Please note. This list of fish normally
occurring in Zimbabwe waters is not a
complete list.
Any additional names and details of fish
caught in other systems not mentioned would
be appreciated
We use the term "Group" as a common
local reference to the type of fish.
Click your Browser "Back Button" after viewing Fish Image
The list is currently in the process of being updated.
| Group | Common Name | Latin Name | Normal River System Distribution | View Image |
| Eel | African Mottled Eel | Anguilla bengalensis labiata | Zambezi System , Pungwe, Buzi |
|
| Pike | African Pike | Hepsetus odoe | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Happy | Banded Jewelfish | Hemichromis elongatus | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Tilapia | Banded Tilapia | Tilapia sparrmanii | Zambezi, Save/Rhunde, Limpopo |
|
| Characin | Barnard's Robber | Hemigrammopetersius barnardi | Lower Zambezi, Buzi, Pungwe |
|
| Barb | Barotse Barb | Barbus barotseensis | Upper Zambezi | |
| Minnow | Barred Minnow | Opsaridium zambezense | Zambezi, East flowing rivers |
|
| Barb | Berea Barb | Barbus radiatus | Zambezi, Buzi, Punwe, Save/Rhunde, Limpopo |
|
| Tilapia | Black Tilapia | Oreochromis placidus | Lower Zambezi |
|
| Barb | Blackback Barb | Barbus barnardi | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Perch | Blackspot Climbing Perch | Microctenopoma intermedium | Upper, Lower Zambezi | |
| Catfish | Blotched Catfish | Clarias stappersii | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Introduced | Bluegill Sunfish | Lepomis macrochirus | Isolated pockets, Marondera, Buzi |
|
| Catfish | Blunttooth Catfish | Clarias ngamensis | Upper Zambezi, Save, Limpopo |
|
| Barb | Bowstripe Barb | Barbus viviparus | Save/Rhunde, Limpopo |
|
| Catfish | Broadhead Catfish | Clariallabes platyprosopos | Upper Zambezi | |
| Barb | Broadstriped Barb | Barbus annectens | Zambezi, Lower Save/Rhunde | |
| Citharine | Broardbar Citharine | Nannocharax macropterus | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Serranos | Brown Spot Largemouth | Serranochromis thumbergi | Upper Zambezi | |
| Shark | Bull Shark | Carcharhinus | Lower Zambezi |
|
| Squeaker | Brown Squeaker | Synodontis zambezensis | Zambezi, Lower Save/Rhundi, Limpopo |
|
| Introduced | Brown Trout | Salmo trutta | Dams and mountain steams Eastern Zimbabwe |
|
| Squeaker | Bubblebarb Squeaker | Synodontis thamalakanenis | Upper Zambezi | |
| Snoutfish | Bulldog Fish | Marcusenius macroletidotus | All Zimbabwe river systems |
|
| Catfish | Butter Catfish | Schilbe mystus depressirostris | All Zimbabwe Systems except Nata |
|
| Happy | Canary Largemouth | Chetia flaviventris | Limpopo | |
| Introduced | Carp | Cyprinus carpio | Widespread throughout Zimbabwe |
|
| Citharine | Chessa | Distichodus schenga | Zambezi System | |
| Snoutfish | Churchill | Petrocephalus catostoma | All Zimbabwe systems except Nata |
|
| Squeaker | Cloudy Squeaker | Synodontis nebulosus | Zambezi System |
|
| Catfish | Common Mountain Catfish | Amphilius uranoscopus | Lower Zambezi, Buzi, Pungwe, Save/Rhunde |
|
| Barb | Copperstripe Barb | Barbus multilineatus | Upper, Kariba and Middle Zambezi |
|
| Snoutfish | Cornish Jack | Mormyrops anguilloides | Zambezi System |
|
| Barb | Dashtail Barb | Barbus poechii | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Citharine | Dwalf Citharine | Hemigrammocharax machadoi | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Snoutfish | Dwalf Stonebasher | Pollimyrus castelnaui | Upper Zambezi |
|
| Barb | East Coast Barb | Barbus toppini | Lower Save/Rhunde, Limpopo |
|
| Snoutfish | Eastern Bottlenose | Mormyrus longirostris | Zambezi System |
|
| Happy | Eastern Happy | Astatotilapia calliptera | Lower Zambezi |
|
| Catfish | Electric Catfish | Malapterurus electricus | Zambezi System |
|
| Squeaker | Finetooth Squeaker | Synodontis vanderwaali | Upper Zambezi | |
| Eel | Giant Mottled Eel | Anguilla marmorata | Lower Zambezi and Limpopo, Save/Rhundi |
|
| Happy | Green Happy | Sargochromis codringtonii | Upper Zambezi, Kariba, Middle Zambezi |
|
| Tilapia | Greenhead Tilapia | Oreochromis macrochir | Upper to Middle Zambezi, Limpopo |  |
| Happy | Greenwoods Happy | Sargochromis greenwoodi | Upper Zambezi | |
| Barb | Hamilton's Barb | Barbus afrohamiltoni | Upper, lower Zambezi, Save/Rhunde | |
| Barb | Hyphen Barb | Barbus bifrenatus | Upper Zambezi, Limpopo |
|
| Characin | Imberi | Brycinus imberi | Zambezi and Limpopo Systems |  |
| Minnow | Johnston's Topminnow | Aplocheilichthys johnstoni | Zambezi System |
|
| Introduced | Kapenta | Limnothrissa miodon | Kariba, Middle, Lower Zambezi |  |
| Tilapia | Kariba Tilapia (Mozzi) | Oreochromis mortimeri | Kariba, Middle Zambezi | |
| Introduced | Largemouth Black Bass | Micropterus salmoides | Widespread throughout Zimbabwe |  |
| Squeaker | Largemouth Squeaker | Synodontis macrostorma | Upper Zambezi | |
| Yellowfish | Largescale Yellowfish | Barbus marequensis | Widespread except Nata |
|
| Squeaker | Largespot Squeaker | Synodontis macrostigma | Upper Zambezi | |
| Labeo | Leaden Labeo | Labeo molybdinus | ||
| Barb | Linespot Barb | Barbus lineomaculatus |  |
|
|
Barb
|
Longbeard
Barb
|
Barbus
unitaeniatus
|
|  |
|
Eel
|
Longfin Eel
|
Anguilla
mossambica
|
Kariba, Zambezi,
Save/Rhunde
|  |
|
Catlet
|
Lowveld
Suckermouth
|
Chiloglanis
swierstrai
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Manyame Labeo
|
Labeo
altivelis
|
|  |
|
Perch
|
Manyspined Climbing
Perch
|
Ctenopoma
multispine
[multisinis]
|
|  |
|
Minnow
|
Meshscaled
Topminnow
|
Aplocheilichthys
hutereaui
|
|  |
|
Happy
|
Mortimers
Happy
|
Sargochromis
mortimeri
|
|
|
|
Introduced
|
Mosquito Fish
|
Gambusia
affinis
|
|  |
|
Tilapia
|
Mozambique
Tilapia
|
Oreochromis
mossambicus
|
|
|
|
Citharine
|
Multibar
Citharine
|
Hemigrammocharax
multifasiatus
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Natal Mountain
Catfish
|
Amphilius
natalensis
|
|
|
|
Serranos
|
Nembwe
(Robbie)
|
Serranochromis
robustus jallae
|
|  |
|
Catlet
|
Neumann's
Suckermouth
|
Chiloglanis
neumanni
|
|
|
|
Introduced
|
Nile Tilapia
(Nilo)
|
Oreochromis
niloticus
|
Wide spread
throughout Zimbabwe
|  |
|
Citharine
|
Nkupe
|
Distichodus
mossambicus
|
|
|
|
Eel
|
Ocellated Spiny
Eel
|
Aethiomastacembelus
vanderwaali
|
|
|
|
Tilapia
|
Okavango
Tilapia
|
Tilapia
ruweti
|
|  |
|
Barb
|
Orangefin
Barb
|
Barbus
eutaenia
|
|
|
|
Tarpon
|
Oxeye Tarpon
|
Megalops
cyprinoides
|
Lower
Save/Rhunde
|  |
|
Barb
|
Papermouth
Barb
|
Barbus
mattozi
|
|
|
|
Catlet
|
Phongolo
Suckermouth
|
Chiloglanis
emarginatus
|
|
|
|
Happy
|
Pink Happy
|
Sargochromis
giardi
|
|
|
|
Yellowfish
|
Pungwe
Chiselmouth
|
Varicorhinus
pungweensis
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Purple Labeo
|
Labeo
congoro
|
|
|
|
Serranos
|
Purplefaced
Largemouth
|
Serranochromis
macrocephalus
|
|
|
|
Happy
|
Rainbow Happy
|
Sargochromis
carlottae
|
|
|
|
Introduced
|
Rainbow Trout
|
Oncorhynchus
mykiss
|
|  |
|
Barb
|
Red Barb
|
Barbus
fasciolatus
|
|  |
|
Labeo
|
Red Spotted
Labeo
|
Labeo
rubropunctatus
|
|
|
|
Tilapia
|
Redbreast Tilapia
(Mellie)
|
Tilapia
rendalli
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Redeye Labeo
|
Labeo
cylindricus
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Rednose Labeo
|
Labeo
rosae
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Redspot Barb
|
Barbus
kerstenii
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
River Sardine
|
Mesobola
brenianalis
|
Upper Zambezi,
Limpopo
|
|
|
Estuarine
|
Riverbream
|
Acanthopagrus
berda
|
|
|
|
Catlet
|
Sawfin
Suckermouth
|
Chioglanis
paratus
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Scaly
|
Barbus
natalensis
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Sharptooth Catfish
(Maramba)
|
Clarias
gariepinus
|
|
|
|
Yellowfish
|
Short Snout
Chiselmouth
|
Varicorhinus
nasutus
|
|
|
|
Eel
|
Shortfin Eel
|
Anguilla bicolor
bicolor
|
Middle, Lower
Zambezi, Save/Rhunde,
Limpopo
|
|
|
Catlet
|
Shortspine
Suckermouth
|
Chiloglanis
pretoriae
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Sickle-Fin
Barb
|
Barbus
haasianus
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Silver Catfish
*
|
Schilbe
intermedius (mystus)
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Silver Labeo
|
Labeo
ruddi
|
|
|
|
Characin
|
Silver Robber
|
Micralestes
acutidens
|
|
|
|
Characin
|
Slender
Robber
|
Rhabdalestes
maunensis
|
|
|
|
Snoutfish
|
Slender
Stonebasher
|
Hippopotamyrus
ansorgii
|
Upper Zambezi, Buzi,
Pungwe
|
|
|
Yellowfish
|
Smallmouth
Yellowfish
|
Barbus
aeneus
|
|
|
|
Shark
|
Smalltooth
Sawfish
|
Pristis
microdon
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Snake Catfish
|
Clarias
theodorae
|
|
|
|
Keneria
|
Southern
Keneria
|
Kneria
auriculata
|
Lower Zambezi,
Pungwe, Buzi, Save
|
|
|
Lungfish
|
Southern Lungfish |
Protopterus
annectens brieni
|
Zambezi, Lower
Save/Rhunde and Limpopo
|
|
|
Happy
|
Southern Moothbrooder |
Pseudocrenilabrus
philander
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Spottail Barb |
Barbus
afrovernayi
|
Upper Zambesi
|
|
|
Introduced
|
Spotted Bass |
Micropterus
punctulatus
|
|
|
|
Killifish
|
Spotted
Killifish
|
Nothobranchius
orthonotus
|
|
|
|
Catlet
|
Spotted Sand
Catlet
|
Leptoglanis
rotundiceps
|
|
|
|
Squeaker
|
Spotted
Squeaker
|
Synodontis
nigromaculatus
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Straightfin
Barb
|
Barbus
paludinosus
|
|
|
|
Characin
|
Striped
Robber
|
Brycinus
lateralis
|
|
|
|
Minnow
|
Stripped
Topminnow
|
Aplocheilichthys
katangae
|
|
|
|
Estuarine
|
Tank Goby
|
Glossogobius
giuris
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Thamalakane
Barb
|
Barbus
thamalakanensis
|
|
|
|
Serranos
|
Thinface
Largemouth
|
Serranochromis
angusticepes
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Threespot
Barb
|
Barbus
trimaculatus
|
|
|
|
Tilapia
|
Threespot
Tilapia
|
Oreochromis
andersonii
|
|
|
|
Characin
|
Tigerfish
|
Hydrocynus
vittatus
|
|
|
|
Killifish
|
Turquoise
Kilifish
|
Nothobranchius
furzeri
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Upjaw Barb
|
Coptostomabarbus
wittei
|
|
|
|
Labeo
|
Upper Zambezi
Labeo
|
Labeo
lunatus
|
|
|
|
Squeaker
|
Upper Zambezi
Squeaker
|
Synodontis
woosnami
|
|
|
|
Yellowfish
|
Upper Zambezi
Yellowfish
|
Barbus
conringtonii
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Vundu
|
Heterobranchus
longifilis
|
|
|
|
Snoutfish
|
Western
Bottlenose
|
Mormyrus
lacerda
|
|
|
|
Barb
|
Yellow Barb
|
Barbus
manicensis
|
|
|
|
Serranos
|
Yellow
Largemouth
|
Serranochromis
altus
|
|
|
|
Catfish
|
Zambezi
Grunter
|
Auchenoglanis
ngamensis
|
|
|
|
Happy
|
Zambezi Happy
|
Pharyngochromis
acuticeps
|
|
|
|
Snoutfish
|
Zambezi
Parrotfish
|
Hippopotamyrus
discorhynchus
|
Zambezi,Buzi,Pungwe
|
|
|
Barb
|
Zigzag Barb
|
Barbus
miolepis
|
|