Stocking a 2 Gallon Fish Tank

Image by flag75* via Flickr

Many people who are interested in getting a first fish tank think that the smaller t tank they get, the easier it will be to keep. Not only is this assumption false — it is harder to maintain stable water chemistry parameters in a small tank — but having something as small as a 2 gallon fish tank can make it almost impossible to stock correctly.

One of the most common errors that new aquarium owners commit is overstocking their tank. Faced with the wide variety of colorful tropical fish at the neighborhood pet store, they are become like a kid in a candy store and want to buy a few of these, few of those and a few more of the other. A 2 gallon fish tank cannot handle a few of anything for the most part.

There are only a few types of fish that will be happy and healthy in 2 gallon fish tank. One of the most interesting, and most colorful, is the betta fish. These fancy-finned fish are usually offered for sale in tiny plastic cups of blue water. A 2 gallon fish tank would be a much better home for one of them, as long as you add a plant or two.

If you want more than one fish in your 2 gallon fish tank, he will have to buy small and stick with one species. Different varieties of the same species can go together. For example, you could have a blue, red and gold-colored guppy in a 2 gallon aquarium. A trio of mollies or platies could also work. For those who want more than one type of fish in the tank, buy a bigger tank.

Some people will tell you that they have kept a couple of Cory catfish, a bunch of small tetras and a goldfish in a tank no bigger than 2 gallons. Either they’re lying, they did water changes at least twice a day just to keep them alive or the fish died young and unhealthy.

Stocking a 2 gallon fish tank is harder than stocking a 10 gallon, 20 gallon or 55 gallon aquarium. The greater volume of water you have in the tank, the greater the chances of any mistakes be giving fish owners make not being deadly for your new pets.