoppers look for overall rather than in the US alone. FishyHub does not report state-by-state figures and cannot measure how many Americans keep fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish are becoming more popular in 2026?
On FishyHub in the US, halfmoon plakat bettas, halfmoons and giant halfmoon plakats show the clearest rise in buyer interest, and listings for most fish families are growing.
What is the most searched aquarium fish?
FishyHub's very high search tier includes angelfish, arowana, bettas, discus, flowerhorn, guppies, koi, oscars, plecos and tetras, among others.
Why are oscars hard to find online?
On FishyHub, oscars are searched very often but have limited US supply. They grow large and are often sold locally as juveniles.
Are giant bettas popular?
Yes. On FishyHub in the US, demand for giant halfmoon plakat bettas clearly outpaces supply.
How to Cite This Page
Source: FishyHub, "Aquarium Fish That Are Becoming More Popular in 2026" (2026), https://fishyhub.com/us/blogs/blog-detail/aquarium-fish-that-are-becoming-more-popular-in-2026
