Fish Myths

[Phantom Thief]

Never heard of this one, sounds interesting.

P.T.

 

[Johnny V]

ive kept goldfish with tropical fish at various points in my fish keeping years and i never saw anything like toxic ooze killing my tropical fish.

 

[Fish Buddy]

Yah, actually I have too. At the place where I volunteer (to clean aquariums) they have 2 adult goldfish with a 8" pleco and an otocinclus catfish. They have been living together for a long time already (years). I think it is just said to keep people from adding goldfish to their tropicals-Which shouldn't be done but will not kill then due to toxicity.

What about 17) Oscars (adults) will crack a tank if it is smaller than 70 us gallons?

 

[freddyk]

oscars are the dog of the fish world

They're very charming fish that are very responsive to to people,and can easily be conditioned. They look for food rather then attention, of course, and are really nothing like dogs. The same can be said for many new world species though, Oscars are bit overrated IMO.

Oscars (adults) will crack a tank if it is smaller than 70 us gallons?

Not unless there is something hard and mobile that they can crash against the glass.

I do believe the carbon provides more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on though.

Of course, anything at all with a surface will do that, and the more porous the surface the more bacteria it will work. Even the glass of the tank itself will hold some.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

18) chickenbutt koi will eat poo and survive on it

 

[astroboy]

What about 17) Oscars (adults) will crack a tank if it is smaller than 70 us gallons

BS

 

[Small Fry]

Ok, another myth for the betta lovers here.

7) Bettas live shorter lives in big tanks as they get tired.

P.T.

That's actually true Bettas are territorial and will out do themselves partrolling a large tank. Also the larger tanks will have filtration which is also stressful on a betta. I'm not suggesting the should live their lives in jars, but I certainly wouldn't go over 10 gallons tops

I'm not sure that the big tank shortening Betta life myth - my Betta has been in my 90gallon with several canister filters and a powerhead for 2 years. She seems to love the current and I think they normally have a lifespan of 2-3 years.

The wild would have more then 10 gallons and they seem to do fine out there...

 

[Fish Buddy]

8. Platy fry raised with current in their tanks grow smaller than platy fry raised without current.

I believe this is true for the reverse (as least for swordtails it is). In my 50 gallon tank I am noticing the fri growing much faster than the fri in the 10 gallon tank. Both tanks have florescent lighting and are at the same water temp. The fri in the 10 gallon were born 3 months ago and are being kept in a rearing basket. The fri in the 50 gallon were born at the beginning of this month (March) and are left to fend for them selves in the strong current of the big filter-they also have much more room to swim in compaired to a little basket. And the fri in the 10 gallon are still small!

I have also read an article about rearing fish for food in a fish magazine. It said that the fish grow bigger (stronger) when forced to continually swim in a current than those that were not. This makes sense because excersize makes any animal stronger (stronger = muscles and muscles = biger)

 

[Ben]

Ok, another myth for the betta lovers here.

7) Bettas live shorter lives in big tanks as they get tired.

P.T.

That's actually true Bettas are territorial and will out do themselves partrolling a large tank. Also the larger tanks will have filtration which is also stressful on a betta. I'm not suggesting the should live their lives in jars, but I certainly wouldn't go over 10 gallons tops

I'm not sure that the big tank shortening Betta life myth - my Betta has been in my 90gallon with several canister filters and a powerhead for 2 years. She seems to love the current and I think they normally have a lifespan of 2-3 years.

The wild would have more then 10 gallons and they seem to do fine out there...

you oviously have a short finned betta(you said you had a female)
long finned bettas(veiltails etc) get weighed down from the tail as they try to cover more terrirtory

DD

 

[OohFeeshy]

Exactly. Wild bettas are short finned. And probably much more energetic than our tank kept, fed like kings bettas. Well mine doesn't get fed like a king, all he gets is a live moth or two every day.

 

[rdd1952]

I am certainly no expert, just getting started with my first tank in December but I think there is plenty of proof in this thread that you can stunt a fish's growth in a small tank/bowl. Look at all the post about goldfish living 15 to 20 years in a bowl. Obviously, these fish are only reaching 3 or 4 inches long. That is definitely stunted growth as they would easily grow larger than that if kept in a larger tank or pond.

Does this affect their health? Apparantly not very much if they are living that long. Is it cruel? Possibly, since they are not able to live the life they could in a bigger environment. But if they are living that long, obviously, they are being well cared for with regular water changes, feedings, etc. Maybe the lack of growth is just natures way of taking care of creatures that have little or no control over their own environment. Obviously, this isn't Saving Nemo and fish can't really escape back to their natural environment.

Just my two cents worth.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

its "Finding Nemo" not saving nemo

 

[rdd1952]

its "Finding Nemo" not saving nemo

Maybe it was Saving Private Ryan. I'm too old to remember.

 

[phishluvr]

On the betta in big tanks issue, my betta in a 75g just paces himself. He meanders around the tank, but likes to hang out in his quad. whether a fish swims in circles or a straight line, they're still swimming the same distance, right?

can't say about the strong current damaging fins, I haven't noticed this on my guy but I've seem him avoid it.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

well, not really. if you had a treadmill, wouldnt you have moved a farther distance than running in circles in your house?