Tank Size

[JasonPlus]

The more and more I think about it, the more I dislike the idea of small aquariums. The difficulty of keeping them aside, I think that there just isn't enough room for them to be happy. If a type of fish lives in the hundreds in the wild, is a group of 6 really good enough? I have my betta in a 5 gallon tank, but even then I think it would be a little cramped with no room to really explore. I wouldn't keep a betta in anything less.

I was thinking about getting a 20-33 gallon tank, but I doubt I will now as I don't think its fair to the fish. I will likely wait until I have the money and room for at least a 55 gallon. Even then I will stick to smaller fish so that the tank seems bigger and I can have bigger shoals for those that require them.

Just my thoughts as of late. Since you have been doing this longer than I have, I'd be interested in hearing what you all have to say.

 

[Valmyre]

hi jasonplus, to be honest I don't think any size tank , whether its 20 gal -plus' is suitable for any fish ,as no tank can substitute the freedom of their natural envviroment ...

 

[_Cal_]

Really doesnt make much sense, most fish are breeded by humans anyway, not many are catched in the wild, so how would the fish know different.

 

[Valmyre]

Really doesnt make much sense, most fish are breeded by humans anyway, not many are catched in the wild, so how would the fish know different.

Instinct....whether fish are breeded by humans or are from the wild , they all have the same need..

 

[Tolak]

It's kind of a tradeoff, they don't have the freedom of being in a large amount of water, which may cause stress. They also don't have to fear natural preditors, as long as you stock correctly. This causes less stress. Fish in an aquarium are fed on a more regular basis than in the wild, this eases stress, as long as a proper diet is provided.

Large aquariums are more stable than smaller ones, this stability helps with stress levels. Most fish are better off in a larger aquarium, go for the bigger tank.

 

[JasonPlus]

hi jasonplus, to be honest I don't think any size tank , whether its 20 gal -plus' is suitable for any fish ,as no tank can substitute the freedom of their natural envviroment ...

Then why do you still keep fish of your own?

Really doesnt make much sense, most fish are breeded by humans anyway, not many are catched in the wild, so how would the fish know different.

Instinct....whether fish are breeded by humans or are from the wild , they all have the same need..

Agreed. I was watching a program on TV saying that some people wanted to keep tasmanian devils as pets because they thought they'd be good to protect their homes. But in all reality they aren't territorial and will likely never become so, and dogs which have been so selectively bred that they no longer resemble their wild cousins still keep watch over their home and pack (family). Instinct doesn't go away just because they were farmed by humans.

 

[Rez]

The more and more I think about it, the more I dislike the idea of small aquariums. The difficulty of keeping them aside, I think that there just isn't enough room for them to be happy. If a type of fish lives in the hundreds in the wild, is a group of 6 really good enough? I have my betta in a 5 gallon tank, but even then I think it would be a little cramped with no room to really explore. I wouldn't keep a betta in anything less.

I was thinking about getting a 20-33 gallon tank, but I doubt I will now as I don't think its fair to the fish. I will likely wait until I have the money and room for at least a 55 gallon. Even then I will stick to smaller fish so that the tank seems bigger and I can have bigger shoals for those that require them.

Just my thoughts as of late. Since you have been doing this longer than I have, I'd be interested in hearing what you all have to say.

I agree with you about tank size, but I'm not trying to get all philosophical or anything, but it I believe it all comes down to an analogy, a fish who has never been in the wild but who was born in a tank would it know that there was a wild? Much like a person who lives his entire life without seeing the moon to that person the moon would not exist since he has not experienced the entity we know as the moon. Of course small aquariums should not be used if a fish just cannot live in the environment such as having a Pleco in a 5 gallon, or overstocking an aquarium so that the quality of life for the fish declines. But then some species of fish can actually live longer lives in aquaria. In well kept, appropriately stocked aquariums, fish not only survive, they thrive. I don't mean to play the Devil's advocate here I am just saying that aquariums need not be seen as torture chambers for fish. Indeed certain aquarium/fish pairings can be horrible for fish, but I believe that by researching a particular species and setting up a proper environment for the fish and maintaining the environment to meet the needs of the fish the aquarium can be a good environment for the fish to live in. With today's environmental destruction and extinction of species in the wild, especially in the areas where tropical fish originate, aquarium hobbyists find themselves protecting species that find their natural environment becoming uninhabitable. The Goodeids for example are in dire straits, but aquarium hobbyists are taking up the fight to keep the various species alive for future generations, and maybe release some back into their natural habitat someday. So to answer your question I do not feel that aquariums are intrinsically bad for fish. Of course the wild will always be better for fish. Also, added to the debate is how we have changed fish from their wild forms into aquarium-friendly ornamental fish. I see this change much like what humans have done to dogs and cats. Of course you would not feel compelled to release your dog or cat out into the wild, much is it the same with many species of fish in the hobby today. It may not be our place to genetically alter fish for our own ornamental purposes, but if we produce fish that cannot live in the wild then it is our duty to provide an appropriate environment for them to live in. I feel that aquariums fit the bill quite nicely if well thought out and maintained. These are just my two cents on the issue.

 

[JasonPlus]

It's kind of a tradeoff, they don't have the freedom of being in a large amount of water, which may cause stress. They also don't have to fear natural preditors, as long as you stock correctly. This causes less stress. Fish in an aquarium are fed on a more regular basis than in the wild, this eases stress, as long as a proper diet is provided.

Large aquariums are more stable than smaller ones, this stability helps with stress levels. Most fish are better off in a larger aquarium, go for the bigger tank.

I agree on the food part, but they still live in fear in aquariums. Don't they hide when someone bumps the tank or its stand? Or if someone gets too close? Its just something else to be afraid of. If anything there is more because of the smaller shoals.

I'm not saying that I'm totally against smaller tanks, its just that I don't think I'll be getting one myself. I guess its because I empathize with my fish when I see him swimming in his tank and I know I'd like a bigger one if that was my home for the rest of my life. Its like when I got bought food for a local food bank, I picked out baby food that I'd like if I were a baby, even though it likely doesn't matter too much.

The more and more I think about it, the more I dislike the idea of small aquariums. The difficulty of keeping them aside, I think that there just isn't enough room for them to be happy. If a type of fish lives in the hundreds in the wild, is a group of 6 really good enough? I have my betta in a 5 gallon tank, but even then I think it would be a little cramped with no room to really explore. I wouldn't keep a betta in anything less.

I was thinking about getting a 20-33 gallon tank, but I doubt I will now as I don't think its fair to the fish. I will likely wait until I have the money and room for at least a 55 gallon. Even then I will stick to smaller fish so that the tank seems bigger and I can have bigger shoals for those that require them.

Just my thoughts as of late. Since you have been doing this longer than I have, I'd be interested in hearing what you all have to say.

I agree with you about tank size, but I'm not trying to get all philosophical or anything, but it I believe it all comes down to an analogy, a fish who has never been in the wild but who was born in a tank would it know that there was a wild? Much like a person who lives his entire life without seeing the moon to that person the moon would not exist since he has not experienced the entity we know as the moon. Of course small aquariums should not be used if a fish just cannot live in the environment such as having a Pleco in a 5 gallon, or overstocking an aquarium so that the quality of life for the fish declines. But then some species of fish can actually live longer lives in aquaria. In well kept, appropriately stocked aquariums, fish not only survive, they thrive. I don't mean to play the Devil's advocate here I am just saying that aquariums need not be seen as torture chambers for fish. Indeed certain aquarium/fish pairings can be horrible for fish, but I believe that by researching a particular species and setting up a proper environment for the fish and maintaining the environment to meet the needs of the fish the aquarium can be a good environment for the fish to live in. With today's environmental destruction and extinction of species in the wild, especially in the areas where tropical fish originate, aquarium hobbyists find themselves protecting species that find their natural environment becoming uninhabitable. The Goodeids for example are in dire straits, but aquarium hobbyists are taking up the fight to keep the various species alive for future generations, and maybe release some back into their natural habitat someday. So to answer your question I do not feel that aquariums are intrinsically bad for fish. Of course the wild will always be better for fish. Also, added to the debate is how we have changed fish from their wild forms into aquarium-friendly ornamental fish. I see this change much like what humans have done to dogs and cats. Of course you would not feel compelled to release your dog or cat out into the wild, much is it the same with many species of fish in the hobby today. It may not be our place to genetically alter fish for our own ornamental purposes, but if we produce fish that cannot live in the wild then it is our duty to provide an appropriate environment for them to live in. I feel that aquariums fit the bill quite nicely if well thought out and maintained. These are just my two cents on the issue.

I agree with you one most of if not all your points, but what I'm trying to say is that I think small tanks just don't provide enough swimming room and space to explore. And for the schooling fish I'd wager that groups of 6 is still much too small. I'm not against aquariums at all, I just think that bigger ones are more suitable for fishkeeping. I was actually drooling over a 140 gallon tank the other day, I would absolutely love to have one. But until funds and space allow, I'm going to have to stick to just floyd the betta and his 5 gallon (hopefully planted soon) tank.

 

[Rez]

I agree with you one most of if not all your points, but what I'm trying to say is that I think small tanks just don't provide enough swimming room and space to explore. And for the schooling fish I'd wager that groups of 6 is still much too small. I'm not against aquariums at all, I just think that bigger ones are more suitable for fishkeeping. I was actually drooling over a 140 gallon tank the other day, I would absolutely love to have one. But until funds and space allow, I'm going to have to stick to just floyd the betta and his 5 gallon (hopefully planted soon) tank.




I am not a betta expert by any means, first off, but in my reading on them larger does not necessarily mean better for bettas. I believe that aquaria larger than 10 gallons can actually be bad for them. In the wild bettas live basically in oxygen deprived puddles. To place a betta in a 140 gallon aquarium might actually stress the fish more than if you kept it in your 5 gallon aquarium!! It all goes into knowing the fish that is being cared for. We would all love to have the 140 gallon aquarium, but they are not always easily attainable or manageable for your average hobbyist. So I think that bigger while better for the fish keeper, may not be needed for the health of the fish.

 

[Synirr]

I agree on the food part, but they still live in fear in aquariums. Don't they hide when someone bumps the tank or its stand? Or if someone gets too close? Its just something else to be afraid of. If anything there is more because of the smaller shoals.

Depends on the kind of fish you have. Almost all my fish are overjoyed for me to come close because that means feeding time . I even have a pair of F1 Betta albimarginata, obviously not far removed from their wild ancestors (aka parents,) who are very people friendly

 

[Tolak]

None of my fish have any problem with people near the tank, or with the stands or tanks getting bumped. They get a little apprehensive at first when I stick siphoning equipment in the tank for water changes, which quickly changes to curiosity.

I can stick my hand in the tanks, they come to see what it is, except for corys & plecs, who could care less about most anything. I think this is a much lower stress level than being stabbed at by some bird, or getting swiped out of the tank by some sort of raccoon-like animal.

 

[JasonPlus]

I agree with you one most of if not all your points, but what I'm trying to say is that I think small tanks just don't provide enough swimming room and space to explore. And for the schooling fish I'd wager that groups of 6 is still much too small. I'm not against aquariums at all, I just think that bigger ones are more suitable for fishkeeping. I was actually drooling over a 140 gallon tank the other day, I would absolutely love to have one. But until funds and space allow, I'm going to have to stick to just floyd the betta and his 5 gallon (hopefully planted soon) tank.




I am not a betta expert by any means, first off, but in my reading on them larger does not necessarily mean better for bettas. I believe that aquaria larger than 10 gallons can actually be bad for them. In the wild bettas live basically in oxygen deprived puddles. To place a betta in a 140 gallon aquarium might actually stress the fish more than if you kept it in your 5 gallon aquarium!! It all goes into knowing the fish that is being cared for. We would all love to have the 140 gallon aquarium, but they are not always easily attainable or manageable for your average hobbyist. So I think that bigger while better for the fish keeper, may not be needed for the health of the fish.

Although I haven't read the source myself, I had heard references to it many times on this forum that there was an experiment where a betta was kept in a huge tank, somewhere in the range of 40 gallons I believe. They "exercised" him by chasing him around with a net or something and he lived for like 5 years. So I doubt a large tank would be detrimental to its health. I don't know a great deal of their natural habitat, but the rice paddies are supposedly only shallow during the dry season and although they can survive in very small bodies of water, it isn't year-round.

I don't suggest everyone get a 140 gallon tank, its just that I'd love one. I'd probably get a 55 gallon sometime in the future.

 

[Synirr]

Large tanks, say 30 gallons plus, actually can be a bad choice for male long-finned bettas. Often times they feel compelled to patrol the whole tank, which is a problem when they're toting around such long, heavy fins. They also like to sit on the bottom, but frequently need to take air from the surface to breathe, which in taller tanks means they have to travel quite a ways for air.

 

[jungle king]

Like with humans no-stress is unhealty to much stress is the same but just a little is healthy. I think that is true with any animal species if they end up in a 100% stress free envioment they can become to relaxed and sometimes loose there natural reactions.

 

[Chri$]

i too hate the idea of small aquariums, i currently have only a 60 litre tank and i wouldn't consider keeping any more than 8 or 9 "small" fish in the tank. At the end of the day a small fish in a huge aquarium will probably be a lot happier than a big fish in a small aquarium.