10 Best Fish For 1-gallon Tanks [2025]
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Finding the best fish for 1-gallon tanks can be a daunting task, as the limited space requires careful consideration of compatible species and their specific needs. With countless options available, choosing the right fish on your own can lead to confusion and frustration. To simplify your selection process, we have meticulously shortlisted 10 products that are ideal for small aquariums, ensuring you can quickly identify the best fit for your tank. Our curated list not only saves you time but also alleviates the hassle of navigating through overwhelming choices.
Top 10 Fish For 1-gallon Tanks In The Market
Fish For 1-gallon Tanks Review
- Compact: Dimension: 7.9"x5.9"x5.9"; 1 Gallon tank; ideal for small spaces, aquarium beginners, or children caring for a single betta, a shrimp colony, snails, or small goldfish
- Customizable Lighting: features a 3-color LED hood with 10 adjustable brightness levels to showcase your fish and tank décor
- Self-cleaning Filtration: a hidden filter keeps the tank clean, making aquarium maintenance easier
- Thoughtful Design: its top feeding hole allows for easy feeding without removing the lid; four silicone feet for stability and quiet operation
- Complete Starter Kit: 1x 1 gallon Fish Tank, 1x Filter Sponge, 1x Adjustable Water Pump, 1x LED Hood (Note: The light requires a power transformer (not included) for use. Compatible transformers include 5V 0.5A, 5V 1A, 5V 1.5A, and 5V 2A. Fast charging adapters are not supported.)
- Aquarium KIT Hexagon-shaped aquarium kit is perfect for betta fish
- COLORFUL Bubbling disc automatically cycles through a rainbow of LED light colors
- INCLUDES FILTER Includes air pump-driven Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filter to keep your tank clean and provide a healthy environment for pet fish
- AIR PUMP Drives both the bubbling disc and the filter
- CONVENIENT Clear canopy has a hole for easy feeding
- AQUARIUM KIT: Clear plastic, half moon-shaped front allows unobstructed viewing.
- MOVABLE LIGHT: LED light can be positioned to light tank from above or below – requires 3 AA batteries (not included).
- IDEAL FOR BETTAS: Bettas have large, heavy fins that weigh them down, so they do not need a lot of space; bettas require minimal maintenance and make a great species for beginners.
- CONVENIENT: Clear canopy has a hole to make feeding fish easy.
- 1.1 GALLON TANK: Small size that’s perfect for a desktop or in any room (9 inches x 10.5 inches x 4.5 inches).
- 【25W Aquarium Heater】Orlushy 25w fish tank heater can be applicable to 1-6 gallons tank. It is 4.7 inches in length, ideal for use in low water level and won’t take up mech place, easy to hide in small tank. Please fully submerged the heater vertically into water in fish tank, and horizontally into water in turtle tanks.
- 【Easy to Operate 】This aquarium heater is automatic constant temperature heating when the power is switched on. The preset temperature is 78℉. Accuracy is ±3℉. Stair shape heating that red light is on and heater starts to intermittently heat the water to the preset temp, saving energy and electricity. When green light is on, heater stops working and maintains constantly 78℉.
- 【Durable & Material】 The durable material of the heater ensures safe operation. The outer shell covering the whole body of the heater is made of heat-resistant ABS material that it won’t deform and melt under high temperature. The heating rod is made of nickel-chromium heating wire to faster heating rate, and non-corrosive quartz glass.
- 【Cautions】 1.Please ensure the heater is 100% submerged into the water before plug in the power. 2. Please unplug the power and cool down the heater for 10-20 minutes before taking it out to clean the fish tanks or change the water.
- 【Guaranteed Customer Service】 Orlushy fish tank heater is made with great safety and durability for use. We guarantee 1 -Year warranty. If there is any issue with our product, please contact us, and we would gladly offer you after-sales service.
- PERFORMANCE – Although compact in size, this small aquarium air pump is energy efficient with powerful air output. Power 1Watt, Flow rate 50GPH, Air Pressure ≥0.02MPa. This air bubbler comes with 1 air outlet and fits fish tank size of 1-20 gallons.
- AIR PUMP FOR AQUARIUM - One air pump for aquarium can not be used for dramatically different sizes of aquariums! Follow our recommendations based on our 20+ years' expertise. Make sure you choose the right fish bubbler for your aquariums or applications.
- SUPER SILENT - The quiet aquarium air pump uses innovative technology with unique denoising structure design and materials to achieve super silence during operation.
- AERATING / DRIVING ORNAMENTS / DRIVING SPONGE FILTERS- This powerful aquarium air bubbler can be used to either improve the oxygen supply in your tank, or to drive bubbling ornaments, or to drive sponge filters.
- AIR FILTER PAD - Replacement filter pads are included in the package. The pad works as a filter for the air coming into the air stone pump. When the aquarium air pumps get dirty, the flow rate will be lower. Replacing the pad will solve the problem.
- FOR 4 GALLON aquariums: This Whisper Internal Power Filter uses small filter cartridges and adjusts easily to high or low water levels.
- 27 GPH PUMP: The internal 27 GPH pump cycles a 4 gallon aquarium more than 6 times per hour.
- TWO FILTERS IN ONE: Cartridge floss catches debris and fish waste, while Ultra-Activated carbon removes odors and discoloration.
- SPACE-SAVING DESIGN: Your aquarium can be flush to the wall with the internal filter designed to clip on your tank wall and be hidden by décor.
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS INCLUDED: This pack contains the hinged lid, tank clip, internal filter and filter cartridge.
- 【Beta Fish Tank Aautomatic Cleaning】Ideal for starters and saving your time, add freshwater with similar temperatures every day to achieve cleaning and oxygenation. Easy to set up, and easy to maintain.
- 【Dazzling Colors】 Automatic switching LED lighting with 7 dazzling color choices to brightly illuminate your fish. Uses 2pcs CR2032 button cells (not included)，available on Amazon.
- 【360 fish bowl】 Transparency is so good that most think it's glass, constructed of impact-resistant plastic providing leak-proof assurance.
- 【Dimensions】 6.5 DIA x 9.5 H Inches.
- 【The Best Choosing】: This mini fish tank is the greatest choosing that you can send to your kids, classmates, friends, colleagues, and family for festival days or birthday parties. Full customer satisfaction, 30 days money-back. If you have any questions, we promise to resolve the problem within 24 hours.
- AQUARIUM KIT: aquarium, filtration box, USB inverter pump, 2 pieces of filter cotton, 300g hollow quartz ball filter media, 250g aquarium decorative onyx stones; Please note: Plants and fish are not included; Aquarium size: 8.7 x 4.7 x 8.3 inches. Aquarium capacity is about 1 gallon (aquarium is about 0.8 gallon, filter box is about 0.2 gallon); With this aquarium starter kit, you can simply add your favorite fish. This is the best choice for beginners and children to enter the world of aquarium to cultivate love, relieve stress, decorate indoor space and bring good luck.
- SAFE AND RELIABLE: This desktop aquarium is made of highly transparent acrylic material with high light transmission rate. The main body of the aquarium is molded in one piece, anti-drop and wear-resistant, not easy to leak and won't burst the tank. Independent filtration compartment with adjustable flow rate mute water pump provides double filtration, oxygenation and removes oil film from the water surface. The bottom suction pump effectively adsorbs harmful substances and realizes the self-cleaning of the fish tank, creating a cleaner living environment for the fish.
- EASY TO MAINTAIN: This Betta Fish Tank is delicately designed with a large opening design, upper and lower tiers, easy and quick to clean, allowing you to enjoy a peaceful fish-watching time after a busy day at work.
- MULTIPURPOSE AQUARIUM: This aquarium with filter is suitable for keeping small fish and creatures that do not require much space, including betta fish, zebra fish, goldfish, hermit crabs, devil crabs, miniature freshwater shrimp (such as cherry shrimp), African dwarf frogs, apple snails and small fish. Please note that overstocking should be avoided and regular water changes should be done to keep the water clean.
- SPECIAL GIFT: For children, having a small aquarium can be a fun and rewarding experience. Aquariums help foster a sense of responsibility and love for nature, the environment and other forms of life. Small aquariums provide plenty of topics and experiences for parent-child interaction. For adults, this goldfish aquarium starter kit not only decorates the interior space but also helps to relieve stress and improve mood.
- 【Perfect Aquarium Starter Kit】This glass fish tank starter kit has everything you need to build a desktop aquarium, easy to install and maintain.1 gallon glass fish tank, size: 9.8*6.1*6.1in, air pump and accessories, LED aquarium light, biochemical sponge, activated carbon, sand, aquarium decoration, water exchanger, and fish net. Suitable for betta fish, shrimp, guppy, mini parrot fish, goldfish etc., an ideal gift for aquarium beginners.
- 【Self-cleaning System】This mini fish tank comes with an air pump and has a 3-in-1 system of filtration, oxygenation, and water circulation. The water flow in the tank is fully filtered by the filter media at the bottom, and then carried by the airflow up to the top, constantly achieving filtration and water circulation. which not only makes the aquarium cleaner, but also increases the oxygen content of the water, making the fish more energetic.
- 【LED Aquarium Light】The top of the small fish tank is equipped with an LED aquarium light, which makes your aquarium landscape more vivid and interesting. The aquarium light will also promote the growth of plants and algae, you can also keep some small aquatic plants in the fish tank, and create a more comfortable environment for your aquatic pets.
- 【Durable and Convenient Design】The glass aquarium is made of high transparent thickened glass, with high quality protective cover and non-slip base, which allows a 360° clear view of the landscape inside the fish tank, and not easy to scratch or break. There is also a feeding port design on the top of the aquarium, so you can feed without opening the top cover. It is also equipped with a water changer, making it easier to add and change water.
- 【Warranty】We offer a 12-month warranty for this product. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Our after-sales service team will solve your problem within 24 hours.
- Fill with fresh flowers, silk flowers, potpourri, glass beads or decorative marbles
- Perfect for home decor, weddings, crafting and centerpieces
- Made of shatterproof plastic, unlike glass fish bowls that can shatter when dropped this durable bowl puts to rest any concerns about possible accidents and glass all over
- This trendy bowl will look good wherever you place it
- Dimensions: 8. 5" L x 5" W x 8. 5" H
Our Review Process
To ensure you get reliable product recommendations, we follow a detailed review methodology that includes:
- Market Research: Scanning best-selling and trending products in this category.
- User Feedback: Reviewing customer reviews, star ratings, and complaints.
- Hands-On Testing: Trying select products ourselves when feasible.
- Feature Comparison: Evaluating specs, durability, pricing, and safety.
- Expert Opinions: Consulting with niche experts or credible reviewers.
We independently select the top 10 options based on value, quality, and usability. To learn more, visit our detailed review process.
Key Considerations Before Buying Fish for 1-Gallon Tanks
1. Tank Size and Space Limitations
One of the most critical factors to consider when purchasing fish for a 1-gallon tank is the limited space. Fish require adequate swimming room and territory to thrive. Most species need more space than a 1-gallon tank can provide, making it essential to choose small, compatible species that can survive in such confined conditions.
2. Type of Fish
When selecting fish for a small tank, it is vital to choose species that are suitable for smaller environments. Consider fish that are known to thrive in small spaces, such as Betta fish, certain types of shrimp, or small snails. Research each species’ specific care requirements, as some may need specific water parameters or tank mates.
3. Water Quality and Maintenance
Small tanks can experience rapid changes in water quality, making regular maintenance even more crucial. Ensure you are prepared to do frequent water changes and monitor parameters such as pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Investing in a quality water testing kit can help maintain a healthy environment for your fish.
4. Filtration and Aeration
Even in a 1-gallon tank, proper filtration and aeration are necessary to maintain water quality. Look for a filter designed for small tanks that won’t create too strong of a current, which can stress delicate fish. Additionally, consider using a sponge filter or an air stone to enhance aeration without overwhelming your fish.
5. Temperature Control
Temperature regulation is vital for the health of your fish. Ensure that you have a reliable heater if you plan to keep tropical fish, as many need water temperatures between 75°F and 80°F. Be mindful of the tank’s small size, as heaters can be quite powerful, leading to fluctuations in temperature that can harm your fish.
6. Compatibility with Other Species
If you plan to house more than one fish, compatibility becomes a significant consideration. Some fish are territorial or aggressive, which can lead to stress or injury in a small tank. Research fish behavior and choose species that are known to coexist peacefully in limited space.
7. Feeding and Diet
Feeding requirements are also important to consider. Small tanks can quickly become polluted with uneaten food, leading to poor water quality. Opt for high-quality, appropriate-sized food and feed small amounts to ensure that all food is consumed. Monitor feeding habits to adjust portions accordingly.
8. Lifespan and Growth Potential
Consider the expected lifespan and growth potential of the fish you are interested in. Many species can outgrow a 1-gallon tank, leading to health issues. It’s essential to understand how large the fish will get and whether they will remain suitable for your tank over time.
FAQs
What types of fish can I keep in a 1-gallon tank?
In a 1-gallon tank, it’s best to keep small fish or a single betta fish. Suitable options include neon tetras, guppies, or a single dwarf shrimp. It’s important to avoid overcrowding, as smaller tanks can lead to rapid water quality changes.
How many fish can I put in a 1-gallon tank?
Generally, it’s recommended to keep only one or two small fish in a 1-gallon tank. Overcrowding can lead to poor water quality and stress for the fish, which can result in health issues.
What is the ideal water temperature for fish in a 1-gallon tank?
The ideal water temperature for most tropical fish ranges between 75°F and 80°F (24°C to 27°C). It’s essential to use a heater with a thermometer to maintain consistent temperature levels, especially in smaller tanks.
How often should I change the water in a 1-gallon tank?
For a 1-gallon tank, it’s advisable to perform partial water changes of about 25% to 50% once a week. Regular water changes help maintain water quality and remove toxic compounds that can accumulate in small volumes of water.
What type of filtration is best for a 1-gallon tank?
A small sponge filter or a low-flow internal filter is ideal for a 1-gallon tank. These filters provide adequate filtration without creating too much current, which can stress small fish.
Can I use live plants in a 1-gallon tank?
Yes, live plants can be beneficial in a 1-gallon tank. They help oxygenate the water and provide hiding spots for fish. Low-light plants like java moss or anubias are good choices for small tanks.
How do I maintain water quality in a 1-gallon tank?
To maintain water quality, regularly check the water parameters, perform weekly water changes, and avoid overfeeding. Additionally, consider using a water conditioner to remove harmful chemicals from tap water.
Do I need an air pump for a 1-gallon tank?
An air pump is generally not necessary for a 1-gallon tank, especially if you have a filter that provides sufficient water movement and aeration. However, if you keep fish that require higher oxygen levels, an air pump can be beneficial.
What should I feed fish in a 1-gallon tank?
Feed fish in a 1-gallon tank high-quality flake or pellet food suitable for their species. Be cautious with portion sizes, as overfeeding can quickly deteriorate water quality. It’s often best to feed small amounts once or twice a day.
Can I keep a betta fish in a 1-gallon tank?
Yes, a betta fish can live in a 1-gallon tank, but it’s essential to provide proper care, including filtered water, regular changes, and a suitable environment. However, a larger tank is generally recommended for better health and well-being.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, selecting the right fish for a 1-gallon tank can be a rewarding experience, but it requires careful consideration of the species’ needs and compatibility. The ten fish outlined in our list have been chosen based on their suitability for smaller environments, ease of care, and overall hardiness. Each fish brings its own unique charm and characteristics, making them excellent choices for both novice and experienced aquarists looking to create a vibrant aquatic display in limited space.
By following our curated list, you can ensure that you are setting yourself up for success in maintaining a healthy and thriving aquarium. Not only will you be able to enjoy the beauty of these fish, but you’ll also gain valuable insights into responsible fishkeeping practices. Remember to keep in mind the specific requirements of each species, such as water parameters and tank mates, to create a harmonious environment. With the right choices, your 1-gallon tank can flourish, offering you a rewarding and tranquil underwater experience.
