The choice of fish for a small aquarium: types, content and features

The most unusual and exotic decoration of any apartment can be called an aquarium – a microcosm of beautiful and all kinds of fish. Everyone chooses the sizes of aquariums according to their desire and taste, populating it with the desired pets, from the smallest to the largest. In the modern world, there is not always enough space for large aquariums, so the most popular are small species, or as they are also called, nano aquariums.

Difficulties of small aquariums

Small is usually called an aquarium, in which volume less than 30 liters. But, nevertheless, caring for him is quite complicated, although at first glance it may seem different. It is important to maintain the necessary biological system, and this is not so easy. And more importantly, you should choose the right aquarium fish for small aquariums.

Choosing fish

If you are new to keeping aquariums, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should not immediately purchase exotic species of fish, but rather pay attention to simpler ones.

viviparous fish species

• Guppies are very simple and undemanding to care for.
• Swordtails are also fairly easy to care for. True, there is one caveat – during the “birth” some swordtails can feast on their own fry, so be careful and try to organize their spawning so that the fry immediately after the “birth” fall through a narrow gap to the bottom.
• Pentapecilia is a species of fish that is very colorful and quickly changes color. For those who want to have a wide variety of fish, five-pecilia is a great option.

Charicine fish species:

• Neons (Paracheirodon) – the size of the fish in length can reach 4 centimeters. They have a bright color, and this is what decorates the aquarium world. But this is a tropical species of fish, so you should equip the aquarium well. The bottom should be darkened, light sand will not work here, pick up dark soil. Ideal for these fish is the presence of snags, all kinds of caves made of stones. The presence of algae – necessarily both floating and seated along the side wall of the aquarium. The required water temperature is 24 -25 degrees.
• Tetra (Nematobrikon) – representatives of this species of fish grow up to about 6 cm in length. These small aquarium fish are very beautiful, in a variety of colors, depending on the subspecies. Care is the same as for neon, they do not like bright light, but they prefer diffused. They are unpretentious to feed, but they love live types of feed.
• Hylodus – the size of the fish reaches a maximum of 7 centimeters. The peculiarity of these small fish is that they swim head down at an angle of 45 degrees. Thanks to this, they easily collect food from the bottom of the aquarium, which makes it easier for them to feed. They need to be fed with plant foods, for example, such as: lettuce, oatmeal, nettles, which were doused with boiling water, as well as dandelion tops. You need to prepare the aquarium in advance. For these fish, an aquarium that is densely planted with plants is ideal, but at the same time they need free areas for swimming. The required water temperature is 22-24 degrees, and during spawning – 26-28 degrees. Chiloduses are peaceful fish, so they get along well with other types of aquarium fish.
• Thornsia – has a dark silver body color and three black transverse stripes on the body. The intensity of the color depends on the conditions of the thorns, so it is important to follow all the rules in caring for them. The water should be 22 degrees, then the thorn will feel comfortable. The bottom should be filled with sand. As for vegetation, it’s up to you. If there are a lot of plants, the fish will be able to hide in them and occasionally swim out for food, and if there are few plants, they will swim freely around the aquarium. The volume of water must be at least 20 liters. In this amount of water, 5 or 8 fish can live. Ternetia are very friendly fish and therefore easily get along with other types of fish.

An interesting feature of keeping charicine fish in aquarium conditions is that they are schooling fish, so you need to keep flocks of about 10 individuals. Left alone, the fish becomes aggressive and attacks everyone who swims by. On the contrary, in the flock, haricin fish are very cute and calm fish. Charicines are the perfect fish for small aquariums!

More options for aquarium fish:

• catfish panda (Coridoras panda) – grows about 5-5,5 centimeters. Its coloration is very similar to a panda. Panda catfish are peaceful fish and get along well with other non-aggressive fish species. It is important to choose the right conditions for keeping these fish. The most acceptable water temperature is 22-26 degrees. They need a lot of hiding places on the bottom so that they can hide from bright daylight. If you make the light in the aquarium dimmed, then the fish will delight you with their appearance in the daytime. Catfish spend most of their time at the bottom, but sometimes they swim up to the surface to breathe, as they have extra intestinal respiration. In the process of feeding catfish, it is important to remember that they feed from the bottom, but undereat the remnants of food after others. Frozen food, catfish tablets, and flakes are perfect for feeding.
• Cockerel – grows up to 5 centimeters. The cockerel will perfectly decorate the aquarium world. There are many different colors, and everyone can choose for themselves. There are species with a single color, and there are multi-colored ones. Cockerels are great for beginners, as they are unpretentious in their care. The volume of water in the aquarium must be at least 3 liters per individual. The water temperature is 24-28 degrees. Cockerels can breathe not only with gills, but also with their labyrinth systems, so the fish are undemanding to water quality. Bettas are not picky eaters and can eat: live, dry and frozen food. But remember, cockerels should not be overfed, so it is important to remove the remaining feed in time. Cockerels get along well with other types of fish, but males are often pugnacious. Fights between two males lead to the death of one of them. There are times when the cockerel fights with his own reflection in the mirror until he has spent all his strength.

Consider all the nuances in the content

The desire to diversify the aquarium world is quite natural and commendable, but worth take into account such factors:

• Correctly choose the number of fish for the volume of the aquarium.
• Choose fish that live in different water thicknesses so that they do not create discomfort for each other.
• Do not combine peaceful and aggressive fish.
• Choose fish that require the same temperature and pH levels, as well as the environment.