elephantnose3334
Fishaholic
I don't like community tanks, but that's my opinion. I think it kind of ruins the look and essence of being in an underwater ecosystem, same with a mixture of plants from different continents. I understand lots of people do community tanks and while it's okay to do so, they need to be careful when putting some fish with other tankmates. Most fish do fine in community tanks, but some fish like tiger barbs, rainbow sharks and smaller (3cm or less) rasbora species (smaller rasboras can be community fish but NOT to be put with larger fish), may not do well in community tanks. That why some of these mentioned fish may need to be in single-species only aquariums.
I tried doing a community tank on a 40L square aquarium, which I got in January last year, with two species of tetra and a dwarf gourami, but it didn't work well after 8 months after it was cycled and set up. The dwarf gourami died after 8 months. I learnt my mistakes and gave up building community tanks. I was a beginner and I'm still doing research and learning the fundamentals of the hobby. I prefer single-species aquariums or biotope aquariums over community tanks because they capture the essence of the world underneath rivers and estuaries. Despite not having a great amount of choice of fish, I think it's better to do one of these two alternatives to community tanks than doing community tanks. Again, it's my opinion.
Most tetras do well in community tanks, and I understand that it is safe to do so. However, some tetras might need to be kept in single-species biotope aquaria because some can get aggressive and some don't do well in community setups, which means that they may not be good tankmates for community tanks. Take neon and cardinal tetras for example. I keep the latter and I'm planning to move them into a bigger tank because of a lack of swimming space (30cm) on the 40L. Again, I have to follow a deal from my parents in order to get it. But I'm not doing a community tank for the future 130L setup. I might do a biotope aquarium based on their native range, but we'll see.
Some of the reasons why I don't like, and gave up on, community tanks include:
I respect everyone's opinions. Everyone's opinions differ. I might not like community tanks, but most users do. And I respect that. My opinions are based on my experience of fishkeeping.
What are your opinions on community tanks?
Thank you for your understanding.
I tried doing a community tank on a 40L square aquarium, which I got in January last year, with two species of tetra and a dwarf gourami, but it didn't work well after 8 months after it was cycled and set up. The dwarf gourami died after 8 months. I learnt my mistakes and gave up building community tanks. I was a beginner and I'm still doing research and learning the fundamentals of the hobby. I prefer single-species aquariums or biotope aquariums over community tanks because they capture the essence of the world underneath rivers and estuaries. Despite not having a great amount of choice of fish, I think it's better to do one of these two alternatives to community tanks than doing community tanks. Again, it's my opinion.
Most tetras do well in community tanks, and I understand that it is safe to do so. However, some tetras might need to be kept in single-species biotope aquaria because some can get aggressive and some don't do well in community setups, which means that they may not be good tankmates for community tanks. Take neon and cardinal tetras for example. I keep the latter and I'm planning to move them into a bigger tank because of a lack of swimming space (30cm) on the 40L. Again, I have to follow a deal from my parents in order to get it. But I'm not doing a community tank for the future 130L setup. I might do a biotope aquarium based on their native range, but we'll see.
Some of the reasons why I don't like, and gave up on, community tanks include:
- Overrated setup
- Some fish aren't suited for community tanks
- Used by most fish YouTubers, reality TV and other social medias over other freshwater and brackish setups
- Shops may mislabel some fish as 'community fish'
I respect everyone's opinions. Everyone's opinions differ. I might not like community tanks, but most users do. And I respect that. My opinions are based on my experience of fishkeeping.
What are your opinions on community tanks?
Thank you for your understanding.