How many fish in a 60L aquarium?

How many fish in a 60L aquarium? How many fish can you put in a 60L aquarium? It is one of the best-selling aquarium volumes on the market.

In this volume of water, the choice of fish and plants is limited. Despite everything, you can still have a lot of fun and turn this aquarium into a great ecosystem. Treat yourself to plants and decor, and use a well-suited filtration system.

If you go to a specialized aquarium store, you may come across the old-timers' advice, namely "1 centimeter of fish per liter of water". In fact, it is somewhat true but everything will depend on the species, and especially its size at adulthood. You will also need to think about the breeding mode of the fish you add to the aquarium.

You should not take this advice literally, but you will need to look into the types of fish you want to add to a pond.

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How many fish in my 60L aquarium?

It is important not to overstock an aquarium. Overpopulation in an aquarium can lead to diseases, parasites, and stress. To choose the population, you need to take several factors into account:

• Fish size at adulthood
• Water quality
• Filtration system
• Fish behavior

Before selecting fish, you need to know your water parameters. It is complicated to do a community tank with too many different species in a 60-liter aquarium. For example, a neon tetra needs soft and acidic water. Conversely to our region's tap water, which is often hard and alkaline.

Are you familiar with the FISHIPEDIA website, which lists freshwater fish and all the necessary information to know if you can introduce them or not into your body of water? It is an online encyclopedia.

Which fish in a 60L aquarium?

This is provided for information purposes. This information may vary.

• Neon tetras: +- 15 individuals
• Guppies: +- 10 individuals (be careful with males and females).
• Cherry barbs
• Dwarf pufferfish (be careful with other fish). Preferably reserved for a specific tank: it bites fins and feeds mainly on snails.
• Betta (solo)

You can also get freshwater shrimp (red cherry for example) :-) In a 60L aquarium, you should not have more than two species per fish.

Here is also a list:

• Fish under 5cm: 5 liters per fish
• Fish between 5 and 10 cm: 10 liters per fish
• Fish over 10 cm: to be avoided in a 60-liter aquarium

In the world of fishkeeping, a 60-liter aquarium is a classic. Indeed, you have the same advantages as large and small aquariums, but the choice of population remains limited.

However, an aquarium of this size remains relatively easy to maintain and you will not have difficulties positioning it properly at home. Thanks to its many advantages, you will be able to treat yourself both in the choice of fish, as well as plants or decoration.

This is why the 60 l size remains particularly appreciated by all fish lovers.

Which fish are compatible with a 60 l aquarium?

At first, you certainly want to have a lively aquarium with very beautiful fish. However, you need to check that your fish is indeed compatible with the size of your tank.

The first indication is not to exceed 1 cm of fish for every liter of water you have in your aquarium. However, this first indication should not be taken literally, because other parameters need to be taken into consideration. Furthermore, make sure not to overstock your tank, because it is a harmful element that causes stress in the fish.

Furthermore, you will have more polluted water, encouraging the development of diseases. Unfortunately, if you have an overstocked tank, nature will restore the balance, so it is better not to get into this situation.

The fish selection criteria

When you buy fish in a pet store, you should know that they are juveniles. Therefore, they have not yet reached their final size. Before falling under the spell of a particular color or shape, get all the necessary information about its adult size.

For information, if you fell for a small goldfish that measured only 2 cm at the time of purchase, know that it can reach an adult size approaching 20 cm. The second criterion is based on the water parameters. Each species of fish has its own preferences regarding this parameter. You must therefore always adapt the hardness and pH of the water according to the type of fish you want to put inside. For a species more sensitive to temperature, you always have the possibility of heating your aquarium.

Once again, fish coming from a pet store come from a very specific breeding, spanning several generations. This allows them to be much more flexible compared to wild specimens regarding water parameters. However, this does not absolve you at all from exercising vigilance. The third criterion is based on the fish's temperament.

Indeed, not all species adopt the same behavior. Some are aggressive and others much more peaceful. Some fish also prefer to live in a couple while others live alone, as is the case with the betta. This is why the temperament of a fish is another absolutely essential parameter. It is a primary criterion to build a varied population while avoiding aggression and thus avoiding generating stress.

Some species like the kuhli or the corydora love to stay on the bottom, so you need to be vigilant about the bottom surface, without necessarily taking into consideration the height of your tank. But if you choose neon tetras, know that these fish will be more comfortable when you have a larger front width.

The fish compatible with a 60 l aquarium

With a volume of 60 l, the possibilities are numerous. You will therefore have a choice among the species of fish to select. Whether they are species living alone, in a couple, or in a school, it all depends finally on what you are looking for.

Once again, do not overstock your tank, under penalty of having an imbalance and losing several fish. Before anything else, also make sure that the species is indeed compatible and do not forget to respect the rules of cycling. If so, you avoid knowing certain inconveniences with your aquarium.

If you prefer to have a solitary species, the betta is a standard fish to discover in the 60 l tank. If on the other place you prefer to have a couple of fish, you can set your sights on the honey gourami or the killifish cap lopez. Regarding school species, they will be much more numerous like with the cory habrosus, the blue eyes, the ornate rasbora, the guppy endler, or the galaxy micro rasbora.

With a view to having a more diversified population in your 60 l aquarium, you can also incorporate snails and shrimp. Other species are also compatible, as long as the water parameters are in line with the species you have chosen.

Example of a population for a 60 l aquarium

Now that you have determined the fish you want to put in your aquarium and once you have defined the water parameters, you must make the different species of fish coexist. Overall, there are 2 typical populations, that is to say a species in a school or a species in a couple.

If you still have doubts about the fish to put in your 60 l aquarium, you could opt for killifish cap lopez with 6 females and 2 males. For more animation in your tank, you could also put about ten red cherry shrimp. The advantage with this type of population is having an easy-to-maintain and peaceful aquarium. Furthermore, the species you have mixed are absolutely not aggressive with each other.

Another possibility consists in setting up 2 schools in your 60 l aquarium. The introduction of 6 Corydora habrosus with 4 female guppies and 2 male guppies will be absolutely perfect. The Corydoras will be in the bottom of your tank while the guppy will be at mid-height. The entire space of your aquarium will thus be occupied and there is no risk of aggression between the two species.

If you are looking for another possible combination, you could introduce a male betta into your tank with a companion of 10 galaxy micro rasboras.

Even if the betta is a species that likes to live alone, it can accommodate the presence of other species, as long as you have enough space. As long as the school of about ten individuals is in place, they will not be stressed when they cross paths with the betta.

Introducing fish without risk

A 60-liter aquarium is less forgiving than a large volume: the slightest pollution quickly concentrates. The key step is the cycling, that is to say the installation of bacteria that transform fish waste (ammonia, then nitrites) into much less toxic nitrates. It generally takes several weeks.

1. Acclimate each newcomer: let the bag float to equalize the temperature, then gradually mix the aquarium water with the bag water.
2. Add the fish in small groups, starting with the most robust species.
3. Test the water a few days after each addition, especially the nitrites. To understand this parameter, see what nitrites are in an aquarium.
4. Maintain regularly with partial water changes: see when to change the water in an aquarium.

Choosing the right aquarium

It is preferable to invest in a 60 l aquarium with all the necessary equipment. Therefore, you will not need to waste time choosing suitable accessories, because they will be directly integrated into your aquarium.

This includes both the heating system, the lighting as well as the filtration system. However, there are disparities between each manufacturer, hence the need to carefully check the equipment you want to buy.

In some cases, the heater will not systematically be included. However, it will not necessarily be necessary to acquire one depending on the species of fish you want to put in your tank.

Now that you have all the information at your disposal, all that is left is to make your choice of fish you want to put inside.

To compare models, browse our 60-liter aquariums and our aquarium filters. If you are still hesitating about the volume, read our general article how many fish in an aquarium, or our guide for placing the heater in an aquarium.

Which fish to choose for a 60-litre aquarium?

Here are the species most often suggested for a 60-litre aquarium, with their main characteristics. The sizes given are approximate adult sizes.

The Betta, the pygmy sunfish and the Cape Lopez lyretail have strong personalities: they are better suited to a species-only tank. For a community aquarium where several species live together without conflict, choose small, peaceful species that live in groups (neon tetras, rasboras, small corydoras, platies).

Frequently asked questions