goin_all_out said:
this also raises another question in my head, i kno hex tanks are tall and such so do u treat a hex tank as a 10 gal. too?
[snapback]875107[/snapback]
Yes, essentially. Surface area is a better indicator of how many fish can/should be kept in a tank than pure and simple gallons.
By way of example:
A 20g long has ~360 sq inches of surface area
A 20g high has ~288 sq inches of surface area
A 20g extra high has ~200 sq inches of surface area.
This is effectively two 10g tanks stacked on top of one another.
There are two main reasons you can't stock a 20g extra high the same as a 20g long:
1. Surface area is where oxygen exchange happens. Less surface area means less oxygen exchange means less oxygen for the fish means LESS FISH. This can be alleviated to some extent by improved aeration.
2. Territory. Fish need space. But not just any space, horizontal space. A bigger base footprint means the fish will be more spread out. Additional height doesn't generally work the same way. So fish in a 20g extra high are going to feel crowded much faster than in a 20g long.
My advice on stocking is this:
Make sure either your filter or an air pump is breaking the surface of the water, so you get better oxygenation. Make sure you get fish that specifically like to inhabit different strata of the tank (top/middle/bottom), so territory issues are reduced. Limit yourself to about 15" of fish. Keep the fish fairly small.
A bit long winded I know
), but hope this helps.
