Unpopular Opinions (fish related)

[LostBear]

I have mostly sand or blah colored gravel but each to their own liking. It would be boring if all tanks were merely sand driftwood, and plants. We’d all look the same.

And we'd have nothing to complain about!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Big fish also means big bioload!

Like plecos?

(My little BNP is less than 5” long and he still puts out a LOT of waste)

 

[LostBear]

Like plecos?

(My little BNP is less than 5” long and he still puts out a LOT of waste)

Yep.

(Bioload is such a discreet term, isn't it? )

 

[ember04]

ok my unpopular opinion = African and South American cichlids are just boring and besides the coloured have no other interesting personalities or features

don't get me wrong I can appreciate a nice cichlid tank but I would never have one just bores me after a while
so sorry to any cichlid keepers just not my thing

 

[raylove]

I am surprised that nobody picked up on an opinion expressed ages ago about water changes being made too frequently.
I agree that in an established, well maintained tank, water changes of about 10% a week are enough.
In a well planted tank plants will absorb nitrate and a mature filter will also likely contain anaerobic conditions that afford some nitrate reduction. My planted tank always had a nitrate level of 10ppm whereas my tap water was 30ppm, so water changes weren't diluting nitrate levels, they were increasing them. Clearly the plants and the filter could handle the total load.
For reasons I can't recall I increased water changes to 25% a week, and after a few weeks I had an algae problem. Nitrate was now at 30ppm, same as the tap water, so I realised that at 25% I was now adding more nitrate than the tank could handle so the levels had risen. I reduced changes back down to 10% and gradually levels have fallen back to 10-15ppm.
I know it's not just nitrate that we seek to reduce, and adding fresh water also replaces depleted minerals, however, 10% + what goes in via ferts and fish food coupled with an effecient filter seems to be sufficient.
Every tank will be different but 'large' water changes may not be necessary and can actually be detrimental in my view.

 

[ClownLurch]

It’d be good for English football if one of the so called big six were relegated. IE Arsenal atm........oh sorry I thought this was the popular opinions thread. Apologies.

 

[ClownLurch]

Certainly explains why they are such little bar-stewards, then!

And they look like butter wouldn't melt - who knew that the beautiful streak of red was because they had rolled in the blood of their victims . . .

They WERE the victims in my ill advised 90s tank. Mind they used to buzz around the male Paradise Fish showing him no respect in his hood. Two of em won’t do that again and the others will be advising their kids as to their future conduct. I didn’t realise he could move that fast.
Even the Clown Loaches used to keep a distance from him. He ignored the Zebras and seemed best mates with the WCMMs.

 

[LostBear]

It’d be good for English football if one of the so called big six were relegated. IE Arsenal atm........oh sorry I thought this was the popular opinions thread. Apologies.

Oh - sport!

For a minute I thought you were talking about something interesting.

 

[LostBear]

They WERE the victims in my ill advised 90s tank. Mind they used to buzz around the male Paradise Fish showing him no respect in his hood. Two of em won’t do that again and the others will be advising their kids as to their future conduct. I didn’t realise he could move that fast.
Even the Clown Loaches used to keep a distance from him. He ignored the Zebras and seemed best mates with the WCMMs.

WCMMs are a delight - one of my favourites, along with glowlights.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Interesting. I've thought about doing a tank with a breeding pair of paradise fish and white clouds. Cool that yours get along so well. Perhaps because they live together in nature? (I don't know why that would make any difference but it's a nice thought)

 

[itiwhetu]

I am surprised that nobody picked up on an opinion expressed ages ago about water changes being made too frequently.
I agree that in an established, well maintained tank, water changes of about 10% a week are enough.
In a well planted tank plants will absorb nitrate and a mature filter will also likely contain anaerobic conditions that afford some nitrate reduction. My planted tank always had a nitrate level of 10ppm whereas my tap water was 30ppm, so water changes weren't diluting nitrate levels, they were increasing them. Clearly the plants and the filter could handle the total load.
For reasons I can't recall I increased water changes to 25% a week, and after a few weeks I had an algae problem. Nitrate was now at 30ppm, same as the tap water, so I realised that at 25% I was now adding more nitrate than the tank could handle so the levels had risen. I reduced changes back down to 10% and gradually levels have fallen back to 10-15ppm.
I know it's not just nitrate that we seek to reduce, and adding fresh water also replaces depleted minerals, however, 10% + what goes in via ferts and fish food coupled with an effecient filter seems to be sufficient.
Every tank will be different but 'large' water changes may not be necessary and can actually be detrimental in my view.

Thank you, at long last someone who is talking my language. I have only ever done 25% water changes and it has worked for me. I think it is not a good idea to be doing large water changes unless you have a controlled water source ( like a breeding or quarantine facility ).

 

[Barry Tetra]

ok my unpopular opinion = African and South American cichlids are just boring and besides the coloured have no other interesting personalities or features

don't get me wrong I can appreciate a nice cichlid tank but I would never have one just bores me after a while
so sorry to any cichlid keepers just not my thing

Yay! Finally! I’m not the only one here with this opinion!

 

[Barry Tetra]

2 more Unpopular opinion;

100% daily water changes is okay for betta (as I did it everyday)

Syphoning sand and gravel are oddly satisfying

 

[Irishman05]

See my reply to RetiredViking.
No joke, they constantly attacked one another. One had his face bitten off by another too.

This was it healed up.
View attachment 111136

The **** are the conditions you're keeping them in, they're normally so chill. I'd say something is stressing them out for the to be eviscerating each other

 

[Irishman05]

My dwarf gourami is NOT ugly
View attachment 111174

he is fabulous