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magikarp pokemon
Image Via OLM Inc and Nintendo

Every Fish Pokemon from Every Generation – Ranked

All the fish in the sea

There are so many Pokemon now, very close to reaching 1,000. This means there all kinds of ways you can list and rank Pokemon based on a number of things. For this list, we are going to get a little particular. Be aware this is NOT an “all water-type Pokemon” list. That will have to be a much bigger list for another day. Curiously, we are looking at only Pokemon based on fish. There are surprisingly only 41 fish-like pokemon so far before Scarlet and Violet come out.

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We are ranking based on iconic recognizability along with how useful they are in games as well as their overall design appeal. So let’s dive in already, with every Fish Pokemon from all generations ranked. From worst to best.

41. Luvdisc

It will always feel like this heart-shaped Pokemon was always a huge missed opportunity. This is especially more so given that is had no evolutionary line either. It doesn’t offer much beyond its present simple design.

40. Tynamo

A little squishy baby Pokemon that you only want for it to turn into bigger and better things.

39. Bruxish

It looks cool and pretty, but one look at its attacks and stats, and there just isn’t much else here.

38. Arrokuda

Another simple base Pokemon you just can’t wait to evolve.

37. Finneon

Finneon is kind of lucky it has a bit more creative design than others.

36. Alomomola

Possibly a bigger disappointment that it is somehow NOT the evolved form of Lovdisc. At least its design is a tad more complex and it can be somewhat tanky?

35. Mantyke

Cute and squishy, but sort of too little too late when it came in with all the other baby Pokemon to add to an already somewhat iconic evolutionary form.

34. Basculin

Basculin looks tough and isn’t a bad Pokemon at all, but there are just too many other fish in the sea with similar looks and power.

33. Lumineon

The prettiness of Lumineon is its greatest appeal for sure. That is about it though, its power and skills arent much to sneeze at.

32. Remoraid

The awkward evolutionary line for Remoraid is what makes it more noticeable than anything about the Pokemon itself honestly.

31. Relicanth

Relicanth’s cool lore about being one of the oldest Pokemon in existence is really neat. That is about all this very fossile-looking mon really has going for it.

30. Eelektrik

Eelektrik has a super cool design and is a great second-level evolution. However, it takes a bit too long to get to it and you’ll just want to hand it a thunderstone as soon as possible most of the time.

29. Dracovish 28. Arctovish

This ranking all depends on what you think of the idea of mixing fossils together to get these two wacky strange looking fish-mon. Both Dracovish and Arctovish might be more novelty but the idea and their decent stats makes them more formidable than one might first imagine at first glance.

27. Feebas

Feebas has the unfortunate notion of being famous for being somewhat of a ripoff of a more iconic useless flopping fish Pokemon and the infamy of having one of the hardest and most ridiculous conditions to catch it in the first game its in.

26. Magikarp

Magikarp’s legendary joke status has it close to being in the top 20, but its also just so hilariously useless and goofy that maybe we should remember that there’s still a large number of more formidable fish Pokemon you’ll want in general. Even if Karp is needed to gain one of the best Pokemon of the first generation, you’ll never use him in a fight on purpose.

25. Skrelp

Skrelp is one of the cooler new designs and a great inspiration from a real-life animal. His appeal can only grow as time moves on.

24. Goldeen

Purely an utter classic that we can take time to recognize for its sleek simplicity now before remembering how relatively weak it is.

23. Horsea

Another icon at this point, but Horsea is so dang cute and marketable that you cant forget it rivaled some of the top Pokemon for merchandise in the first generation.

22. Barboach

Barboach is strictly a great utility basic pokemon. Its ground typing goes a long way when you think of all the pokemon it’s ranked ahead of.

21. Chinchou

Chinchou also benefits from great creative typing and being the first of its kind. Also, the very anime take on its design has become quite recognizable.

20. Carvana

Carvana just looks tough and cool. There’s a reason in a generation flooded with water Pokemon it was one of the signature creatures for one of the two antagonist teams you had to face in Gen 3.

19. Seaking

Give a full evolution it’s due. Back when no one knew if a second generation of Pokemon would even happen, the title “Seaking” was pretty fitting and it at least had a one-hit KO attack to rely on if you went with it.

18. Seadra

One look at Seadra during Gen 1 and you probably couldn’t see a more badass and fun design for a Seahorse-designed Pokemon. Lucky Gen 2 proved us wrong and we really got a king out of it.

17. Quilfish

Quilfish’s design looks formidable to be sure, and its poison typing adds perfectly, and it is just one of those Pokemon that while simple and easy, you really couldn’t improve. It took decades for them to try actually.

16. Huntail 15. Gorebyss

Might as well keep these two together. Gen 3 was full of overly complicated ways to obtain or evolve Pokemon. Clamperal’s split evolution style was a needless headache, but you can’t deny how amazing these designs are ad some of the most creative-looking Fish Pokemon we’ve ever had.

14. Lanturn

Just look at that sweet face, he’s such a good boy. Maybe not a powerhouse but just an all around likable design from the 2nd Gen.

13. Stunfisk

One of the few non-water type Fish Pokemon on this list, its versatile utility makes it a good choice for your team even if its design might fall flat for some.

12. Basculegion

A much-needed and fun improvement of Basculin. While riding around in the water with it is super cool in Legends Arceus, only time will tell if it is anything more than that. But for now it’s great design has it rather high on this list.

11. Wishiwashi

Deceptively powerful and a brilliant idea on the take “school of fish”. Wishiwashi has proven to be one of the more formidable new additions to Fish Pokemon in the latest few generations.

10. Barraskewda

Its been a while since we had such a great design and pun-tastic name like Barraskewda. While it’s attack list could be more desired, being in such a later generation it kind of screams “Why didn’t they think of this before!”

9. Overquil

Speaking of “Its about time”, Overquil is such a wonderfully accepted new evolution to a Pokemon that as long over due needed one. The design is nice and sleek, super cool and appealing, and its attack power is nothing to laugh at. One of the latest additions of the Pokedex and very much a home run.

8. Mantine

Who doesn’t love Sting Rays? Mantine looks cute and cool, and when you realize how big they actually are, it kind of makes them cooler. Sometimes you just cant beat a classic.

7. Eelektross

Eelektross is just freaky and cool. He looks scary and formidable and is, however not having the water-type label on seems a bit of a questionable choice, but Pokemon is no stranger to questionable type dismissals.

6. Sharpedo

What can you really say except how dang sharp this design is. Completely iconic, even being used in the opening sequence of Gen 3 games, Sharpedo managed to stand out in a crowded pool full of the most water pokemon introduced in a single Gen. His perfect unique look and icon status can not be denied.

5. Dragalage

Not a water-type at all and yet Dragalage is based on one of the most awesome designed fish out in the real world. Leafy Sea Dragons are just downright awesome and Dragalage does the influence proud, and at least it gets to be labeled a dragon.

4. Whiscash

Anyone who has played Gen 3 knows what a powerhouse and tough opponent Whishcash can be. You can’t shock this grounded catfish Pokemon so you better come prepared. A wonderful design to boot and it is absolutely one of the best fish in the sea.

3. Kingdra

You don’t get called a King for nothing. Kingdra took an already successful design and not only improved on it exponentially but earned its Dragon status and will always be one of the most badass looking sleek and simple designs in maybe all of water Pokemon.

2. Milotic

Depending on how you feel about “technicalities” Milotic is getting robbed here at number 2. Let’s not deny the most beautiful, powerful, and all-round possibly perfectly crafted and designed pure water Pokemon out there. If we were doing water-type Pokemon, and not specifically fish-inspired, Milotic would at the very least be much higher ranked than the number 1 fish, if that makes sense. Let’s give all the credit in the world to the unobtainable might and beauty that is Milotic.

1. Gyarados

If you think about it, there really couldn’t be anyone else at number 1 than Gyarados. We know, technically they are inspired by Chinese Sea dragons, however, hear us out. Considering the ties to Magikarp and its lore, and also that Gamefreak and the Pokemon Company don’t seem fit to give Gyarados its “Dragon” type status it so rightfully deserves, we figured the least we can do is say Gyarados is without a doubt the greatest ‘fish’ Pokemon there ever was and probably ever will be.

Author
Image of Jesse Anderson
Jesse Anderson
Always playing video games since he could walk. An immediate gravitation to the original Pokemon Blue, Red and Yellow has led to a life of loving colorful and adventurous games. From Final Fantasy to Ratchet and Clank to most things Nintendo and whatever cartoony indie Metroidvania on Steam. If its a vibrant RPG-like game, he's had a hand at playing it.