How To Decide Appropriate Tank Size For Any Fish !

[crunch7]

The trouble is though that you can't just figure out a tank size by looking at a fish. It depends very much on the characteristics of a fish and requires a bit of knowledge. There's not a set science to it. As I said earlier in this thread, as an example, white cloud mountain minnows need a much bigger tank than say a betta even though the minnows are smaller, just because they like to do lots of swimming but the bettas don't.

I think trying to create a method to calculate it would be foolish and it's just impossible, and since everyone should research their species BEFORE buying them, this is the type of thing they should know anyway.

I do think a list of fish categorised by tank size would be a useful resource for the numerous people we get here who ask "my tank is X gallons, what should I put in it?"

True, so do danios, even if they look small they neeed at least four feet to move around. What i am trying to explain you is that this behaviour will also be a certain parameter which helps you decide on the TAnk size. I will be updating the orignal post, lots of work to do now. oh tomorrow is sunday i am getting lots of stuff u guys.

and eagle better start collecting pictures. and making groups

 

[raptorrex]

stop trying to write rules that have already been written...

if people say 60G is the appropriate size for a fish, i always go a tad bigger...
i keep 80G fish in a 105G

top point there!
much of this information is already here. yes, i know some dont like to take the advice.
but appropriate sizes have not changed, much, over the years.
so you will find them posted time and time again, when the question is asked.

one rule has never changed: a tank must be wide enough for your biggest fish (when it is mature), to lay front to back, comfortably.
so, that could be our first guide rule!
though then you get "but I will get a bigger tank, when it grows up".
this, in the majority of cases, never happens.
so buy your fish for the tank you have, not the one you dream you will have!

so, we have guide rule 2

 

[Bignose]

I posted this 6 years ago, but I am not sure that there is a whole lot of improvement that can be made:

Firstly, the amount of waste a fish will produce is primarily based upon the mass/volume of the fish. Consider that a 4 inch streamlined, torpedo-shaped rasbora will not be producing the same amount of waste as a rotund, beer-bellied 4 inch molly who is in a late-term pregnancy.

Secondly, the one inch per gallon rule becomes very silly in the limit of large fish. 20 one inch fish (like small tetras) can be very happy in a 20 gal tank, but obviously one 20 inch fish will not.

Thirdy, the species of fish enters into consideration. Fish from rapidly moving, highly oxygenated waters will require more water per fish than fish from slow moving stagnant ponds. This is where research becomes necessary. Also, some fish are very territorial. A 5 inch fish may claim much more than 5 gallons as its own personal space.

Finally, the fishkeeper's caretaking habits can change the balance as well. If you commit to increased water changes and caretaking, and you 'over-filter' your tank, you can get away with overstocking. But this is only recommended for the more experienced fishkeepers. Likewise, if you want to be lazier, you can plant your tank to help process the fishs' pollution but you should understock so that the pollution does not build up nearly as fast.

Many, many factors that "one inch per gallon" cannot take into account. It is just a starting point, and a good place to help newer fishkeepers not run out and purchase as many fish as can fit in a small tank.

see http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/90072-one-inch-per-gallon/page__view__findpost__p__752994

Quite simply, it is my opinion that there really are no simple formulas or rules that will be correct 100%, 95%, or even correct 60% of the time. (Beyond ridiculously trivial ones, of course.) There are too many variables to take into account. And too many ways of being successful that would be 'against the book'.

No rules or formulas can replace research and experience.

 

[crunch7]

I posted this 6 years ago, but I am not sure that there is a whole lot of improvement that can be made:

Firstly, the amount of waste a fish will produce is primarily based upon the mass/volume of the fish. Consider that a 4 inch streamlined, torpedo-shaped rasbora will not be producing the same amount of waste as a rotund, beer-bellied 4 inch molly who is in a late-term pregnancy.

Secondly, the one inch per gallon rule becomes very silly in the limit of large fish. 20 one inch fish (like small tetras) can be very happy in a 20 gal tank, but obviously one 20 inch fish will not.

Thirdy, the species of fish enters into consideration. Fish from rapidly moving, highly oxygenated waters will require more water per fish than fish from slow moving stagnant ponds. This is where research becomes necessary. Also, some fish are very territorial. A 5 inch fish may claim much more than 5 gallons as its own personal space.

Finally, the fishkeeper's caretaking habits can change the balance as well. If you commit to increased water changes and caretaking, and you 'over-filter' your tank, you can get away with overstocking. But this is only recommended for the more experienced fishkeepers. Likewise, if you want to be lazier, you can plant your tank to help process the fishs' pollution but you should understock so that the pollution does not build up nearly as fast.

Many, many factors that "one inch per gallon" cannot take into account. It is just a starting point, and a good place to help newer fishkeepers not run out and purchase as many fish as can fit in a small tank.

see http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/90072-one-inch-per-gallon/page__view__findpost__p__752994

Quite simply, it is my opinion that there really are no simple formulas or rules that will be correct 100%, 95%, or even correct 60% of the time. (Beyond ridiculously trivial ones, of course.) There are too many variables to take into account. And too many ways of being successful that would be 'against the book'.

No rules or formulas can replace research and experience.

Hey thanks a lot!! As you know we(its a cumulative effort now) are trying to make a list of ALL THOSE things that play a role in selecting apt tank size. Your suggestions are welcome too.. just pm me so that i can add it up.

 

[OldMan47]

I am going to jump into the middle of this with a suggestion. The whole subject of fish selection is dealt with at length by one of our old time members. She posted links here to many helpful threads. The fish selection section is especially useful for things like fish compatibility and there is even a list of fish suggested for a 10 gallon, 37 litre, tank. If we all agree on something here that needs to be added to what MW pulled together for us, I would be thrilled to expand or amend her posts but I must point out that they have stood the test of time here on TFF.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Personally, i am struggling to make any sense of this thread and believe it should be locked or removed.

 

[OldMan47]

For Taffy's comment, I have just gone through the thread and removed all apparently angry responses. Since some people tend to quote earlier posts extensively, some good content may have also been lost in my process. I hope that what is left is now readable Taffy. If not please send me a PM and I will try to make further edits to help out.

If this thread descends into name calling and angry responses again, it will be closed and removed from the forum completely.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I am going to jump into the middle of this with a suggestion. The whole subject of fish selection is dealt with at length by one of our old time members. She posted links here to many helpful threads. The fish selection section is especially useful for things like fish compatibility and there is even a list of fish suggested for a 10 gallon, 37 litre, tank. If we all agree on something here that needs to be added to what MW pulled together for us, I would be thrilled to expand or amend her posts but I must point out that they have stood the test of time here on TFF.

On this subject, I love the 10 gallon tank thread. It is very useful to point people to who have a 10 gallon tank, but want to keep a ton of massive fish in. These newcomers are generally very well meaning, but misguided by their LFS. They were told they could keep a single emperor tetra, a molly and a shoal of neons in a 10 gallon tank.


I think adding to that a similar database for other common tank sizes, such as 20 gallons, 35 gallons, 50 gallons and so on would be an ideal reference tool. Of course, the issue with these larger size tanks is that compatability becomes much more of an issue than with the 10 gallons. Generally fish suitable for such a small tank are fine with similar sized fish. The only exception I can think of off hand would be bettas. While two would "fit" in a 10 gallon, it would be a very bad idea indeed.



Ultimately, I don't know how many folks venture to the fish species index (which is GREAT, BTW) but a bit buried in the webpage and to be honest difficult for a beginner to sift through. The fish are sorted by genus or family, but I believe most people don't know if a neon tetra is a characin, cyprinid or something all together different. More than grouping by name, perhaps grouping them by minimum tank size and aggression level would be a more valuable way of organizing these pages. Maybe sub-grouped by shoaling species. Or maybe even by preferred water parameters... Fish tolerant of a wide spectrum of water parameters like rasboras separated from specialists like discus.