▷ 54 liter aquarium | Guide and stocking examples

One of the most common aquarium sizes on the market is the 54 liter tank measuring 60x30x30 cm.

In many aquarist households it is used as a quarantine or breeding tank, but even with these small dimensions, fish can be kept permanently.

It is important to choose species that remain small themselves and do not have a great urge to move. Due to the limited space, the 54 liter species aquarium is particularly suitable for giving certain small or shy species their very special appearance.

Smaller aquariums are usually operated with internal filters, but there are also external filters for small tanks on the market. A 54 liter aquarium can also be operated with just a low-performance sponge filter or without a filter at all. In this case, a low stocking and frequent water changes are important. This suits a number of fish species that live in ponds themselves and therefore cannot cope with strong currents. Juvenile fish or shrimp are also safe in such tanks from being sucked in.

54 liter aquariums are often already offered as a set in the aquarium trade – so that not all aquarium parts have to be bought individually.

Art pools for little mazes

Keeping fighting fish in a 54 liter tank can confidently be described as a classic in aquaristics. Not only the breeding form of the Siamese fighting fish is suitable for this aquarium size. Rarer species of the genus Betta – whether mouthbrooders or foam nest builders – are also suitable for an aquarium of this size. It is important that the current for bettas should be reduced to a minimum.

If you can find them, you can also try licorice gouramis on 54 liters. These come into their own in extremely soft water that has been darkened by peat filtration. In addition to fighting fish and licorice gouramis, growling pygmy gouramis are also suitable for keeping at 54 liters. It is important not to mix two types of labyrinths in this small space.

Schools of South American miniature fish

If you prefer a classic aquarium with the lush green of dense planting and high lighting intensity, you can also set up an aquarium with only 54 liters in the popular South American style. However, only a handful of species are suitable for keeping at this size. The small spark tetras are a prime example here.

They can be socialized with dwarf armored catfish of the species Corydoras pygmaeus or Corydoras hastatus. Both sparking tetras and dwarf armored catfish are small enough that an attractive swarm size of at least ten animals can be kept.

Tiny gobies from Southeast Asia

A 54 liter tank is also suitable as a species tank for the smallest bottom dwellers. A number of colorful goby species that can easily be kept in the aquarium come from Southeast Asia. The most attractive and smallest of these are the ringed goby and the pastel goby.

Both come into their own when they find a dark substrate and a number of hiding places in the form of caves or roots. The key is to commit to a style and stick to it in pairs or in a group. When kept in groups, the exciting territorial behavior becomes visible even in a small aquarium. If you want to breed, you should tend to keep pairs.

Classic fish for a 54 liter aquarium

The classics among the 54 liter aquarium fish are definitely the neons, guppies and platies. Available in sufficient numbers in specialist shops, this not only offers a visual highlight but also a good opportunity to enable species-appropriate keeping in a fairly small aquarium.

Our recommendation for a 54 liter aquarium complete set:

A single purchase is not worthwhile from a price/performance point of view. We have therefore put together a few aquariums and looked at what is in the complete set: