Show · 240 L
Best fish, plants & shrimp for a 240 litre tank
What actually fits a 240 litre aquarium: the best fish, shrimp and plants scaled to the space, matched from the catalogue so you can stock it without overcrowding.
By Mike Elmira
TL;DR, stocking a 240 litre tank
A 240 litre tank suits several groups or a few larger species with room to spare. That's plenty of room to build a layered community. From the catalogue, 87 fish fit a tank this size, and the best of them are below alongside shrimp and plants scaled to the space. Everything here stays inside what 240 litres can handle for swimming room and bioload, so you can mix picks without tipping into overstocked. Run the exact combination through the planner before you buy.
Best fish
87 fit this size- Dojo LoachMisgurnus anguillicaudatusfrom 200 L
- Pictus CatfishPimelodus pictusfrom 200 L
- Boesemani RainbowfishMelanotaenia boesemanifrom 150 L
- Congo TetraPhenacogrammus interruptusfrom 150 L
- Keyhole CichlidCleithracara maroniifrom 150 L
- Pearl GouramiTrichopodus leeriifrom 150 L
- Yoyo LoachBotia almorhaefrom 150 L
- Sailfin MollyPoecilia latipinnafrom 120 L
- Bleeding Heart TetraHyphessobrycon erythrostigmafrom 110 L
- Black MollyPoecilia sphenopsfrom 100 L
- Bristlenose PlecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosusfrom 100 L
- Diamond TetraMoenkhausia pittierifrom 100 L
Shrimp
- Amano ShrimpCaridina multidentataalgae 5/5
- Black Rose ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Black Rose'algae 4/5
- Blue Dream ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Blue Dream'algae 4/5
- Green Jade ShrimpNeocaridina davidi 'Green Jade'algae 4/5
- Red Cherry ShrimpNeocaridina davidialgae 4/5
- Snowball ShrimpNeocaridina palmata var.algae 4/5
Plants
- Java FernMicrosorum pteropusto 35 cm
- Dwarf HygrophilaHygrophila polyspermato 40 cm
- Bacopa CarolinianaBacopa carolinianato 40 cm
- Dwarf SagittariaSagittaria subulatato 30 cm
- Java Fern 'Windelov'Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'to 25 cm
- Anubias BarteriAnubias barteri var. barterito 40 cm
- Java Fern 'Trident'Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'to 30 cm
- Narrow Leaf Java FernMicrosorum pteropus 'Narrow Leaf'to 35 cm
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
How many fish can you keep in a 240 litre tank?
As a rough guide, aim for around 240 cm of adult fish across the whole tank for a comfortable load, less if the fish are chunky. In practice that's several groups or a few larger species with room to spare. The planner adds up the real bioload for any mix so you don't have to guess.
What are the best fish for a 240 litre tank?
Peaceful species that fit the space. Good starting points from the catalogue are Dojo Loach, Pictus Catfish, Boesemani Rainbowfish, with the full ranked list above. Pick one schooling group as the backbone, then build around it.
Can you keep shrimp in a 240 litre tank?
Yes. Dwarf shrimp thrive at this size and add a clean-up crew without much bioload. The shrimp picks above all suit a 240 litre tank, and they get along with the peaceful fish listed here.
What plants suit a 240 litre tank?
Java Fern and Dwarf Hygrophila are easy, well-scaled choices for 240 litres. The list above leans to species that won't outgrow the tank or need constant trimming.