Confused on tank size.

[vjayshutterbug]

I'm confused. I have a 2 inch red terror right now by itself in a 75 gallon, which is 4 feet by 18 inches. I know he/she can live there for a while, so looking to get a bigger tank down the road. Research tells me a 125 is recommended for a red terror since males can get 20 inches. But how is a 125 better really? It's still only 18 inches. A full grown male still could not turn around. Is a 125 faulty advice for a full grown red terror?
Thanks for any enlightenment.

 

[Deadeye]

180 for a male or pair is ideal.
Realistically, a male probably won’t get bigger than 15 inches, making 125 fine, though it is good to plan for max possible size.
If it turns out to be a female, 75 or 125 is fine as they only reach around 12 inches.

 

[KATALEKEEPER]

180 for a male or pair is ideal.
Realistically, a male probably won’t get bigger than 15 inches, making 125 fine, though it is good to plan for max possible size.
If it turns out to be a female, 75 or 125 is fine as they only reach around 12 inches.

what I've always hear is a 75 is ok for fish from 8-10" (a single one), 125 for fish that reach 12" and like a 200 for fish that reach 16"

 

[Deadeye]

I have seen 75 recommended for a female festae on here multiple times before. 125 is certainly better.
I think a foot long fish can be put in a 75, as long as it isn’t very active.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I think a 75 or 125 is a good tank for most cichlids festae-size or thereabouts. You would definitely want the long 125 if you were to try a pair. If you happen to be keeping an exceptionally sized individual, such as a fast growing male that reaches 12-15" in its first couple years, you may want to consider upgrading the fish to a 180 or larger.

 

[Gunfleet]

You could always try to find a 4x2x2 120 gallon tank. You get the depth of the 180, but without the 6 foot length.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Tank size is an opinionated topic, but common sense still prevails. A fish which can reach a length which is the same as any side of the tank, is too big for the tank. So to me, for a big male festae, a 180 would eventually be required. Though, I don't believe I've ever seen a festae larger than 18", but even at that size, or say 16", an 18" wide tank would be too small imo.

 

[duanes]

I have seen 75 recommended for a female festae on here multiple times before. 125 is certainly better.
I think a foot long fish can be put in a 75, as long as it isn’t very active.

I consider any cichlid need sat least (minimally) 10 gallons per inch as an adult, so to me a 75 gal tank is really only (barely) adequate for a 7.5 inch adult cichlid.
But when a large cichlid gets to adult size, height and girth should also be taken into account.
So to me, a 10 inch cichlid, that is 5 inches tall, and 3 inches wide, really needs at least a 180 (and that is the minimum size)
So to me a 15 inch festae that is 6 inches tall and 3 inches in girth really should be in nothing smaller than a 250 gal tank.
And this does not really take into account the space a cichlid like that needs to get get proper exercise, or account for the territory a fish like that instinctually needs .
A male festae I had below.

 

[neutrino]

Tank size is an opinionated topic, but common sense still prevails. A fish which can reach a length which is the same as any side of the tank, is too big for the tank. So to me, for a big male festae, a 180 would eventually be required. Though, I don't believe I've ever seen a festae larger than 18", but even at that size, or say 16", an 18" wide tank would be too small imo.

Agree on both counts, opinionated subject and what makes common sense. Gallons per inch of fish depends on the fish and factors like species, girth, etc.

 

[duanes]

One thing I would pose, is that females usually remain much smaller than males, so in a tank alone, a female could be held in a smaller space.You can see below the contrast between a female of the same age and a male.

I don't find females any less aggressive though, so the idea of a community tank (especially if a smaller tank like a 75) is highly unlikely.