What fish can I keep in a 5 gallon tank?

A 5 gallon aquarium can house any species with a minimum tank of 5 gallons or less. Every fitting species is listed on this page, grouped by water type (freshwater, brackish, saltwater) and ranked by keeper interest.

How many fish is too many in a 5 gallon tank?

Stocking density depends on body mass, not just count. As a rough guideline, a peaceful community tank can hold about 5″ of slender fish, or roughly 3″ of deep-bodied cichlids. Use the tank builder for a species-aware bioload check.

Stocking Ideas

5 Gallon Fish Tank

Every stocking below fits a 5 gallon aquarium and passes the compatibility engine. Curated presets are hand-designed community tanks you can load as a starting point; the species lists show every fish whose minimum tank size is 5 gallons or less, grouped by water type.

Curated stockings for 5 gallons

No curated presets fit this size yet — try the species list below and use the tank builder to compose your own.

Species that fit a 5 gallon tank

Fitting means the species' minimum tank size is at or below 5 gallons. Schooling species are listed first since they tend to be the most visually rewarding stocking. Tap any card for the full care profile and its compatible tank mates.

Freshwater species that fit