LensFree AI Fish Identifier. What Fish Is This?
Snap a photo of any fish and find out what it is. Freshwater, saltwater, aquarium: it doesn't matter. Upload the image and get species details in seconds. Free to use.
Drop a fish photo here or tap to upload
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Analyzing your fish with AI…
How the Fish Identifier Works
Snap or Upload
Take a photo of any fish, whether one you caught, spotted at the pier, or keep in a tank. You can also upload an image already on your device. Side-on view with clear lighting works best.
AI Identifies the Fish
The AI looks at body shape, fin structure, color patterns, scale texture, and mouth position. It matches your photo against thousands of known fish species from around the world.
Get Species Details
You get the species name, common name, habitat type, size range, and diet. It also tells you if the fish is freshwater, saltwater, or brackish. All in seconds.
What Fish Is This? How AI Fish Identification Works
Here's what happens behind the scenes. You upload a photo and the AI breaks it down into visual signals: body shape, fin placement, dorsal profile, color markings, mouth position, scale pattern. Each feature gets compared against a large dataset of known species trained on hundreds of thousands of labeled images. The result? A ranked list of probable matches, usually back in under five seconds. No guessing needed.
Body Shape and Color Patterns
Body shape alone tells you a lot. A deep, laterally compressed body? Probably a panfish like bluegill or a cichlid. Long and torpedo-shaped? Think trout, pike, or barracuda. Fin placement adds another layer: the position and size of dorsal, pectoral, and anal fins vary significantly between families. Then color patterns narrow things further: vertical bars, horizontal stripes, spots, iridescence. Each one acts as a visual fingerprint. That's why clear, side-on photos with decent lighting make such a difference in accuracy.
Accuracy and Limits
No fish ID tool is perfect. Juveniles often look completely different from adults of the same species. Regional color variations exist, and some closely related fish share nearly identical markings. So treat the result as a strong starting point. For regulatory decisions such as size limits and species-specific catch rules, always confirm with a local fish and wildlife guide. But for casual identification at the lake, on the boat, or in front of your tank? The AI is fast and reliable most of the time.
Freshwater vs Saltwater Fish Identification
People constantly ask: freshwater or saltwater? The distinction matters. Anglers need it for regulations, aquarium hobbyists need it for tank setup, and plenty of folks are just curious. Saltwater fish tend to display more vivid and varied coloring. Freshwater species often lean toward earth tones: greens, browns, silvers, olive hues. Body shape offers clues too. But the most reliable approach is simply identifying the species. Upload a photo and the results include habitat details, telling you whether it's freshwater, saltwater, or brackish.
Fish Identifier App
Lens App goes well beyond the typical fish ID tool. It covers freshwater game fish, saltwater species, tropical reef fish, aquarium fish, and common baitfish worldwide. Snap a picture of a fish on your line, a species at a public aquarium, or something you spotted in a tide pool: you'll get the species name, family, typical size range, habitat, and diet. The web version is free with one daily scan. Worth noting: the same AI engine also powers an animal identifier for wildlife you encounter near the water. One app handles it all.
Photo Tips
Good lighting makes a huge difference. Natural daylight, fish photographed from the side, full body visible from head to tail. That alone bumps accuracy noticeably. Try to capture the fins in their natural position rather than pressed flat. Avoid heavy shadows or extreme close-ups that crop out the overall shape. Photographing an aquarium fish? Reduce glare by angling slightly off the glass and turning off the flash. One clear photo is usually enough, but a second angle helps if the first result seems uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish is this?
Upload a clear photo to an AI fish identifier like Lens App. It analyzes body shape, fin placement, color patterns, and scale texture to match against known species. You get the species name, habitat info, and key facts in seconds.
Is there a free app to identify fish?
Yes. Lens App is a free AI fish identifier on iOS and Android. The web version offers one free ID per day. The mobile app includes additional free scans daily, with an optional subscription for unlimited use.
How to identify fish from a photo?
Take a clear photo showing the full body, fins, and coloring. Upload it to an AI fish identifier. It examines body profile, fin shape, mouth position, and color markings. A side-on angle in good lighting gives you the most accurate results.
What are common freshwater fish?
Common freshwater fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, rainbow trout, walleye, crappie, perch, and carp. For aquariums, betta fish, guppies, tetras, goldfish, angelfish, and cichlids are popular. These species live in rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams.
Can AI identify aquarium fish?
Yes. AI fish identifiers handle aquarium species well, including bettas, guppies, neon tetras, oscars, discus, clownfish, tangs, and many more. For the most accurate results, use good lighting and minimize glare from the tank glass.
How to tell if a fish is freshwater or saltwater?
Saltwater species tend to have more vivid, varied color patterns and sharper body profiles. Freshwater fish lean toward earth tones. But the most reliable way to tell is to identify the actual species. Upload a photo to Lens App and the result includes habitat details.
What is this fish I caught?
Take a side-view photo showing the full body, fins, and any visible markings. Upload it to Lens App and the AI matches visual features against known species, returning the fish name, average size, habitat, and whether it's typically kept or released.
How accurate is AI fish identification?
For common species with a clear, well-lit photo, accuracy is high. Side-on images showing the full body, fins, and color markings improve results. Juveniles and unusual color morphs can be trickier. Treat results as a strong starting point and cross-reference for regulatory or safety purposes.
What is the best fish identifier app?
Lens App is a free AI fish identifier that works on iOS, Android, and the web. Upload a photo and get the species name, habitat info, and key characteristics. It covers freshwater, saltwater, and aquarium species, plus plants, animals, birds, and more in the same app.
Can I identify tropical fish from a picture?
Yes. Tropical species tend to have distinctive color patterns and fin shapes, which makes them easier for AI to identify. Upload a clear photo and you'll get the species name, care requirements, native habitat, and tank compatibility if it's an aquarium species.