Keeping aquarium is very fun and cool, but the truth be said, it all requires large amount of money to purchase a good and classic fishtank or aquarium, especially big aquariums.
But that’s doesn’t mean without having large bank account ( large amount of money) you can’t possibly keep an aquarium and have animals in it.
Okay, let me suggest something, what if you buy the smallest aquarium and have some animals you might like in it?
Related: Which aquatic animals could live in 2 gallon tank?
Yes, you can actually acquire a 1 gallon tank which is alot more cheap compared to big sized tanks and keep your the animal of your choice in it for now and you can choose to upgrade in the future if you want to expand it, have more animals or when your animal starts growing.
So in this article, I will be teaching you about the perfect animals that could be kept in a smaller tanks like the 1 gallon tank.
Let’s get this straight!, in a 1 gallon tank, the number of pets you can keep is largely limited.
So let’s see the type of animals you can actually keep in this kind of tank.
Dwarf Cherry Shrimp: in a 1 Gallon Tank
If you’re looking for what animal you could have in a smaller tank like 1 gallon tank, then this specie of shrimp is a perfect match for it.
The Dwarf Shrimps are smaller in size, as the name sounds.
They originated from Taiwan and their ideal temperature is 59-84°F
The males could reach a size of 1.30 inche, while the females could only reach a size of 1.5 inche or a little bit more.
Related: Which aquatic animals could live in 3 gallon tank?
So judging by their size, these creatures are very tiny animals and could easily fit in a 1 gallon tank and live very comfortably in it.
They are not known to produce toxic or dirty aquarium water so quickly, so they’re a perfect match for this type of fish tank, and you can keep them up to 8 in a 1-gallon tank without any issue, for the fact they have live plants in the tank.
Although they don’t easily dirty a tank water, but make sure you clean their tank and change water, at least once or twice a month, especially when they’re many in a 1 gallon tank.
Snails: in a 1 Gallon Tank
If you want to buy a Small tank like 1 gallon tank, and you’re wondering what you can possibly have in such a tank, then snails are good option for you, only if you’re a fan of Snails.
When I made mention of snails, not all type anyway.
Bigger species like the Apple, Mystery snails etc are exempted from this.
We all know that snails are agents of tank purification and will eat dead and decaying plants, foods and any fungal or insects that die in the tank and might pollute and harden the water if not removed.
This is one of the reasons why keeping snails is cool.
So the kind of snails that are very perfect for 1 gallon tank is Nerite snails, Ramshorn Snails, Malaysian Trumps, etc.
Infact any smaller specie of Snail is a good match for this type of tank, for the fact they don’t reproduce so fast and so quickly, thereby overcrowding the tank.
Even if they do, you can always keep their population in control.
Normally, I would recommend 2-5 snails per 1 gallon tank, so that they won’t overcrowd the tank and become a pest.
Normally, every animal needs enough space in it’s environment, so if you’re to keep bigger species of snails like the mystery snail, then keep only 2 per 1 gallon and upgrade the tank when they grow, so that they will still be comfortable.
African dwarf frog: in a 1 Gallon Tank
Another good option for a 1 gallon tank is the African dwarf frog.
This is the smallest specie of frogs and could only get to the size of 2.5-3 inches.
Their small size made them a good match for this type of tank because they could perfectly fit into it.
Related: Can African dwarf frog jump out of the tank?
But the question is, how many of this specie of frog could be kept in this type of tank? Well, I would definitely recommend not keeping more than 2 of this frog in a 1 gallon tank so that they could have enough space and also they don’t easily get the water dirty.
We all know that frog’s poop is what normally dirty the water, so keeping or having only 2 of them and providing filter and cleaning the tank on a weekly basis is the ideal for keeping them in such a small tank.
Again we all know that frogs has the habit of always jumping about so while keeping them in such a small tank, you need a tight lid to cover the tank.
Dwarf Crayfish: in a 1 Gallon Tank
Dwarf Crayfish is another good option for this kind of fish tank.
This specie of crayfish could only grow up to an inch or 2, making it one of the smallest aquatic animals.
So they’re perfect match for a one gallon tank and would do well in it.
As we all know, Crayfish don’t easily pollute water in anyway, so keeping 2 of this specie in a gallon tank and having in place things like filter, live plants and changing their water twice in a month is very okay.
Micro Thai Crab: in a 1 Gallon Tank
This specie of crab originated from Thailand, as the name says.
They are so small that they could barely reach up to 2 inches in size, so this made them a perfect match for a one liter tank.
If you’re looking for a pet to keep in this kind of tank, then micro Thai is very perfect because they are not very noticeable in a much bigger tanks.
Related: Can 2 Goldfish live in a 1 gallon tank?
This means they’re so tiny that you can hardly see them in a bigger tank, especially when they’re being kept with other pets, so keeping only them in a gallon tank is very great.
Although they’re very small, but I don’t suggest keeping more than 3 in a gallon tank.
Also live plant, substrates matters very much to them, and heater, filter and air pump should be put in place too.
Pygmy Seahorse: in a 1 Gallon Tank
Although Seahorse are known to be very big in size, but this specie of sea horse is very small and tiny.
Pygmy seahorse can only get to 1.5cm or a little bit more in size, making them very suitable for a 1 gallon tank or 1.5 gallon tank.
Just like every other living things, this specie of seahorse needs enough space to swim about too, so keeping not more than 3 of them per gallon and not more than 4 per 1.5 gallon is very good for them.
Also they need live plants and substrates too.
What Fish Can Live in a 1 Gallon or 1.5 Gallon Tank?
Can Betta fish live in a 1 Gallon Tank?
Talking about the type of fish that could comfortably live in a smaller type of tanks like the 1 Gallon or 1.5 gallon tanks, then you might be thinking if Betta fish are among.
Can Betta fish live in a gallon tank? Yes, Betta fish are great for smaller tanks because they can only grow up to 2.5-3.5 inches.
Generally, smaller tanks is recommended for smaller animals that could be easily swallowed up in a bigger tank.
Although they could easily live in a smaller tank, but their chance of tank mates is very limited, as I can only recommend 2 baby Bettas in such a small tank.
How Long Do Betta Fish live in a 1 Gallon Tank?
Knowing that Bettas could inhabit such a small tank, you might be wondering how long they could be able to live in such a tiny space.
How long do Betta fish live in a 1 Gallon Tank? Betta fish should only stay in a gallon tank for a period of 6 months or a little bit more. They shouldn’t be allowed to stay in a 1 Gallon tank up to a year being they will easily outgrow the tank.
When keeping a fish like the Betta, things like plants, substrates, heater, filter, pump should be in place.
What Pet Fish Can Live in a 1 Gallon Tank?
Apart from other non- fish aquatic animals, some types and species of fish could also live in such a small tank, especially when they’re still very small, that’s one of the reasons some people normally classify 1-1.5 gallon tank as starter tank because it is mainly used for smaller fish and other animals.
What Pet fish can live in a 1 gallon tank? Some fish such as Betta fish, Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, Flame Tetras, Ember Tetras, Goldfish, Minnows, Guppies are all good choice for a 1 gallon or 1.5 gallon tank.
Also note that some of these fish are schooling fish and so needs to be kept in groups, so keeping 3 per a gallon tank is good.
The fish above should only be kept in such a small tank when they’re still very small and should be relocated to a much bigger tank when they start increasing in sizes.
When keeping them, some various requirements should be in place such as heater, filter, air pump, substrates, plants and water testing kits.
What Saltwater Fish can Live in a 1 Gallon Tank?
Having know some freshwater fish that could be brought up in a 1 gallon tank, you might be interested to know the type of Saltwater fish that could live in a 1 gallon tank too.
What Saltwater Fish can Live in a 1 Gallon Tank? Some Smaller Saltwater fish that could live in a 1 gallon tank are Flaming prawn goby, Gumdrop coral Croucher, Pygmy coral Croucher, Longspine Cardinal fish.
These are some of the saltwater fish that could be raised in a 1 gallon or 1.5 gallon tank.
Am not in anyway suggesting keeping them in such a small tank permanently.
You can raise them up in such a small tank and buy a much bigger tank for them where they will be very much more comfortable when they grow.
Adult fish requires enough space to thrive, so I don’t suggest any tank less than 10 gallons for each of these fish when they grow.
Conclusion
Every living thing requires a large space in order to thrive, so I don’t in anyway advise keeping fish of any type, especially goldfish in a 1 liter tank, u less they are still in their infant stage and tiny.
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