Best fish for a 75 gallon tank (and how many)
Freshwater · checked against 20 sources on · reefcalcs editorial
Best fish for a 75 gallon tank
In order of how well they suit a 75 gallon tank. "Up to" is the most of that one species the tank holds on its own; mixing species splits it.
1.Angelfish Pterophyllum scalare
6" adult · groups of 2+ · 75–86 °F · pH 6–7.4 · up to 5 in a 75 gallon
Seriously Fish's smallest tank is 100 × 40 × 50 cm, which a 75 meets. It says angelfish need a group and suggests starting with six juveniles so a pair can form; skip tiny tetras they may eat.[1]
2.Giant danio Devario malabaricus (sold as D. aequipinnatus)
3.1" adult · groups of 8+ · 64–77 °F · pH 6–8 · up to 28 in a 75 gallon
A fast, active schooler for a 4-foot tank on a 120 × 45 cm base; it can upset slow or timid tankmates.[2]
3.Boeseman's rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani
4.3" adult · groups of 6+ · 81–86 °F · pH 7–8 · up to 13 in a 75 gallon
A shoal of 6–8 or more in hard, alkaline water.[3]
4.Tiger barb Puntigrus tetrazona
3" adult · groups of 8+ · 68–79 °F · pH 5–8 · up to 19 in a 75 gallon
Seriously Fish says their nipping is worst in small groups or cramped tanks; a 75 has room for a big group. Keep long-finned fish out.[4]
5.Bolivian ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
3.5" adult · one is fine · 75–82 °F · pH 6–7.5 · up to 16 in a 75 gallon
Kept singly or as a bonded pair; needs pristine water.[5]
6.Kribensis Pelvicachromis pulcher
3.9" adult · groups of 2+ · 75–81 °F · pH 5–7.5 · up to 15 in a 75 gallon
A pair claims a cave and turns territorial when breeding.[6]
7.Firemouth cichlid Thorichthys meeki
6" adult · one is fine · 68–90 °F · pH 6.5–8.5 · up to 5 in a 75 gallon
One pair, on a 120 × 30 cm base per Seriously Fish.[7]
8.Rummynose tetra Petitella rhodostoma (most sold are P. bleheri)
2" adult · groups of 10+ · 75–81 °F · pH 5.5–7 · up to 44 in a 75 gallon
A school of 10 or more; Seriously Fish's minimum is a tank at least 90 cm long.[8]
9.Rosy barb Pethia conchonius
3.9" adult · groups of 8+ · 61–75 °F · pH 6–8 · up to 15 in a 75 gallon
A hardy, cooler-water barb in a group of 8–10.[9]
10.Corydoras Corydoras spp.
3" adult · groups of 6+ · 72–78 °F · pH 6.5–7.5 · up to 19 in a 75 gallon
A group of six or more over sand.[10]
11.Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus
5" adult · one is fine · 70–79 °F · pH 5.5–7.5 · up to 7 in a 75 gallon
Algae-grazing catfish that stays small.[11]
Shrimp and snails for a 75 gallon tank
Listed separately: the fish bio-load budget below doesn't describe invertebrates, so they aren't counted in it.
Amano shrimp Caridina multidentata
Strong algae eaters that don't need a group; keep a tight lid.[12]
Nerite snail Neritidae (e.g. Vittina natalensis)
Grazes algae off glass and decor.[13]
Mystery snail Pomacea diffusa
Needs hard water, with a pH of at least 7.2 per Aquarium Co-Op.[14]
How many of each fish fit in a 75 gallon tank
A 75 gallon (48 × 18 × 21 in) holds about 71 gallons of water once you take off the glass. Our stocking calculator budgets that water by adult size and body shape: about 0.8 gallons per inch of slim fish (tetras, rasboras), 1.2 for medium-bodied fish (guppies, corys) and 2 for heavy, messy fish (goldfish, plecos). That works out to roughly 88 inches of small, slim adult fish in total. It is an upper limit, not a target: filtration, plants, territory and how often you change water all move it.
| Fish | Adult size | Min group | Up to, alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angelfish | 6 in | 2 | 5 |
| Giant danio | 3.1 in | 8 | 28 |
| Boeseman's rainbowfish | 4.3 in | 6 | 13 |
| Tiger barb | 3 in | 8 | 19 |
| Bolivian ram | 3.5 in | 1 | 16 |
| Kribensis | 3.9 in | 2 | 15 |
| Firemouth cichlid | 6 in | 1 | 5 |
| Rummynose tetra | 2 in | 10 | 44 |
| Rosy barb | 3.9 in | 8 | 15 |
| Corydoras | 3 in | 6 | 19 |
| Bristlenose pleco | 5 in | 1 | 7 |
Stocking ideas for a 75 gallon tank
Stocking plans that fit the tank's bio-load budget, with a temperature and pH range that suits everything in them.
Angelfish with larger, calm tankmates
- 2 angelfish · 24.0 gal of budget
- 2 pearl gouramis · 12.0 gal of budget
- 6 corydoras · 21.6 gal of budget
Uses 81% of the budget · shared range 75–78 °F, pH 6.5–7.4
Seriously Fish warns that adult angelfish may eat small tetras, so this plan uses a male and female pearl gourami and a group of corydoras instead. Keep it at 75–78 °F, where all three overlap.[1, 15, 10]
Giant danios and rosy barbs
- 8 giant danios · 19.8 gal of budget
- 8 rosy barbs · 37.4 gal of budget
Uses 81% of the budget · shared range 64–75 °F, pH 6–8
A big tiger barb group
- 12 tiger barbs · 43.2 gal of budget
- 6 corydoras · 21.6 gal of budget
Uses 91% of the budget · shared range 72–78 °F, pH 6.5–7.5
Seriously Fish says tiger barbs nip most in small groups, so this plan puts the budget into a big group over a bottom group of corydoras. Keep long-finned fish out.[4, 10]
Bolivian rams with lemon tetras
- 2 bolivian rams · 8.4 gal of budget
- 10 lemon tetras · 19.2 gal of budget
- 6 corydoras · 21.6 gal of budget
Uses 69% of the budget · shared range 75–78 °F, pH 6.5–7.5
Seriously Fish calls the Bolivian ram a poor competitor that needs pristine water, so its tankmates here are calm: lemon tetras in mid-water and corydoras over sand.[5, 16, 10]
Fish to avoid in a 75 gallon tank
Silver dollar · needs 125+ gallons, 71 in long, 15 in front to back
A group of adults needs at least 180 × 38 × 38 cm, a 6-foot tank.[17]
Clown loach · needs 180+ gallons, 71 in long, 24 in front to back
Seriously Fish calls 180 × 60 cm the absolute minimum for a group.[18]
Common pleco · needs 125+ gallons, 72 in long
Reaches about 20 inches and needs a 6-foot tank.[19]
75 gallon tank FAQ
- How many fish can you put in a 75 gallon tank?
- Roughly 89 inches of small, slim adult fish by our bio-load method: for example a pair of angelfish with a pair of pearl gouramis and 6 corydoras, or 8 giant danios with 8 rosy barbs.[1, 15, 10, 2, 9]
- How many angelfish can you put in a 75 gallon tank?
- Up to about five by bio-load. Seriously Fish says they need a group and suggests starting with six juveniles to get a pair; a single pair leaves room for larger, calm tankmates and bottom-dwellers. It warns adults may eat small tetras.[1]
- Is a 75 gallon big enough for discus?
- For a few juveniles or a breeding pair, yes: that is what Seriously Fish's 120 × 45 × 45 cm minimum is for, and a 75 meets it. Seriously Fish also says discus need to be in a group but doesn't size a tank for a group of adults, so we don't plan a discus tank here. They need warm (79–86 °F), very soft water.[20]
- Can silver dollars live in a 75 gallon tank?
- Not as adults: Seriously Fish says a group of adults needs at least 180 × 38 × 38 cm, a 6-foot tank.[17]
Sources
- Seriously Fish — Pterophyllum scalare (angelfish)
- Seriously Fish — Devario malabaricus (the giant danio of the trade)
- Seriously Fish — Melanotaenia boesemani (Boeseman's rainbowfish)
- Seriously Fish — Puntigrus tetrazona (tiger barb)
- Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus altispinosus (Bolivian ram)
- Seriously Fish — Pelvicachromis pulcher (kribensis)
- Seriously Fish — Thorichthys meeki (firemouth cichlid)
- Seriously Fish — rummy-nose tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus profile)
- Seriously Fish — Pethia conchonius (rosy barb)
- Seriously Fish — Corydoras aeneus (bronze corydoras)
- Seriously Fish — Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus (bristlenose pleco)
- Aquarium Co-Op — Amano shrimp care guide
- Aquarium Co-Op — Nerite snail care guide
- Aquarium Co-Op — Mystery snail care guide
- Seriously Fish — Trichopodus leerii (pearl gourami)
- Seriously Fish — Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis (lemon tetra)
- Seriously Fish — Metynnis hypsauchen (silver dollar)
- Seriously Fish — Chromobotia macracanthus (clown loach)
- ScotCat — Pterygoplichthys pardalis (common pleco) factsheet
- Seriously Fish — Symphysodon aequifasciatus (discus)
Adult sizes, group sizes and temperature and pH ranges come from our species database, which each tank-size page cites. Changes are listed in the corrections log.
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