Help me find a fish

Measure the glass, not the label. A “60 litre” tank can be almost any shape, and what matters is floor space.

or pick the nearest

• Nano30 × 20 cm12 × 8 in
• Standard60 × 30 cm24 × 12 in
• Four-foot120 × 40 cm48 × 16 in
• Not bought one yetdon’t narrow on this

An unheated room-temperature tank rules out most tropical species, and opens up a small group that prefers it that way.

• Heated22–28 °C72–82 °F
• Unheatedwhatever the room is
• Don’t know yetdon’t narrow on this

If you don’t know, your water company publishes it. Or skip it.

• Softunder 8 dGH
• Hard8–15 dGH
• Don’t knowdon’t narrow on this

This is the one that decides whether you end up with a happy fish or a hiding one.

• A shoalten or more of one small species
• A pairtwo, likely to breed
• A centrepieceone fish that owns the tank
• Don’t minddon’t narrow on this