Freshwater nano aquariums, as well as the flora and fauna that commonly inhabit them, have become incredibly popular in recent years. They offer great approachability even for aquarists with limited space and budget, yet somehow also offer almost limitless possibilities in aquascaping and stocking. The vast majority of nano-sized fish species are relatively peaceful and allow for great variety in "community tank" stocking. Most of these small fish species are also safe with live plants, allowing yet another exciting dimension to the nano aquarium.

The rise in popularity of nano aquariums has also introduced many freshwater invertebrate species that were previously much less known. Shrimp, snails, dwarf crayfish, and even small aquatic crabs are now among the most commonly kept species in the aquarium hobby, and some aquarists have even developed highly successful breeding programs or even businesses from breeding these species. Whether as a dedicated breeding program or as members in a wider community with compatible fish, invertebrates add a great deal of interest and utility to the nano aquarium.

The naturalistic nano aquarium is a very rewarding project for any aquarist.

Matt Parkison is a lifelong aquarist with over 30 years of experience in the hobby. He is currently Chief Aquarist at Vivvy, a new online marketplace for US aquarists. From 2015-2021, he worked in various managerial and executive positions at Aquatic Arts, an online retailer of freshwater animals, plants, and supplies. Matt has always been interested in keeping freshwater and marine aquatic life as well as herptiles, especially turtles. His interests in the aquarium hobby are very diverse, but his longtime interests have included ancient, predatory, oddball, and venomous fish, particularly the scorpionfish family. He is also a major pleco and stingray enthusiast. Since he began working at Aquatic Arts, Matt has become very interested and well-versed in freshwater shrimp, crayfish, snails, invertebrates, nano fish, and plants.

In addition to his passion for the aquarium hobby, Matt has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance (Guitar) from Butler University and has played extensively in several musical acts and taught guitar and bass privately to hundreds of students since. He also enjoys cats, attending concerts, reading, the outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.