The Right Order to Read Our Guides
If you read nothing else on this site, read these guides in this order. Each one builds on the last, and skipping ahead is the #1 reason beginners lose fish. I've arranged them as a 4-week roadmap that takes you from "I don't have a tank yet" to "I have a healthy, stocked aquarium."
Week 1 — Before you buy anything: Read Choosing the Right Tank Size first. Then read 10 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid. These two guides will save you from the most common (and most expensive) errors before you spend a single dollar.
Week 2 — Setting up: Read How to Cycle a Fish Tank and Aquarium Water Parameters Explained. Run the Tank Size Calculator to find your exact water volume. Set up your tank, start cycling, and wait. Patience here saves fish later.
Week 3 — Choosing fish: Read Best Fish for a 10-Gallon Tank (even if your tank is bigger — the principles apply). Browse the Fish Database and pick 2–3 species that match your tank size and water parameters. Run the Stocking Calculator to check if they fit.
Week 4 — Adding fish: Read Nano Fish Acclimation before you bring any fish home. Add fish slowly — 2–3 at a time, one species per week. Read Nano Tank Maintenance Schedule and set up your daily/weekly/monthly routine.
Which Calculator Should I Run First?
We have 8 free calculators. Here's the order that makes sense for a beginner:
1. Tank Size Calculator — Find your exact water volume. You need this number for every other calculator, every medication dose, and every water change calculation. Run this first.
2. Stocking Calculator — Check how many fish your tank can hold. Enter your tank volume, pick your species, and see if your stocking plan is safe.
3. Nano Stocking Wizard — If your tank is under 60 litres (16 US gallons), this wizard gives you 3 ready-made stocking plans that actually work together.
4. Nano Cichlid Stocking Calculator — If you're planning a dwarf cichlid tank (Apistogramma, rams, shell dwellers), this checks harem structure and bioload specifically for cichlids.
The other calculators (Walstad Soil, Walstad Bowl Planner, Bristlenose Genetics) are for specialised setups — you don't need them until you're ready for planted tanks or breeding.
The Nano Fish Hub
This site has become a comprehensive resource for nano fish — fish that thrive in tanks under 40 gallons. If you're interested in nano fish (and most beginners should be, because they're cheaper, easier, and more rewarding than big fish), here's where to start:
Cichlids: The Nano Cichlid Hub covers Apistogramma, rams, shell dwellers, and kribensis. We have 6 Apistogramma species pages, plus dedicated guides for Apistogramma care, ram cichlids, shell dwellers, and nano cichlid breeding.
Tetras & Rasboras: The Best Nano Fish for Small Tanks guide covers the top 10 nano schooling fish. Individual care sheets exist for Neon Tetra, Ember Tetra, Chili Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio, and Harlequin Rasbora.
Shrimp: The Nano Shrimp Hub covers Cherry, Blue Pearl, Amano, Crystal Red, Tibee, Tangerine Tiger, Shadow Panda, and King Kong shrimp. Start with Cherry Shrimp — they're the gateway shrimp and nearly indestructible.
Bottom dwellers: The Corydoras Care Guide covers all 9 cory species we have care sheets for. Start with Bronze Cory or Sterbai Cory — they're the hardiest.
The Cold-Water Option (No Heater Needed)
If you don't want to buy a heater (or your house stays cool), read the Cold Water Nano Fish Guide. White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Bitterling, and Vietnamese Cardinal Minnows all thrive at room temperature (16–22°C) with no heater. Cherry shrimp and Japanese Trapdoor Snails also tolerate cold water. A cold-water nano tank is cheaper to set up and easier to maintain than a tropical one.
What NOT to Buy
Before you fall in love with a fish at the store, read Research Before You Buy. That 5 cm Oscar will be 30 cm in 18 months. That "algae eater" Common Pleco will be 45 cm and producing more waste than it cleans. The Oscar care page and Common Pleco care page explain why these fish don't belong in nano tanks — and what to get instead.
Also read Common Nano Fish Myths Debunked. The "1 inch of fish per gallon" rule, the "betta in a vase" myth, and the "plecos clean your tank" myth have killed more fish than every parasite combined.
Your First 30 Days — A Checklist
Here's a printable checklist for your first month. Print this page, stick it on your fridge, and tick each item as you go:
Days 1–3: Buy tank, filter, heater (if tropical), substrate, dechlorinator. Wash substrate, set up tank, fill with dechlorinated water. Start the filter.
Days 3–21: Cycle the tank. Add 2 ppm ammonia (pure ammonia from the pharmacy, not cleaning ammonia). Test daily — ammonia should drop to 0 in 24 hours by Day 14, nitrite should spike then drop to 0 by Day 21. Read Nano Tank Cycling for the full protocol.
Days 21–25: Add plants (if using). Read Nano Tank Plant Guide for the 20 best plants. Wait 3–4 days for plants to settle before adding fish.
Days 25–28: Add the cleanup crew — 2–3 Nerite snails or 5–10 Cherry Shrimp. These are hardy and will tell you if your cycle is really done. If they die, your cycle isn't finished — wait another week.
Days 28–30: Add your first fish — 2–3 individuals of your most hardy species. Acclimate properly using the drip method. Test ammonia and nitrite daily for the first week. If either spikes, do a 50% water change immediately.
Day 30 onward: Add remaining fish slowly — one species per week, 2–3 fish at a time. Set up your maintenance schedule (daily feed check, weekly 25% water change, monthly filter clean). You're now a fishkeeper.
Still Stuck? Read These Next
If you've read the guides above and still have questions, these are the most helpful reference pages on the site:
Nano Fish FAQ — 50 Questions Answered covers every common question from "What size tank?" to "When to euthanise?" in a quick-reference format.
Nano Fish Glossary defines 50+ aquarium terms. If a guide uses a word you don't know, look it up here.
Nano Fish Compatibility Chart shows which fish can live together. Check this before adding a second species.
Equipment Recommendations gives specific brand and model picks with prices — so you don't waste money on the wrong filter or heater.
Fish Database has 78 species profiles with care sheets, water parameters, and compatibility info. Use the filters to find fish by category (Nano, Bottom Dweller, Invertebrate, Big Fish).