Fish are animals in the aquatic world. They hold up to 90% population with their different species on the Earth. Fish are creatures having unusual features.
So, if you have the curiosity to know them from depth, choosing scuba diving is the best option. You will get to see their lifestyle, their way of living, hunting, and eating.
If you are planning to visit an exotic place, scuba diving is a must activity you should do. Don’t act surprised by the varieties of fishes you come across; there can be high chances of having a close encounter with fish having big lips.
Isn’t it funny fishes also have big lips like humans and some animals do? Although fish is a silent animal that swims in the water, some fishes are difficult to judge at first sight. The development of big lips in fish is rare as it can be due to genetic mutation in the fishes.
If you are a fish enthusiast, these tips will help in satisfying your curiosity about those fish with big lips. So, without further ado, let’s get into the article.
15 Largest Fish With Big Lips On Earth
1) Koi

Scientific Name | Cyprinus Roburofuscus |
Size | 8-20 inches |
Color | White, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Cream |
Location | Black Caspian and Aral Sea |
Diet | Omnivores |
A colorful, ornamental designed fish that gives you tropical vibes every time you see it, here is Koi fish on the list.
This popular fish is commonly seen in Japan, and it has been named Koi as the Japanese consider it a symbol of luck, prosperity, and growth.
The majority of colors this fish shows are red, white, black, orange, yellow, and sometimes green. The big lips of this fish make it cute too.
2) Carp

Scientific Name | Cyprinus Carpio |
Size | 12-25 inches |
Color | Greenish-brown |
Location | Fallen trees in water |
Diet | Omnivores |
Carp is another fish flaunting its big lips in the market. The carp is a species of fish showing a greenish-brown color.
Commonly found in European countries, carp fish have two barbels on each side of the jaw.
Usually, carp are not found in freshwater, they usually reside in oily, muddy water as a part of their habitat.
3) Humphead Wrasse

Scientific Name | Cheilinus undulatus |
Size | Over 6 ft |
Color | Dull blue-green or purplish blue |
Location | Indian Ocean |
Diet | Carnivores |
Aren’t you amazed if you see a 6ft fish? Here is humphead wrasse, an enormous coral fish that can grow up to 6 ft in water. Usually, they have long lifespans; the highest one recorded ever was 30 years.
They prefer to munch on mollusks, starfish, and sometimes on lobsters too. They are rare to find; their big lips help in finding them.
4) Sweetlips Fish

Scientific Name | Plectorhinchus |
Size | 28 inches |
Color | Bright Yellow, Black, and Blue |
Location | Indian Ocean |
Diet | Carnivores |
Sweetlips is a family of fish famous for their big fleshy lips. Also, these fish shows zebra patterns finely distributed on their body with the black dotted pattern at their tail.
They can be found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. Their huge fleshy lips help in the hunting of food. However, by their unique hues and patterns on their body, they are easily found in the aquarium as they are eye-catchy.
5) Piranha

Scientific Name | Pygocentrus Nattereri |
Size | 12 inches |
Color | Red, Brown |
Location | Central and Southern River Systems of South America |
Diet | Omnivores |
Don’t you feel scared when you hear the name Piranha? If yes, don’t worry; piranhas are not dangerous to humans, unlike what is shown on TV.
There are two different types of piranhas found; they can even grow up to 18 inches in length and weighs around 8 pounds. Most are aware that piranhas are omnivores fish that will not leave any second to think before eating.
They are well known for attacking large animals with sharp teeth to satisfy their voracious diet. It is crucial to keep safety precautions if you are planning to swim in water where piranhas are present.
6) Pacu
Scientific Name | Piaractus Brachypomus |
Size | 3 feet |
Color | Silver, Grey, White, and Black |
Location | Tropical and Subtropical South America |
Diet | Omnivores |
A cute fish with big lips sharing a genus with piranha, here’s pacu, an omnivore fish on the list to give you thrills. Their bulging eye is enough to scare you to the face.
The largest pacu ever discovered was over 3 feet in length and was very heavy in weight. Their look makes them desirable and to stay in aquariums. They are capable of digesting anything offered to them.
However, it is always suggested to the feeders to add every kind of food available in the market to give these fishes a spectrum of essential nutrients that eventually brings out the diet change in fishes.
7) Paddletail Snapper
Scientific Name | Lutjanus Gibbus |
Size | 20 inches |
Color | Red, Yellow, Orange |
Location | Indo-Pacific ocean |
Diet | Omnivores |
Want to see a shiny fish with a pinch of red color? The paddle-tail snapper is a fish in the aquatic world that gives you a unique look with a mouth like a shark.
Their big fleshy lips and color make them distinguishable easily in the sea. They are found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and share a genus of Lutjanidae.
The unique pattern they show is their growth as they grow up to 60cm in length. Also, they are covered with dark vertical lines all over their body. If you are planning to buy a fish, choosing paddle-tail snapper is the best option.
8) Gourami

Scientific Name | Osphronemidae |
Size | 7.5 cm to 50cm |
Color | Blue |
Location | Asia |
Diet | Omnivores |
Gourami is a fish that is well known for its vibrant color and is found in freshwater. This fish is perfectly suitable to keep in the aquarium as they are like a jewel to your aquarium and a jewel to your eye.
They are peaceful and come in different species, and can range from two inches to up to a foot in length.
As gouramis are present in different species, some popular fishes are pearl gourami, chocolate gourami, and kissing gourami.
Gouramis are experts in digesting any food, which makes them omnivore animals. Usually, their diet consists of zooplankton, tiny lobsters, and sometimes insects too.
9) Red Shoulder Peacock Cichlid
Scientific Name | Aulonocara Hansbaenschi |
Size | 6 inches |
Color | red |
Location | Southern Part of Lake Malawi |
Diet | Omnivores |
A unique patterned fish that gives you the vibes of the era of dinosaurs. Red shoulder peacock cichlid is one of the most beautiful fish due to their vibrant red color with a pattern of light blue shade in it.
These fishes are easy to handle as they don’t require much care. However, with proper care, they can live up to 10 years of age.
Red shoulder peacock cichlid is an omnivore fish, meaning they can much on anything offered.
However, if you are planning to feed these fishes, always try to add a variety of nutrients to their diet to give them a blend of the nutrients required.
10) Triggerfish

Scientific Name | Balistidae |
Size | 28 inches |
Color | Blue, Yellow, Brown. Black |
Location | Western Atlantic Ocean |
Diet | Omnivores |
A unique fish that got its name from the large spine present on its dorsal fin, the spine can become a problem to them as when it gets erected, it locks the fish into place that directly invites predators.
These fishes are found in tropical and subtropical water everywhere in the world. Aquarium enthusiasts always introduce this fish into their aquarium, which fascinates them because of its unique design.
The bright-colored markings make everyone curious to see and know more about this fish.
11) Queensland Grouper

Scientific Name | Epinephelus lanceolatus |
Size | 8.8 feets |
Color | Brown, Black, and Red |
Location | Australi and New Guinea |
Diet | Omnivores |
A creepy-looking fish that is famous for its large size and can be easily found in Australia and New Guinea. Introducing Queensland Grouper to the list; this fish is famous for its creepy mouth and big fatty lips that will surely make you uncomfortable when you see this fish.
This fish is truly unique as they much on poisonous food items without being affected by them. Their favorite food items are small fishes, squid, lobsters, and sometimes, crustaceans. However, they can eat anything offered to them.
Queensland grouper are not compatible with other mates, so it is hard to introduce them to the aquarium.
12) Big Lip Damselfish
Scientific Name | Cheiloprion Labiatus |
Size | 6 cm |
Color | Red, Yellow, Blue |
Location | Eastern Indian Ocean |
Diet | Omnivores |
Big lip damselfish is another popular fish that looks creepy yet very interesting. They share a genus with Pomacentridae, a ray-finned fish.
This fish is easily found in the eastern Indian Ocean and has been a popular seafood item in island countries. It is a fish with big lips often found in darker areas in the sea.
Damselfishes are unique in their appearance as their skin is fine and smooth, and often found either single or in a group.
13) Freshwater Angelfish

Scientific Name | Pterophyllum scalare |
Size | 6-8 inches |
Color | Brown, Black, Pink, Blue |
Location | Southern America |
Diet | Omnivores |
Freshwater Angelfish is a fish that can be found in South America and other nearby countries. This popular fish species can grow up to 6 inches or 8 inches, they are easily suitable for aquariums in approximately 20 gallons of water.
This species of fish are easily compatible with other fish species together. However, they should not be kept with fin-nipping species or other small fishes as freshwater can eat them.
As these fishes are omnivores, the feeder must add every kind of possible nutrient to their diets.
14) Flowerhorn Fish

Scientific Name | Amphilophus Hybrid |
Size | 12-16 inches |
Color | Pink, Red, and White |
Location | South East Asia |
Diet | Omnivores |
Surely you have never been so fascinated by any fish. However, flower horn fish has the potential to mesmerize you with its sheer beauty. It is native to South Asia and can grow from 12 to 16 inches in length.
These fishes are omnivores and love too much on shrimps, bloodworms, small fishes, etc. You will fantasize about the eternal beauty of this fish.
15) Saltwater Angelfish
Scientific Name | Pomacanthidae |
Size | 8-12 inches |
Color | Bright Green, Blue, Brown, and Yellow |
Location | Indo-Pacific Ocean |
Diet | Omnivores |
A fish that looks silent yet very clingy. Here is Saltwater angelfish in the list. This fish with big lips is quite popular for its large mouth and fatty lips. It looks quite intriguing with its eyes. It is a species of ray-finned fish found in the Indo-Pacific oceans.
This fish is purely carnivore and munch on small aquatic animals. Apart from being a clever-looking fish, this fish serves as a delight on your plate. It is tasty and is among the popular commercial fish in the market.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all we can conclude is these unique big lips fish are truly mesmerizing to the viewers. However, not every fish is suitable for your aquarium yet some of them are a perfect fit.
The fish with big lips introduces a new spectrum of aquatic life where you will get to know about various types of fish in depth.
These fishes come with a lot of caring and sometimes expenses to maintain. Before going to add them to your aquarium, make research their habitat and food patterns.
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An engineering student turned into a writer. Expressing thoughts into words is what i prize the most. Being able to conclude my thoughts through my articles is my prime intention. If i am not engaging myself with animal content, you can always find me doing coding. I am an engineer by profession but a writer by heart.