Size...

[AncientMariner]

I have been reading on this website over the past few months on minimum size tanks you should have for certain fish. ie Bala Sharks, Clown Loach Sillver Dollar etc..... People just seem to quote what they have read on various glossarys. For example the Bala Shark has varied from 'Must be kept in no less than 125gal'. 'To must be kept in 55gal minimum'.

What I want to know is, what is the biggest (in inches) what people on here have?

Oh! & what size tank...

 

[abstract]

5" synodontis eupterus ... 46 gallon bowfront

 

[Cheese Specialist]

5" chromidotiapia finleyi pair in a 70UK

 

[OohFeeshy]

Red VT betta, 2 inch body, 2.5 inch tail in a 3g tank.

 

[Paul_MTS]

14" asian arowana 210g!

on either of the fish mentioned silvers and clown loaches the bigger the better really.

both of which require to be in groups of atleast 3. try keeping a 12" fish happy in a 55g tank!

I haven't seen either of the fish full grown but I'ved seen a silver shark pretty damn close at 10", to put that in anything smaller than a descent size 5ft would be cruel.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

From what i have heard, bala sharks need a 75gal minimum but due to them needing to be in groups of 3, a 125gal is the minimum, but thats just what i have heard.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I'ved seen a silver shark pretty damn close at 10"

There was a 12 inch one on Ebay. Came with the tank.

 

[Nauplii]

silver sharks are usually best in a 4ft tank, and the happiest ... thats because the tank is big enough and gives enough swimming space....
mine was in my 2ft and i found out how big they got to so i rehomed it on here to 'Red' <--- hope ya looking after rim for me

 

[dwarfgourami]

Soo... the variation in answer seems to be partly due to how many factors people incorporate in their calculations. One bala shark can be kept in x gallons, but really to keep it happy you need at least a couple of companions, so that adds up to y gallons. And so on. Makes sense to me.
At the other end of the scale, one zebra danio grows to 2 inch- so if you only consider that, you'd think you could put it in a 2 gallon tank. But wait a little, they need at least 4 companions- that's 10 gallon. Oh hang on, they also need swimming space- perhaps 20 gallon is better.
All in all, the more factors you consider the bigger the tank grows- and so it should do! Better safe than sorry.

 

[CFC]

I used to have 5 bala sharks that were between 10 and 12 inches long each and were in a 80g tank, though really they needed something bigger. Unfortunately they were wiped out along with nearly all my other fish when the filter failed and i was on holiday at the time

Largest fish now is a 20" Leiarius pictus in a 205g tank.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I think factors to take into consideration are-
Size
Waste output
Activity level
Messy eating habits or not
Aggressiveness
Socialbility (ie, schooling or not)
Diet

Take into consideration that some species never move, I believe there is one that a member owns. It get pretty big, but only needs a small tank because of its activity level. A messy dwarf puffer nees 5g because of its messiness, an active danios needs 20g. It all depends.