Small fish tank ideas can be hard to come by. A simple glass box often looks uninspiring. And the decorations at your local pet store are the same as at every other store. So how can we set up a small unique fish tank with minimal fuss?
I’ve collected 10 of the best aquarium home ideas for you to consider. Each one of these setups can be achieved using a standard-sized fish tank (5, 10, 20, 29, 40, 55, 75 gallons). I’ve also outlined the best size aquarium for each fish tank idea.
Tropical Community Tank
No collection of fish tank ideas for home aquariums would be complete without the classic tropical community tank. These setups prioritize color and diversity. You can use a tank as small as 10 gallons; 5 gallon tanks are best left for bettas, shrimp, or nano fish.
One major benefit to the tropical community tank is that the list of possible fish really is unlimited. Any non-aggressive, non-predatory fish at your local pet store will work. You do need to match water quality requirements.
But pet stores make things easy by mostly stocking species that thrive in local water conditions. They will also be adapted to eating flakes and other standard diets.
Substrate, plant, and lighting choices are also up to you. If you have clear tank ideas in mind, the community tank is your best option.
- Aquarium Size: 10+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Pros: Endless selection of aquarium fish.
- Cons: Not as original.
Marine Coral Reef Tank
Coral reef tanks might be the pinnacle of the aquarium hobby. They are like having a jungle in your living room. Even the stone work is alive, with hard corals, anemones, feather duster worms, and other creatures all competing for space.
Reef systems are cool fish tank ideas, even if you aren’t interested in keeping fish. Even the invertebrates are full of color. But they do have some downsides.
Coral reef tanks are unforgiving to beginners. The ocean is a very stable environment where minute changes happen over the course of thousands of years. Even minor shifts in water parameters or lighting may kill sensitive corals and fish.
The animals and setup are also not cheap at all. Reef tanks are a lot of fun – but make sure you have the chemistry and maintenance parts down pat before getting into them.
- Aquarium Size: 20+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Difficult
- Pros: Incredible colors, huge selection of animals.
- Cons: Expert chemistry, lighting, and nitrogenous waste removal all critical for success.
African Cichlid Tank
Plants, both live and fake, are often a bother. So why not get rid of them all? One of my favorite diy fish tank ideas is to create a rocky freshwater reef. Populated by African cichlids, the tried and true freshwater answer to the marine reef hobby.
Rock-dwelling mbuna and peacock cichlids are my preferred stocking options. Their vibrant blue, yellow, and red tones are a nice contrast to the earth tones of your rocks. Mbuna are also algae eaters, helping to keep the rocks free of distracting green slime.
Stonework often releases calcium carbonate and other minerals into the water. Fortunately, African cichlids thrive in hard water conditions. They need it to show their best colors and to breed.
- Aquarium Size: 30+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Pros: Thrive in hard water, live well in crowded conditions.
- Cons: All are semi-aggressive fish.
Freshwater Biotope Tank
Biotopes are one of my favorite fish aquarium ideas because they come in an endless variety. A biotope tank is one where all of the fish and plants come from the same part of the world. Bonus points if you pick rocks and driftwood that also match.
A major benefit of setting up a biotope tank is that the fish will all favor the same water chemistry and temperature. For example, a betta fish, tiger barbs, kuhli loaches, and rasboras living together for an excellent Southeast Asian biotope.
Plant options include java moss, hygrophila, and cryptocoryne. Water chemistry should be soft and acidic (pH <7.0). With temperatures around 75-83℉. More biotope aquarium ideas include African rift lakes, blackwater, and Amazonian river systems.
- Aquarium Size: 5+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Variable
- Pros: Plants and fish matched to one part of the world.
- Cons: Stocking selection is much more limited.
Paludarium Tank
If you can’t decide between herp and fish tank designs then the paludarium is right for you. These fishtank ideas include both a land section as well as a water area. Allowing you to keep animals with legs alongside your fish.
Amphibians are the best “land” dwellers since most of them swim. But several reptiles will also work, so long as they are able to swim if they fall in.
Matching fish to herps (reptiles and amphibians) is tricky since many of them like to eat fish. Insect-eating frogs and lizards are good choices. There are also amphibious crustaceans like fiddler crabs – and walking fish like mudskippers.
Paludariums even have space for plants to grow. Making a museum-style setup possible in your own home.
- Aquarium Size: 30+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Moderate to Difficult
- Pros: Mix and match fish, invertebrates, planets, amphibians, and reptiles.
- Cons: Not all species get along. Paludariums are expensive and challenging to set up.
Planted Fish Tank
The planted aquascape is another freshwater version of the coral reef tank. Keeping aquarium plants is much like having an indoor garden in a box of water.
Most need a good substrate, fertilizers, and full-spectrum lighting (though low-light plants are much less demanding). Regular trimming and weeding are important, as is algae and nutrient control. Many – but not all – planted tanks also include fish.
Tetras, livebearers, corydoras, and other small species are favorites since they won’t eat or dig up plants. But even a few larger species, like angelfish and giant danios thrive in planted aquascapes.
Freshwater plants are a step up from non-planted freshwater tanks. But they are great options for beginners that want unique home aquarium ideas. And are willing to do a little more research beforehand.
- Aquarium Size: 1+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Moderate
- Pros: More engaging environment for fish. Planted tanks are not as common as fish-only setups.
- Cons: Most plants are higher maintenance than fish. Some need specialized lighting, fertilizer, and carbon dioxide.
Nature & Iwagumi Style Tank
If you’re looking for a minimalist fish tank, the nature style aquarium is your best bet. These are a subset of planted aquascapes, pioneered by the Japanese aquarist Takashi Amano.
Nature style aquariums use Zen gardening aesthetics, including imbalanced compositions and odd numbers of stones. Many use a single species of fish, a single kind of stone, and even a single kind of plant for more minimalist impact. But that’s really up to you.
Nature aquariums are conversation pieces that are a fixture of any living space. But the downside is that they are very high maintenance; on par with a saltwater reef tank. They aren’t for beginners. An in-depth knowledge of plant biology, fertilization regimes, and water quality is essential. But the results are worth the effort.
- Aquarium Size: 5+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Difficult
- Pros: Minimal aesthetic fish tank, unique appearance.
- Cons: Demanding knowledge of plant biology, expensive lighting, fertilizer, and carbon dioxide systems needed.
Coldwater Fish Tank
Heated systems get all of the attention when considering creative fish tanks. But a coldwater aquarium has a lot of potential.
Goldfish are the first thing aquarists think of. But even a basic pet store will have other cool and coldwater options. Zebra danios, white cloud minnows, rosy barbs, and dojo loaches all prefer life without a heater.
Coldwater fish tanks are just as easy to keep as any tropical aquarium. The fish selection isn’t as large but they are no less beautiful and satisfying to care for. Many live plants also thrive in cool conditions, including hornwort, anacharis, and cabomba.
If you live in North America, many native fish also thrive indoors. American pygmy sunfish, killifish, and darters are even more popular in Europe than they are in the United States.
- Aquarium Size: 5+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Very Easy
- Pros: Inexpensive or even free (native) fish, no heater required.
- Cons: Fewer species to choose from.
Nano Fish Tank
Nano fish are the first thing I think of when planning cute fish tanks. These are species that reach full size at 1 inch or less. Even aquarium favorites like neon tetras and bettas look like giants compared to true nano fish.
5 gallons is the minimum size recommended for most nano fish. More active or aggressive species (pea puffers) should have at least 10 gallons of space.
Nano fish care is otherwise identical to keeping any other tropical fish. You can keep 15-20 nano fish even in a 10-gallon, depending on the species. Their bioload is very small. Feed them micro pellets, powders, and tiny live foods like baby brine shrimp.
Just be sure your filter is not too strong. Nano fish are small enough to be sucked up into even a modest power filter.
- Aquarium Size: 5+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Pros: Many uncommon and unique species to keep. Small size makes filling a small tank more interesting.
- Cons: Nano fish are sometimes hard to find and expensive.
Freshwater Shrimp Tank
A decade ago keeping a freshwater shrimp aquarium would have seemed silly. Yet now they are one of the more popular cool small fish tanks to find in stores.
There are a number of shrimp available, including some massive ones like the vampire shrimp. But the smaller and brightly colored species are what you typically see. These include red cherry shrimp and Taiwan bee shrimp.
Small shrimp live with comfort even in a 3 gallon tank. They eat biofilm, algae, and small helpings of fish flake or shrimp feed. Most prefer cool conditions and may not need a heater. Shrimp are ideal inhabitants for nano-planted desktop tanks.
Their main downside is that most fish find them delicious. Keep them with nano fish and other same-sized tank mates or alone in small colonies. Freshwater shrimp breed with ease and any pet store will find space for the babies.
- Aquarium Size: 3+ gallons
- Ease of Care: Easy
- Pros: Minimal space requirements and breed with ease.
- Cons: Shrimp are sensitive to nitrogenous wastes and temperature. Fish also eat them.
Conclusion
I’ve only just covered my favorite 10 cool fish tank ideas. There are an endless number of ways to set up and stock a new aquarium. Did you have any favorites that I missed? If so, let me know in the comments section below.
FAQs
Any fish tank needs waste removal in the form of a filter. A heater and thermometer for tropical species. Lighting, including full-spectrum output for plants and corals. Aeration for oxygen and water current. And an attractive substrate plus other decorations of your choice.
My favorite way to make a fish tank look nice is to put extra effort into the decorations. That means live plants, well chosen rocks, driftwood, substrate, and so on. Also try hiding any technology like filter tubes or heaters. This will give your fish tank a much cleaner appearance.
