Here you will find a wide selection of aquarium inhabitants suitable for tanks with a minimum size of 100 cm. This size allows you to keep a variety of fish species and other animals in a manner that is appropriate for them. An aquarium with a length of 80 cm offers a volume of approximately 100 liters, depending on the height and depth of the tank.
If fish are to be the focus of the aquarium, this size is already a good start. When it comes to keeping animals really well, you are often very limited with smaller aquariums. The aquarium length of 100 cm enables versatile, easier design, and animal selection.
Minimum dimensions and minimum size of the aquarium
It is important for us to emphasize that this minimum size is often considered an absolute minimum, which is partly legally anchored to ensure the basic well-being of the kept animals. In Austria, the minimum sizes for keeping fish are specified in the Animal Welfare Regulation, where the smallest aquarium size is specified as 60x30x30 - 54 liters, below which fish keeping is not permitted. We often recommend significantly larger aquariums than those specified in the Animal Welfare Regulation, as we have noticed from experience that even with small fish, natural behavior only really comes into its own in longer aquariums - this has become an important criterion for us for appropriate keeping. We see 80 cm as a good basis, especially for the start, if you are facing the decision between choosing a 60 cm or 80 cm aquarium, we can only advise you to choose the 80 cm aquarium.
Species-specific aquarium / Species tank
We understand that for some people, a species tank - that is, an aquarium with only one species of fish - may not sound very exciting. But especially in smaller aquariums, the concept has its charm! Because here you can really focus on ensuring that your fish lack nothing. It's about ensuring the right group size and water quality that are tailored to the needs of your fish. In larger aquariums, on the other hand, you can enjoy a greater variety of fish species and a larger number of animals. This allows you to create a lively and diverse underwater world that will inspire both you and your fish alike!
Even at 80 cm / 100 liters, we can only recommend a species tank, as the behavior of the fish really comes into its own here. If you want to keep multiple species, pay special attention to the selection. You should not plan more than one territorial species - a nice concept of a loose community aquarium of this size and volume could include:
- a harem of a dwarf cichlid
- a peaceful tetra or schooling fish
- cleaning crew of Amano shrimp
- Catfish (e.g. Otocinclus)
If you decide to set up a community aquarium, it is advisable to consider the needs of the different species you want to keep and ensure that the aquarium is set up and maintained accordingly. Through careful planning and care, you can ensure that your aquarium inhabitants lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
