Biggest Fish you will accomodate in your current tank
- Thread starter redtailfool
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HarleyK said:Howdy,
you're welcome
200 cm, 125 kg. Max: 450 cm, 200 kg But I am sure you know that.
Common 900 gal acrylic tank: 120'' (300 cm) x 36'' (90 cm) x 58'' (120 cm). Perfectly fine for a one or two footer, you're absolutely right.
Check out Johnptc's article in the "article" section here. You might want to look into that for your upgrade. But then, what do I know, I have never kept an arapaima. And for sure I never will.
Peace out,
HarleyK
Hello HarleyK,
Not wanting to start an argument, but just a semi-intellectual debate. As I've stated in some previous posts, some fish grow larger in captivity, and some can't reach its "potential" size in captivity, which could be dictated by and not limited to such factors as food, tank size, social interaction, temperature, etc....
As I've stated, many spcecies, if not grown to its full maximum recorded size, does not necessarily mean that its suffering any ill effects. I'm going to list this example one more time.
The Japanese salmon or any other anadromous fish, such as Oncorhynchus masu or Oncorhynchus mykiss, which most people are familiar with. They lay eggs in creeks, the eggs hatch, most swim into the ocean and larger lakes or bodies of water to grow big and come back and repeat the cycle in a few years. However, out of every batch of eggs, a few smolts will stay behind, retain its juvenile coloration and eat insects, and never reaching 5-50 pounds like the other siblings. In a few years when the larger siblings come back, they'll sneak in and mate with the larger ones without posing a threat to the other adult rival males! I've caught 5" female rainbow trouts in a little creek on top of a mountain, when the water dries out during the summer, forms only little pools up in the mountains, they can never get to the larger bodies of water, yet they have full adult sized eggs, just a few less, by choice or not, we don't know. Have they reached their purpose in life? What is their purpose, for most living organism, its to procreate, which they have fulfilled. Many african cichlids do the same also like the salmons, they stay small to breed. So life itself as fragile as it is, its constantly adapting, and with a good fish caretaker, with proper food and water quality, they just might not be suffering (speculation).
Again, for all the critics of such. How do you think the chicken, beef you ate for dinner last night was raised? On a happy cow farm where they run free and wild? They live in little cages, born, raised, and destined for the pan. Oh, if you're a vegetarian, but fish keeper. Whats your favorite non tankbuster tank....tiger barbs, neon tetras-did you know that they are bred and kept, about 500 tiger barbs, and 2000 neons to a 20 gallon tank, and often bred in little bowls! And how about how they are shipped, they pack 50-100 in a bag, for 30 plus hours, and 10% probably die during transit, and when they're dropped on the floor, people don't even pick them up. Better yet, many wholesalers, just wash them down the drain! On the contrary, some of the tankbuster fish. On top of that, with someone keeping a school of small fish in a large tank, and lets say they serve their ultimate purpose in our fish tank, reproduce, which in turn makes us happy, and not much more, they do not further wild populations or the specie itself, and plus, many fish do not reproduce well in captivity. Its all in our imagination that they are suffering or wondering aimlessly in a large tank is bliss. Most probably they do not share the same degree of glee or otherwise as we do. We cannot judge their existance with our own!
Funny, just now, an icthyologist came in to the store, I didn't know him, out of the blue, and we had a lengthy discussion about this topic since it was on my mind, and we came to some hypothesis and theories. For many fish, whatever size aquaria we provide for it, is miniscule compared to the body of water in which they reside. On contrast, many of the gouramies, and anabantoids, live in little rain puddles and prefer being like that. Its really where we draw the line of being cruel and humane, and for different people its different, and we should not be judgmental unless you want to hear the whole chicken and salmon speech from me again
Hi Blacktip,
great suggestions, except for the congo tetras. I love my plants too much Right now I'm just waiting for the tank to run smoothly. It's hard to be patient at the sight of an (almost) fish-free tank...
Howdy fugupuff,
no, I am not a veggie and I love my cows medium rare
. However, when I accept responsibility of an animal personally, I provide the best possible environment for it. If I can't do that, I don't get the animal but a picture instead. If I love motion maybe a screen saver 
I just think there are animals which simply cannot be kept according to their needs. And one of the largest freshwater fish in the world is part of that. I also condemn keeping rays without sand, or keeping bettas in a 100 ml vase. We can do better than that and be smarter than that. But I understand you are a seller, and we will never completely agree. You are right, we live based on animals which are not kept under ideal conditions. Each of us has to draw the line, and we draw them differently. Don't get me wrong, I think alfon 76 has an awesome tank, which is a great habitat for some really cool fish, just not those in the arapaima league. I am saying this respectfully despite of his attitude. My initial post was not referring to him, it was a general statement directly answering the initial post: I think a fish is too big for a tank when it exceeds 1/7-1/10 of the tank's length. Alfon76's tank won't live up to that in the long run, and I stated my opinion.
That's part of a forum, like it or not.
HarleyK
great suggestions, except for the congo tetras. I love my plants too much
Right now I'm just waiting for the tank to run smoothly. It's hard to be patient at the sight of an (almost) fish-free tank...Howdy fugupuff,
no, I am not a veggie and I love my cows medium rare
. However, when I accept responsibility of an animal personally, I provide the best possible environment for it. If I can't do that, I don't get the animal but a picture instead. If I love motion maybe a screen saver I just think there are animals which simply cannot be kept according to their needs. And one of the largest freshwater fish in the world is part of that. I also condemn keeping rays without sand, or keeping bettas in a 100 ml vase. We can do better than that and be smarter than that. But I understand you are a seller, and we will never completely agree. You are right, we live based on animals which are not kept under ideal conditions. Each of us has to draw the line, and we draw them differently. Don't get me wrong, I think alfon 76 has an awesome tank, which is a great habitat for some really cool fish, just not those in the arapaima league. I am saying this respectfully despite of his attitude. My initial post was not referring to him, it was a general statement directly answering the initial post: I think a fish is too big for a tank when it exceeds 1/7-1/10 of the tank's length. Alfon76's tank won't live up to that in the long run, and I stated my opinion. That's part of a forum, like it or not.
HarleyK
Why do you "condemn" not keeping rays in sand ? I understand the nobility of keeping fish as close to their biotope as possible, but why condemn the keeper if its not the same?
What if the reason for not putting substrate is to compromise for better water quality? Do you also condemn people from the tropics that lives in europe or countries in cooler climate because their environment is not the same as their natural habitat?
What if the reason for not putting substrate is to compromise for better water quality? Do you also condemn people from the tropics that lives in europe or countries in cooler climate because their environment is not the same as their natural habitat?
Also, Harley, if you are providing the best possible environment for your fishes, why are you cycling your tank with your "Few sword tails and gouramis." Doesn't seem fair to them, or are they not worth the same as the pimas? Do they not deserve your expert knowledge in creating the perfect biotype environment?
Also, have you never purchased a fish with the intention to grow it out? I have done this with EVERY fish I own. I don't think it's the smartest thing to put in a 10,000 pond and place a 6 inch alligator gar in there to grow out. I think you need to understand there is a process of moving fish around as they grow. I can assure you the 900 gallon tank is the next step for Ivan in that process. Seems you concluded this on your own without asking.
Hey HarleyK,
the rebuttle. Betta are anabantoids, my friends who've collected them can tell you, many live naturally in a rainy ditch on the side of a road or rice field, its normal, 100cc is probably normal. Ponder a bit more on what I said earlier, much of what we keep in the aquarium, are bred in vats with more fish than there is water, and that is a fact, no my imagination. I'm not just a seller, honestly, many who know me, I'm more of a hobbyist and scientifically minded than most. I don't even sell or like to sell most of the fish I keep for myself, which is sometimes the majority of fish you see in my store Understanding what the fish needs is more important ultimately!
the rebuttle. Betta are anabantoids, my friends who've collected them can tell you, many live naturally in a rainy ditch on the side of a road or rice field, its normal, 100cc is probably normal. Ponder a bit more on what I said earlier, much of what we keep in the aquarium, are bred in vats with more fish than there is water, and that is a fact, no my imagination. I'm not just a seller, honestly, many who know me, I'm more of a hobbyist and scientifically minded than most. I don't even sell or like to sell most of the fish I keep for myself, which is sometimes the majority of fish you see in my store
Understanding what the fish needs is more important ultimately!HarleyK said:Howdy fugupuff,
no, I am not a veggie and I love my cows medium rare
That's part of a forum, like it or not.
HarleyK
I still think it depends on the shape, activity level, and type of fish, there are small fish that need big tanks like some of the halfbeaks, and big fish that do fine in smaller tanks like american eels and marbled gobys. With a little common sense it becomes a matter of personal preference.
i have a 125 g, and just got a 5-6 inch jardini aro. he will need to be upgraded by the time he reaches 20-24 inches. definately. but i am always paronoided about giving my fish enough room, b/c i do not want to prohibit their growth. also have 2 inch RD in a 55 g, shoudl be alright for a little while.
