Plans for Stocking a 1-Gallon Mini Aquarium

For people who can't afford, or don't have room for, a large aquarium, very small aquariums can look quite appealing. Who wouldn't love the look of a one-gallon desktop aquarium brimming with active, happy, healthy fish? Owing to misadvertisements from the manufacturers, often showing an unrealistic number of fish in these tiny tanks, many new fishkeepers believe that they can keep an entire school of fish in a one-gallon aquarium.

Unfortunately, the options for stocking a one-gallon aquarium are limited at best and nonexistant at worst. There are only three truly viable options for stocking a one-gallon aquarium that will survive and thrive for more than a few months.

A Single Male Betta

It is not recommended that bettas be kept in tanks smaller than three to five gallons, but they can still live in very small tanks. The reason that bettas are so popular in very small tanks is that they are equipped with a lung-like gill adaptation, called a labyrinth organ, that enables them to breathe air. This helps them to survive in very poor and polluted water.

However, surviving is not the same thing as thriving. While a betta can indeed thrive in a one-gallon tank, it requires careful maintenance, including the introduction of a filter, live plants, and-- unless your home's temperature never drops below the mid-seventies-- a heater. With very frequent water changes, sparse feedings, and a properly maintained aquatic ecosystem, the betta is one of the few species of fish fully capable of remaining healthy in a one-gallon tank.

Ghost Shrimp

A one-gallon aquarium stocked with a few ghost shrimp will actually look wonderful on a desktop or small stand. The addition of ghost shrimp to a small aquarium is delightful, and the antics of these peculiar creatures are fun to watch. A balanced ecosystem with live plants two or three ghost shrimp can thrive indefinitely.

Your guests will be delighted and entertained when they see your tiny shrimp scavenging at the bottom of the tank. These little guys are sure to amuse fishkeepers and laymen alike, and they are very active and full of personality. A small tank full of ghost shrimp can be as enjoyable as a much larger tank.

Plants Only

A planted tank featuring exotic or unusual vegetation can have the beauty and appeal of a bonsai tree. A one-gallon aquarium can hold a miniature water-garden, with one or two small, exotic water plants. If properly maintained, the plants will grow and bloom until they look positively magical when properly lit on a desk or shelf.

The art of aquatic plant-keeping may seem dull compared to an aquarium full of fish, but it can be thrilling in its own right, since it requires skills and maintenence similar to a small garden or a houseplant. Friends might at first ask where your fish are, but they may find themselves intrigued and fascinated by the sight of a small aquarium that hosts its own plant-based ecosystem.

Despite manufacturer's advertising, small fish like zebra danios, neon tetras, guppies, and white cloud minnows are wholly incompatible with life in a one-gallon aquarium. While they are small, all these fish require plenty of swimming space to stay happy and healthy. And, although some aquarists assume that fish can not get lonely, schooling fish are known to become depressed and starve themselves to death in the absence of companions-- and no one-gallon tank can accomodate an entire school of any species.

Prevent cruelty and select stock for your one-gallon aquarium with full knowledge of the limitations. While a one-gallon tank can still be a very enjoyable addition to a home, it can also be a tragic cruelty device if not stocked carefully and considerately.