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A tank of around 25 gallons (100 L) is a sweet spot for a varied community. This list is computed from our database and shows fish whose minimum tank size is more than 40 litres (10 gallons) and no more than 100 litres. We leave out the nano species on purpose: they also fit, but they already have their own list.
That leaves the fish that really benefit from this volume: mollies and swordtails, harlequin rasboras and larger tetras, dwarf cichlids such as rams and kribensis, honey and pearl gouramis, kuhli loaches and bristlenose plecos, among others.
- Build the tank around one centerpiece (a pair of dwarf cichlids or a gourami) and one or two schools.
- Add a group of bottom dwellers, such as corydoras or kuhli loaches.
- Check water hardness: livebearers prefer hard water, rams and many tetras soft water.
The list only filters by tank size, so it mixes species with different temperaments and water needs. Use the compatibility checker before buying, and remember that our minimum sizes assume the species' full group. A 29 gallon (110 L) tank, a common US size, fits everything here with a bit of margin.
25 gallon tank
| Species | Min. liters | Size | Temp. | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. | 26 gal (100 L) | 5.1 in (13 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Cherry barb Puntius titteya | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) | Easy |
 Tiger barb Puntigrus tetrazona | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Panda cory Corydoras panda | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 68–77 °F (20–25 °C) | Moderate |
 Zebra danio Danio rerio | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) | Easy |
 Guppy Poecilia reticulata | 14 gal (54 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Dwarf gourami Trichogaster lalius | 16 gal (60 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Molly Poecilia sphenops | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Otocinclus catfish Otocinclus vestitus | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 70–79 °F (21–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Platy Xiphophorus maculatus | 16 gal (60 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Ram cichlid Mikrogeophagus ramirezi | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 79–86 °F (26–30 °C) | Moderate |
 Harlequin rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Rummy-nose tetra Hemigrammus rhodostomus | 26 gal (100 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 73–84 °F (23–29 °C) | Moderate |
 Neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Agassiz's dwarf cichlid Apistogramma agassizii | 16 gal (60 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Cockatoo dwarf cichlid Apistogramma cacatuoides | 16 gal (60 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Golden wonder killifish (striped panchax) Aplocheilus lineatus | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.9 in (10 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Celebes rainbowfish Marosatherina ladigesi | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Badis Badis badis | 16 gal (60 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Moderate |
 Gold barb Barbodes semifasciolatus | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 64–75 °F (18–24 °C) | Easy |
 Odessa barb Pethia padamya | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Bolivian ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Peppered cory Corydoras paleatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 64–75 °F (18–24 °C) | Easy |
 Sterbai cory Corydoras sterbai | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Three-stripe cory Corydoras trilineatus | 18 gal (70 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) | Easy |
 Pearl danio Danio albolineatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) | Easy |
 Chessboard cichlid Dicrossus filamentosus | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 77–84 °F (25–29 °C) | Difficult |
 Twig catfish Farlowella vittata | 26 gal (100 L) | 5.9 in (15 cm) | 75–81 °F (24–27 °C) | Moderate |
 Sparkling gourami Trichopsis pumila | 12 gal (45 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Honey gourami Trichogaster chuna | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Kribensis Pelvicachromis pulcher | 21 gal (80 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Flag acara Laetacara curviceps | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Dwarf chain loach Ambastaia sidthimunki | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 77–82 °F (25–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Reticulated hillstream loach Sewellia lineolata | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 68–75 °F (20–24 °C) | Moderate |
 Kuhli loach Pangio kuhlii | 16 gal (60 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Golden dwarf cichlid Nannacara anomala | 16 gal (60 L) | 2.8 in (7 cm) | 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) | Easy |
 Multifasciatus (shell dweller) Neolamprologus multifasciatus | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 75–81 °F (24–27 °C) | Moderate |
 Marbled hatchetfish Carnegiella strigata | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 White cloud mountain minnow Tanichthys albonubes | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 57–72 °F (14–22 °C) | Easy |
 Paradise fish Macropodus opercularis | 21 gal (80 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 61–79 °F (16–26 °C) | Easy |
 Variatus platy Xiphophorus variatus | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.6 in (6.5 cm) | 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) | Easy |
 Zebra pleco (L046) Hypancistrus zebra | 26 gal (100 L) | 3.1 in (8 cm) | 79–88 °F (26–31 °C) | Difficult |
 Clown pleco (L104) Panaqolus maccus | 21 gal (80 L) | 3.5 in (9 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Forktail blue-eye Pseudomugil furcatus | 16 gal (60 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Red-line rasbora Rasbora pauciperforata | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Lambchop rasbora Trigonostigma espei | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.4 in (3.5 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Easy |
 Hengel's rasbora Trigonostigma hengeli | 14 gal (54 L) | 1.2 in (3 cm) | 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Copper tetra Hasemania nana | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Diamond tetra Moenkhausia pittieri | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Emperor tetra Nematobrycon palmeri | 21 gal (80 L) | 2 in (5 cm) | 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) | Easy |
 Lemon tetra Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Glowlight tetra Hemigrammus erythrozonus | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Black skirt tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.2 in (5.5 cm) | 70–81 °F (21–27 °C) | Easy |
 Red eye tetra Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae | 26 gal (100 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Penguin tetra Thayeria boehlkei | 21 gal (80 L) | 2.4 in (6 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 X-ray tetra Pristella maxillaris | 16 gal (60 L) | 1.8 in (4.5 cm) | 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) | Easy |
 Serpae tetra Hyphessobrycon eques | 21 gal (80 L) | 1.6 in (4 cm) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
No species match those filters.
Frequently asked questions
What fish are good for a 25 gallon tank?
Harlequin rasboras, larger tetras, corydoras, a pair of dwarf cichlids, honey or pearl gouramis and a bristlenose pleco are popular choices, provided their water needs match.
Why are neon tetras not on this list?
Fish that already fit a 10 gallon tank appear in the smaller tank lists. They can of course live in a 25 gallon tank too.
Can I keep angelfish in 25 gallons?
We list angelfish for larger, taller tanks. A group of adults needs about 40-55 gallons (150-200 L).
