Dilemma in Tank Size

[BalaBabu]

Hi All,

I am in a process of getting a new 180 gallon tank, but due to space constraint, I had to lean more towards 42x42x24 inches (80%) rather than conventional 72x24x24 inches in size.

At present I have a 55 gallon housing a giant gourami-4inch and 6 tiger barbs filtered by sun sun 304b.This upgrade will be mainly for giant gourami, but I may also add a pearl arowana in the future as well as some other monster fishes.

Now my question is, As it has not got the length like 72x24x24, Will 42x42x24 be enough for my giant gourami and most of the other monster fishes (excluding fishes that get more than 2ft).

opinions are welcome

 

[Rossy]

Do you have any pictures of the fish?

 

[esoxlucius]

I think most people who keep giant gouramis and are fortunate enough to be able to house them in 300g+ tanks will jump on the band wagon and say a 180 is way to small a tank. You can also go on line and look at some care sheets for these fish that will say a 200g tank is the very minimum size of tank required for this fish. I have a red tail (osphronemus laticlavius), on her own, in a standard sized 180 and she is knocking on 15" now. Her growth is slowing down, i don't expect her to get much bigger, maybe a couple of inch, the red tail is considered the smallest of the giants (there are 3 or 4 types of gg).

I had misgivings at first about keeping her in this tank but she is absolutely fine. I keep her water pristeen, she's fed better than my kids and even though i will be building a 300g ish plywood tank in the next 18 months or so i don't really have any plans to put her in it, that will be for my other fish, that's subject to change though if i think for one minute that she's struggling in the 180. That's my take on my situation with my RTGG.

However, your situation is a little different. You plan to change the dimensions of your 180 to basically a three and a half foot square tank. Whether this is better or worse than a standard 180 i wouldn't really like to say, others might chirp in on that one, but you also say that you plan on putting other monsters in with your GG....absolutely not. If you plan, like me, to house a fish in a tank that's considered to be under the minimum tank requirement, then you must at least keep the fish alone.

Importantly, also, do you know which kind of GG you have. If it is the osphronemus goramy then that might be a game changer. This is considered the biggest of the gouramis and could hit 22" in an aquarium, even more, in which case even i wouldn't consider it on its own let alone with tank mates.

 

[Drstrangelove]

I haven't kept a GG, but lots of people have, so I'll repeat some of their opinions plus add some metrics.

First, post a picture so people can identify which GG you mean as that will help to some extent. That will certainly help modify my general points below, again, to an extent.

Second, there is no advice people can give you that will be meaningful to you unless you tell us your long term plans. A tank with one fish that might work for 2 years, could be a horrible choice if you intend the tank to last for the life of the fish, or if you insist on adding more fish. Many people who want these fish are prepared to upgrade. From your OP, you aren't.

Third, unless you share with us your commitment to the tank and it's water quality, it's again pointless to ask for advice. Getting a monster fish is far easier than keeping one properly. E.g., a monster fish owner that is only willing to do one 30-40% water change a week will be better served with a 500 gallon tank, rather than a 180 gallon tank, assuming the exact same stock. So we need to know which hobbyist you are: the one who will do changes as needed, or the one who that will do them provided it's convenient.

Fourth, there are many physical and logistical reasons why a 42" wide tank that is also 24" tall will not work. Reaching in and working inside the tank will be far more difficult than any standard 240 or 300 gallon tank.

So, having said that, my opinion is that this tank will likely not last for the life of the GG. This has nothing to do with the dimensions, but the ultimate mass of the fish, as whether it is finally 20", 22" or 24", the demands on the owner will be extensive. I project nitrates will be 20+ ppm per day, meaning water changes of 75-90% every other day would be the norm.

A fish that size, in a tank that small, will force the owner to forego any other fish of any significant size (e.g., over 5"), due to even larger amounts of nitrates, (although aggression and killings may prove to be more of a problem.) The high nitrates will lower appetite, reduce immune systems and reduce their health.

GGs are long living fish, so intentionally placing them in those conditions isn't something I'd choose to do.

Unless you are seriously prepared to do massive and almost daily water changes and to reduce the tank population to one large fish (with perhaps several relatively small fish), or to upgrade the tank to something like 300+ gallons, I'd make other choices.

There are certainly dozens and dozens of other species that will be more appropriate in that tank, and even more that would be better served with a less wide and less tall tank, if you have space limitations.

 

[duanes]

I kept a few Osphronemos goramy many years ago, in a 6ft tank, before I knew any better. It took them less than 2 years to outgrow it.
In the 4ft tank suggested in the OP, I doubt any other fish would fit with them, in less than that span of time.
They are vegetarians as adults, and mine could polish off a head of romaine lettuce in only moments, and soon create a waste load to match, so giant water changes with constant vacuuming were needed almost every day to keep up with the bioload.

 

[BalaBabu]

Hi,

Thank you all for the valuable inputs.

Sorry to have left my post half baked.

The GG i have is an albino one, osphronemus goramy.

At present I am doing a weekly waterchange of 50 percent and I will be able to do the water change as per the need.

I am into this hobby past 15years, but mostly I have kept a single flowerhorn or an oscar and planted tanks.My previous GG has gotten big and I have given that to a friend, unfortunately I was not able to provide an upgrade.If it really grows big then I know friends who hav bigger tanks and pond, who can take it.

But I want to house it for a longer term this time.I know they are giants and get really big especially the white ones, thats why I came to this tank size 42x42x24 thinking it can house them comfortably as it has got the width, and wanted to get the suggestion from experienced people over here, bcoz I may be wrong.

I completely agree to the raise in ammonia and nitrate levels, which I can deal by doing frequent water changes and I am ready to house it all alone, if needed.But had a thought that I can put some other also, especially a pearl arowana and not a silver.

Now pls guide me as to which tank dimension can help me house it comfortably if kept alone for atleast next 3 years a 42x42x24 or a 72x24x24 or what is the minimum tank size that I have to get to house them for that some period.

It may be my misconception that I beleived width is more important than length, for bigger fishes, which made me to think about the 42x42x42 tank dimension.

I am not in any plan to overstock my tank, I want the fish I have got to be comfortable and I have attached a pic of my GG.

Thank you

 

[BalaBabu]

some more pics...

 

[esoxlucius]

There's the game changer i was talking about. That osphronemus goramy will get 4 or 5" bigger than my red tail, maybe more. When you also start adding extra depth and girth on the fish too then you're looking at a true monster, it will dwarf my red tail. As mentioned earlier i consider myself right on the border of acceptability housing mine in a standard 180, bearing in mind she is the smallest of the giants. Yours is the biggest of the giants and if i was you and i had that fish in my 180 i'd be looking to change my standard 180 (72x24x24) into an 84x30x30 which is around the low 300g, and that i consider a minimum.

All that said, if you've set your heart on keeping this fish for as long as possible in that tank you have, whether you go 72x24x24 or 42x42x24 then i strongly urge you, especislly as the fish grows, and it will be rapid, that you have a scheduled water change regime that's befitting of such an enormous bio load.

Further down the line i predict that you will get sick of looking at your 22"+ monster looking cramped in your tank and you will let it go to your friend with the pond. But in the meantime enjoy your fish, they are truly wonderful creatures. Good luck.

 

[BalaBabu]

Hi esoxlucius,

Thank you.Its true what you said, and due to some constraint, I too will not be able to house it for long. But let me enjoy my fish, till the period I have it.

 

[duanes]

Many people buy them as cute youngsters like yours, and then need to give them away, which is very difficult (most zoos do not have the proper space), unless they will eventually be used as a meal.(which may in the end, be the most humane solution)