This dataset contains information on the occurrence of Neotropical fishes (Actinopterygii, Chondrichthyes, Sarcopterygii) collected in South America, mostly from the Brazilian Amazon. The ichthyology collections of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG: http://www.museu-goeldi.br/) include specimens collected between 1900 and 2014. The dataset is now available for public consultation on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility portal (http://www.gbif.org/dataset/b0059a3a-5cab-4a08-8d14-d92c23378e43), and through Sistema de Informação sobre a Biodiversidade Brasileira (http://gbif.sibbr.gov.br/explorador/pt/recurso/62).