10lt Tank - How Many Fish?

[Jozlyn]

Bettas need minimum 1 gallon, not 3 gallons... The larger the tank the more strain is on your betta to reach it to the surface to gasp for air...

Ah yes, and two fish needing 3g each will be fine in a 5g (because 3+3=5) with a couple of otos...*please note intense sarcasm*...

I wouldn't put a sea monkey in a 1g tank.

Just to add to the subject though, another thing we have to remember is that many people with these tiny tanks are going to vastly overstock them - advice or not. At least this OP posted asking, and is (hopefully) listening to that advice. I'm tired of seeing the same old "Can I put an oscar in a nanocube" kind of threads that always get loads of brilliant advice only to end in "I'm going to get one anyway".

Is it perhaps because many of the people owning these littler tanks (I say many - but by no means all) are of a younger generation and some of those younger generation (and again, by no means all) tend to want things to go their own way - even if it means not keeping their desired fish in the correct way?

Yep, I'm still reading!

 

[Amerce]

Bettas need minimum 1 gallon, not 3 gallons... The larger the tank the more strain is on your betta to reach it to the surface to gasp for air...

Please stop using gallons in this term maybe a fish can be kept in a 1 gallon but depending on it's breathing mechanism (anabatoid or by osmosis of oxygen) and whether it has a filter, air being used in the tank then maybe a fish can be kept in a 1 gallon but more is always preferable for a pet fish (breeders prefer smaller because they are taking into account optimum space required for their breeders).

Oxygen is absorbed into the water by the open area at the top of the tank (or air being pumped into the tank), if you kept it in a bowl then the actual surface absorbtion would be less, you could have a 1 gallon tank that has a large surface area eg. a tray type tank as opposed to a tall vase type tank.

There is no strain for a betta to reach the surface many actually sit at the top of the tank and sit on their plants (which their owners provide for them), their natural enviroment is shallow water area's but they can manage quite well with deeper than a foot of water, especially the short tail types, the VT's may struggle a bit more but then they wouldn't exist in the natural environment that they originated from.

The sort of 1 gallon per fish (dependant on its size etc) is a GENERALIZATION, and depends on the tank itself and its dimensions etc., please take that into account when deciding on the number of fish you want to stock your tank with.

 

[lljdma06]

I've tried to "bite my tongue", but I feel compelled to continue defending my decision to stock a 10 litre (2.5 gal.) with fish.

The suggestion that perhaps my actions are not acceptable, for whatever reason are a concern for me, as I'm sure they would be to any responsible fishkeeper.

I am a little confused as to what exactly the problem is with stocking 1.6cm (0.6") fish in a 30x20x20cm (12x8x8") aquarium.

The risk of poor water quality perhaps?

This is not an issue, I perform 50% water changes every other day, filter with a 160lph HOB filter filled with effective bio-media, plant growth alone strips the water column of toxic nitrogen compound and heavy metals. I can hand-on-heart say that my water is top notch and entirely suitable for the aquarium's occupants.

Swimming space?

The aquarium is 300mm long. The fish are 16mm. That's over 18x the fish length in swimming space. The generally accepted max. guideline is 6x. Of course, it's not as cut and dry as that. How many clown loaches with an adult potential size of 30cm+ (12"+) do we see in 120cm (48") tanks or less, yet this is deemed acceptable to many.

Environmental stability?

Not a problem. Temp. remains stable, no heating is required as my house is warm and my fish prefer it cooler than most tropicals at around 23C (73.4F). As discussed, the water quality is excellent due to the water changes and plant growth.

I'm sure the fish wouldn't have spawned, that has been suggested, if there were less than ideal conditions.

I understand those suggesting that 10 gal. should be a minimum, as they hold the fish welfare in the highest regard, that is a good thing indeed. But please understand that there may be exceptions to the "rules", as with most things in this hobby. And if one is experienced and knowledgeable enough then these "rules" can be bent with no detriment to the quality of life to the aquarium's occupants.

The nano aquarium is with us and is increasing in popularity all the time. I for one was not a keen fan to begin with, full of concern for water quality issues etc. However, I took the plunge and have not looked back since. Tiny volumes are not for the inexperienced but if a few guidelines are followed then there is no reason why we can't keep healthy fish in small volumes, less than 10 gal.

One final point. Do you think Practical Fishkeeping magazine would allow me to write an article on my nano and pay a professional photographer to shoot it if it were an unsuitable size? Think about that too for a minute.

In the interest of my animals' welfare I am of course willing to hear why I shouldn't be stocking the way I do, so please feel free to tell me.

As a fellow nano keeper, I'd have to agree with George on all of his points, and offer my support. I keep a 2.5g with a betta and an 8g with dwarf platies. Both tanks are densly planted and I think are great environments for the fish I'm keeping. You need only check out the threads in my signature to see my little tanks and the care involved in their maintenance. The platies are breeding and both tanks are successful, long-term scapes. I do think you need the experience to be successful with this aspect of the hobby, but I wouldn't automatically dismiss this specialty with generic rules. Above all, extended research is the key to success with any tank setup (be it a nano or a larger system), and I think George and I both, care for the welfare of our fish and the entire aquatic environment we chose to maintain.

llj