NUMBER OF FISH AND TYPES FOR AQUARIUM

Question
I have purchased a 2.5 gallon aquarium and would like to know how many fish can survive in a tank this size and which fish would be good.  The lady at Petsmart told me that I chould have about 6 fish in this tank, but that sounded like alot and I just wanted to check with someone else first.  Also, I am interested in some colorful fish that are fun to watch for my 2 year old son.  This aquarium is for his birthday and he just loves fish.  Thanks for your help.


Answer
Hello,

Six fish may or may not be a lot, it greatly depends on what type of fish you choose.

For example, a schooling fish like neons would probably be happy to have five or six in a small tank. They are small fish and happier in groups. But if you choose a larger fish, like the neon's close cousin the glowlight tetra, you may only want to have three or four.

I'd say if you want schooling fish 3 would be a minimum number, for a larger size, and six a maximum for a smaller fish.

Another thing you could try is goldfish, or course, but these tend to be less entertaining.

If you are looking for colorful I think a good choice would be guppies. They are relatively cheap and easy to care for. They come in a marvelous array of colors. In a 2.5 gallon I'd say you should have about 3-4.

Or you could take a totally different approach to this tank and make it a betta tank. Although betta (or siamese fighting fish) are commonly kept in cold water bowls, they are healthier, happier and more active in warm water. If you did get a betta, only one fish would be neccesary and he would be happier.

These are just a few suggestions, and these are based on the assumption that you tank is heated and filtered. If its not then it limits your options, but you could go with a betta still, or a goldfish.

I hope this helps.

Good luck,
Stephanie