Fish Tank Sizes.

JJ1234567

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Now for those that remember me as a long time champion of fishes rights (thats right, just ask walmart the bastards), this is going to sound bad. But I was curious about min tank sizes. Example: Fuzzy dwarf lion or a zebra dwarf lion. Both say 30 gallons. 30 gallons is an interesting volume of water. Do they mean 30 gals like a 29 gallon tank (30x12x17) or like a 30 long (36x12x12) ? so at what point does the volume mean more than the length of the tank? IF you have plenty of space and sparcly populate the tank, would 20 be enough or is 30 needed. What im getting at is it a dimension your shooting for or is it a volume?
 
With a dwarf fuzzy you are most likely looing at volume to dillute their waste producing abilities.

I think it is always going to be more aimed at volume in marine, though the FW size guide of 4x the fishes adult size in length, and at least double in width and height should set you in good stead (though this on its own in the case of a fuzzy would leave a tank of 24x12x12 or about 12.5 imp gallons...)

Therefore I would say that volume is the more important thing (with the messier preds at least).
 
Length and width are always, always, always more important than depth. Deeper tanks need more intense lighting and do not provide room for swimming as most species swim laterally, not up and down.
 
So your saying in the standard AGA 20 long (30x 12x12) im good? or not? I can increase volume with a sump thats no big issue, Im more worried about simming space being sufficent. I know a big lion is out of the question, but i thought maybe a dwarf would be ok.
 
You would be pushing it in that as the main tank will only have 18.5 gallons, you would probably need a sump that is just as big.

I myself would want the tank to have the volums and the sump as extra. Sumps are intended to give you a buffer, not to allow overstocking and count them as an integral part of the tank.
 
I think 30 is a little small for them...although most of the day they sit idle on a rock hiding and then at night under the moonlights go out hunting for some food. So maybe thats why they say 30 IMO. I would say a 50 is probably best and that way you can get a few more other small fish. :hey:
 
A 30 would be fine to house a dwarf lion for life. for any tank mates you would need a lrager tank (or some pretty impressive sump filtration that is larger than the tank itself).

You wouldn't want very small fish with a lion, they are predators and anything less than half their size can and will be eaten. Most dwarf lions of the Dendrochirus species top out at around 4-6" so any fish would need to be a minimum of 2" and probably closer to 4" max size to be on the safe side to avoid becoming a very expensive lunch.
 
I think your right. Ill just hold off. I know that increasing volume is easy with a sump, I could easily throw another 20 gal tank under this one. The only reason I was pushing it/wondering is beacuse all the 30/29 gal tanks I can find up here have the smae footprint as the 20 long, just are taller. It is damn near impossible to find a 30 long up here. Ill just have to find something else pretty and small. Save the lion for when my 45 tall tank dies out...although that might be a while I just got a GSP for it the other day.
 
One could try the puffer and the lion together. Be warned that most puffers find the rays of lion fins too tempting and just have to have a nibble. That being said, a fair number of people keep larger fish of these types (volitans lions and porcupine puffers) together successfuly. With puffers you just don't know. One could be fine for ages and then turn nasty.

I probably wouldn't recommend it in this case as you don't really have any good place to seperate the two fish to.
 
a 30 gal long is better than a 29 gal. but a 29 gal is better than a 20 gal as it is taller. Volume is important but only after the footprint size. So a 50 gal breeder tank is better than a 55 gal.
 
I just got the GSP yesterday. He will not be ready for full blown marine for at least a year. If I were going to wait that long I would set up my 60 breeder for a reef. Im just looking for something in the mean time.
 

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