tropical fish

American

noun

any of numerous small, usually brightly colored fishes, indigenous to the tropics, and often kept and bred in home aquariums.

Etymology

Origin of tropical fish

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

tropical fish

At this rainforest-like indoor farm, where creatures such as coral, tropical fish and sea cucumbers inhabit different aquariums, Kinjo bred "miracle coral" with extra resistance to warmer water.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

He then went on to run a successful business selling tropical fish in Tenerife.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2025

The novel populations of tropical fish in temperate ecosystems are not having much of an impact now, but may do in the future.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2024

The federal government is looking to ban importation and exportation of a species of a tropical fish that conservation groups have long said is exploited by the pet trade.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2023

We stop in front of a big tropical fish tank, and it takes everything in me to look away from her at the brightly colored fish behind the glass.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023