Can you keep a 6" fish in a 10g for life?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
quasar

quasar

Piranha
MFK Member
Jul 16, 2012
947
142
76
Montreal, Quebec
The title says it all. I have a 10g lying around that I would like to put a biggish fish inside. I think 6" is maybe doable considering if I use the made up rule of 1 gallon per inch im set, or if I use the rule that the width must be the same as the length of the fish so it can turn i am set, and If I use the rule of the tank length must be at least 3x the fish length I'm good too. The dimensions are 19.5/10/12, I feel like it could be enough for a 6" fish (obviously would depend which one), but I get the feeling that I could be wrong. I've only been in fish keeping for a year ( not counting the two years when I was 8yo and my parents did all the work and all I did was throw in **** loads of flakes for the fish), but I have learned that in this hobby you need to know before you go, so here I am asking my fellow MFKers for da advice :)
 
depends what kind of fish
 
Personally, I would say no and never. 1 inch per gallon is exactly the problem with this situation you're describing. Even if the fish can turn around, it can't swim anywhere. And the water changes will stress the fish out because there's not much water in there for it to begin with. My 20 something fish are unhappy when I do a water change in my 125g. The waste that a 6 inch fish will produce will certainly kill it without doing water changes 2-3 times a week.

Having said that, yes if you maintain quality of the water it will live. But more than likely the happiness of the fish will be next to non-existant.
 
a 6" fish would need a 30 gallon or at 20 long at the very least
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom