Ghana covers an area of approximately 238.500 sq.km inundated by river systems. The drainage of the river systems is basically determined by the Kwahu Plateau. Rivers which originate from the eastern side of the plateau drain into the Atlantic through the Volta river. Rivers originating from the west side of the plateau drain into the Atlantic individually. The most important natural lake in Ghana is the Lake Bosomtwe as it is self contained with many small rivers and streams keeping the water fresh constantly. The Volta Basin is made up of the rivers Oti, Pra, White Volta, Black Volta and Asukawkaw. The Pra Basin is mainly formed by the Pra, Offin and Birim. Other rivers like the Tano, Bia, Ankobra and Densu flow into the Atlantic individually. Along the coast line there are many lagoons and estuaries building an ecosystem of its own.
All these water bodies big or small are full of fish. Most of the larger species are economically used for food but the smaller ones have aquarium value. We have tried to list the ones which have been found and documented till now but there are probably hundreds more which have not been found yet.
| Latin Name | Common Name |
Species |
Known Distribution |
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| Protopteridae | African Lung Fish | Protopterus Annectens | Volta Basin | |||||
| Polypteridae | Bichirs | Polypterus Senegalus
Polypterus Endlicheri |
Volta & Pra Basins
Volta & Pra Basins |
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| Clupeidae | Freshwater Herring | Sierrathrissa Leonensis
Odaxothrissa Mento Pellonula Leonensis |
Lower Volta Pra BasinTano, Densu Basin |
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| Osteoglossidae | Bony Tongues | Heterotis Niloticus | Volta Basin | |||||
| Notopteridae | Knife Fish or Feather Backs |
Papyrocranus Afer | Tano, Pra, Offin, Birim Rivers |
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| Mormyridae | Elephant Nose Fish | Mormyrus Rume
Mormyrus Macrophthalmus Mormyrus Hasselquistii Marcusenius Ussheri Marcusenius Senegalesis Marcusenius Abadii Hippopotamyrus Pictus Mormyrops Breviceps Mormyrops Anguilloides Brienomyrus Niger Brienomyrus Brachyistius Petrocephalus Soudanensis Petrocephalus Bane Petrocephalus Bovei Pollimyrus Isidori |
Volta Basin Volta Basin,Tano & Bia RiversVolta Basin Tano, Bia & Pra Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta System Volta System Volta & Pra Basin Volta Basin & Bia System Volta Basin Bia & Densu Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta, Pra, Tano & Bia Basins Volta Basin |
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| Gymnarchidae | Frank Fish | Gymnarchus Niloticus | Volta Basin | |||||
| Hepsetidae | African Pike | Hepsetus Odoe | Most River Basins of Ghana | |||||
| Characidae | Characins | Hydrocynus Brevis
Hydrocynus Forskalii Alestes Dentex Brycinus Leuciscus Brycinus Longipinnis Brycinus Nurse Brycinus Imberi Brycinus Brevis Brycinus Macrolepidotus Micralestes Pabrensis Micralestes Occidentalis Micralestes Elongatus Rhabdalestes Septentrionalis Lepidarchus Adonis |
Volta Basin
Volta & Pra Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Small Coastal Basins Volta & Small Coastal Basins Small Coastal Basins Pra & Volta Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin & Pra River Volta & Small Coastal Basins Volta Basin Volta & Pra Basins Volta & Pra Basins |
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| Distichodontidae | Distichodonts | Distichodus Engycephalus
Distichodus Rostratus Distichodus Brevipinnis Nannocharax Ansorgii Nannocharax Fasciatus Neolebias Unifasciatus |
Volta Basin Volta, Tano & Bia BasinsVolta Basin Volta Basin Volta & Pra Basins Volta & Pra Basins, Tano & Bia Rivers Volta, Pra, Tano & Bia Basins |
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| Citharinidae | Moonfish | Citharinus Eburneensis
Citharinus Citharus Citharinops Distichodoides |
Volta Basin
Bia Basin Volta Basin |
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| Cyprinidae | African Carps or
Minnows |
Leptocypris Niloticus
Raiamas Senegalensis Raiamas Nigeriensis Leptocypris Niloticus Labeo Parvus Labeo Senegalensis Barbus Bynni Occidentalis Barbus Bynni Waldroni Barbus Wurtzi Barbus Hypsolepsis Barbus Leonensis Barbus Trispilos Barbus Walkeri Barbus Sublineatus Barbus Macrops Barbus Callipterus Barbus Subinensis Barbus Parablabes Barbus Ablabes Barbus Bawkuensis Barbus Punctitaeniatus |
Volta Basin
Volta Basin, Pra, Tano & Bia Rivers Pra River Volta Basin Volta, Bia, Tano & Pra Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Pra, Tano & Bia Basins Pra, Tano & Bia Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Bia, Tano & Pra Basins Pra, Tano Basins & Ankobra River Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin All Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin |
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| Schilbeidae | Butter Fishes | Parailia Pellucida
Siluranodon Auritus Irvinea Voltae Schilbe Mystus Schilbe Intermedius Scilbe Mandibularis |
Volta,Tano Basin
Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta,Bia,Tano, Pra Basins Bia, Tano Pra Basins |
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| Amphiliidae | Loach Catfish |
Amphilius AtesuensisPhractura Clauseni |
Volta Basin
Volta Basin |
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| Bagridae | Bagrids | Bagrus DocmakBagrus Bajad |
Volta System
Volta System |
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| Claroteidae | Claroteids | Clarotes LaticepsChrysichthys WalkeriChrysichthys Maurus Chrysichthys Auratus Chrysichthys Johnelsi Chrysichthys NigrodigitatusAuchenoglanis Occidentalis |
Volta Basin
Volta Basin Volta Basin Bia & Tano Basins Occurs in all Basins Volta System |
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| Clariidae | Mudfish - Walking Catfish |
Heterobranchus BidorsalisHeterobranchus LongifilisHeterobranchus Isopterus Clarias Gariepinus Clarias Anguillaris Clarias Laeviceps Clarias CamerunensisClarias Agboyiensis Clarias Ebriensis |
Volta Basin
Volta, Pra, Bia Basins & Ankobra River Volta System Most Rivers in Ghana Bia, Tano & Pra Rivers Volta Basin Volta & Pra Basins Bia, Tano & Volta Basins |
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| Malapteruridae | Electric Catfish |
Malapterurus Electricus |
Bia, Volta, Tano & Pra Basins |
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| Mochokidae | Squeaker Catfish |
Chiloglanis VoltaeChiloglanis OccidentalisSynodontis MembranaceusSynodontis Clarias Synodontis Sorex Synodontis Violaceus Synodontis Macrophthalmus Synodontis Filamentosus Synodontis Eupterus Synodontis Velifer Synodontis Nigrita Synodontis Ocellifer Synodontis Arnoulti Synodontis Bastiani Synodontis Schall |
Volta Basin
Volta & Pra Basins Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Volta Basin Bia Basin Bia, Tano, Pra & Volta Basins |
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| Cyprinodontidae | The Annuals | Aphyosemion Walkeri SpurelliAphyosemion PetersiiFundulosoma Thierryi Pronothobranchius Kiyawensis Aplocheilichthys SpilauchenAplocheilichthys Normani Aplocheilichthys Pfaffi Aplocheilichthys Rancurelli Aplocheilichthys Schioetzi Epiplatys Dageti Dageti Epiplatys Chaperi Chaperi Epiplatys Chaperi Sheljuzhkoi Epyplatys Taeniatus Pfaff Epyplatys Sexfasciatus Togolensis |
Forested Areas & Tano River Small Coastal River & South Western GhanaTributaries of the Upper VoltaUpper Volta & Accra All Coastal Basins Upper Volta, Bia & Tano Rivers Upper Volta Bia & Tano Rivers Forested Areas of Central Ghana & the Coastal Regions Marshes & Small Streams of the South – West Coastal Regions of the Bia and Pra Basins Tano Basin Upper Volta Coastal Areas Near the Togo Border |
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| Channidae | Snake Head | Parachanna Obscura |
Most Water bodies in Ghana |
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| Centropomidae | Nile Perch | Lates Niloticus |
Volta Basin | |||||
| Cichlidae | Bream or Mango Fish |
Steatocranus IrvineaTylochromis JentinkiTylochromis Intermedius Limbochromis RobertsiChromidotilapia Guntheri Hemichromis Fasciatus Hemichromis Bimaculatus Thysochromis Ansorgii Tilapia Busumana Tilapia Dageti Tilapia Zillii Tilapia Guineensis Tilapia Discolor Tilapia Mariae Sarotherodon Melanotheron Sarotherodon Galilaeus Multifasciatus Oreochromis Niloticus |
Volta Basin
Tano River Tano River All Ghanaian Basins All Ghanaian Basins All Ghanaian Basins Tano River Tano, Bia & Pra Basins & Lake Bosomtwe Volta Basin Most Water bodies in Ghana Lower reaches of most Basins Bia, Tano & Pra Basins & Lake Bosomtwe Lower Coastal Basins Bia, Tano, Pra, Volta, Ankobra & smaller Coastal Basins Bia, Tano, Densu, Ankobra & Pra Basins Bia, Tano & Pra Rivers |
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| Anabantidae | Climbing Perch |
Ctenopoma Petherici |
Volta, Tano & Bia Basins |
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| Eleotridae | Eleotrids | Kribia Nana Kribia KribensisDormitor LebretonisEleotris Vittata Eleotris Daganensis |
Upper reaches of the Volta Bia RiverLower Volta & Coastal AreasLower Volta System Lower Volta System |
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| Gobiidae | Gobies | Nematogobius MaindroniChonophorus Lateristriga |
Lower Pra & Coastal riversLower Coastal Basins |
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| Mastacembelidae | Spiny Eels | Aethiomastacembelus PraensisAethiomastacembelus Nigromarginatus |
Pra & Bia BasinsAll Coastal Basins |
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| Tetraodontidae | Puffers | Tetraodon Lineatus |
Volta Basin |