Fish Choice

Question
Hello Nathan,
I recently found an old 6 gallon fish tank, cleaned it up, and bought the basic equipment. I was wondering what fish would be best for my small tank. I want at least two interesting fish that aren't to small. I was thinking about maybe a red tail shark or a Dojo Loach but I need to keep in mind that price is still a factor but no so much because fish are not very expensive. Thanks for the help,
                -Shipley

Answer
Hi Shipley,

Unfortunately, there are few 'larger' fish that can be succesfully kept in a 6 gallon aquarium.

A Red-Tailed Black Shark will grow to 6" or more, and is definitely not suitable for such a small tank. A Dojo (Weather) Loach will get even bigger, with confirmed specimens reaching 18" in an aquarium.

I would highly recommend that you keep one (1) of the following species.

-Corydoras Catfish (3) Peaceful and intelligent bottom-feeders
-Zebra Danios or Leopard Danios (3) Very active and fast fish
-White Cloud Mountain Minnow (3) Hardy and adaptive to most conditions
-Betta (1)male OR (2)female Easy to keep, do NOT keep males together

The above are very hardy, peaceful fish that will do well in a small aquarium. If you are interested in one of them, they should be readily available at your local fish store. Keep in mind that the highest number of fish you could keep is 3.

Another 'group' of fish suitable for your tank would be the Livebearers. These fish reproduce easily, and give birth to live babies. I recommend that you purchase ALL males unless you are prepared to set up a larger tank to accommodate baby fish. (Don't get all females, because they can store sperm, which means that they can become pregnant without a male, for up to 4 batches!) The Livebearers include Guppies, Platies, Swordtails and Mollies (but Mollies are not that suitable for your tank).

-Guppy (the classic, hardy, yet beautiful fish)
-Platy (vivid bold colors and intelligent)
-Swordtail (related to the Platy, and can cross-breed)

These are some of the great fish that you can keep!
The fish mentioned above need:

-Heater, set at 78F
-Filter, rated at 50 Gallos per hour or more
-Lighting (especially if keeping plants)
-A good owner (you!)

All these fish can be purchased for under $5, except for some more expensive varieties within each species.

During the first month of ownership, perform 10% water changes every 1-2 days, to reduce the amount of toxins in the water. (After this month, beneficial bacteria will have developed in the filter which remove wastes.) After the month, you can switch to a normal routine of 20% water changes weekly.

Good Luck, and Happy Fishkeeping!