Does aquarium height matter for most fish

[Fishguy679]

Do extra tall aquariums help in any way in terms of territory and space for fish versus standard sized tanks with the same footprint? Like if you had a 225 over a 180 or a 90/110 over a 75 gallon would it enable you to get more fish and give your fish more territory or is it just empty gallons?

 

[tlindsey]

Do extra tall aquariums help in any way in terms of territory and space for fish versus standard sized tanks with the same footprint? Like if you had a 225 over a 180 or a 90/110 over a 75 gallon would it enable you to get more fish and give your fish more territory or is it just empty gallons?

It would actually depends on the fish species and other variables. Like for example I have 5 Senegal bichirs in a aquarium on their own, and feel the upper space is not utilized. Great question btw.

 

[freak78]

I would prefer a 180 over a 220 since it's 5 inches shorter. But I have a 220 cause I couldn't pass up the deal.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

It definitely depends on the fish. For most fish, in my limited experience, I would say footprint is more important, as long as the height is decent and not something like 6". There are fish that prefer height over footprint, and those that prefer both.

For example, I know that discus prefer taller tanks because of their habits of swimming up and down. Then, stingrays prefer a very large footprint and don't need much height because of their body shape and habits of swimming mostly along the bottom.

If you have a fish in mind, I'm sure that some more experienced fish keepers can try to point you to the right direction of a tank for them.

 

[bapitch757]

In my experience it depends on type of fish in the tank. So do your homework on what you want to put in your tank to utilize all the space.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

The height is more suite for community tank cause it will give you the look of depth and utilize the busy active looking tank with multi species from top to bottom, it's also easier to setup an biotope tank that focus on long branch, roots type driftwood.

 

[Coryloach]

I've personally found out that my fish are happier in deeper tanks providing the footprint is the required length. Even if fish don't utilize the upper areas all the time, they do feel more secure having the extra height of water volume to swim into when feeling threatened or scared, etc.. And that's coming from a person that has kept bottom feeders 99% of their fish keeping experience....Even corydoras, which are strictly bottom fish, go bonkers at all levels providing there are decorations such as wood/branches/plants for them to explore in upper areas. Those that haven't seen their fish exploring the full height of the tank probably lack cover at upper areas for the fish to feel comfortable to venture into...

Very few fish will not benefit from the extra height, plus extra water means healthier tank given the same footprint. If it happens that the type of fish one keeps strictly occupy the bottom 99% of the time(unlikely) then one can get a school of top dwelling fish to "fill" the empty space.

 

[Fishguy679]

I was asking beacause i just got a 180, but I also could have fit a 225 beacause there the same footprint and I was wondering if I got a 225 instead if I would have had more options (and the 180 is going to be a cichlid community it with larger/ mid sized sa and ca cichlids like Oscars, Dempseys, convicts ECT and maybe a large catfish or 2 and some silver dollars. For what I'm stocking my tank with, if I had gotten a 225 would it have enabled me to get more fish and keep aggression down?

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I was asking beacause i just got a 180, but I also could have fit a 225 beacause there the same footprint and I was wondering if I got a 225 instead if I would have had more options (and the 180 is going to be a cichlid community it with larger/ mid sized sa and ca cichlids like Oscars, Dempseys, convicts ECT and maybe a large catfish or 2 and some silver dollars. For what I'm stocking my tank with, if I had gotten a 225 would it have enabled me to get more fish and keep aggression down?

The more water volume is best for larger fish setup, the aggression won't be different between 180 and 225 foot print, it's all depend on species you want to keep and each personality.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; To me the depth of the tank depends on the length of my arm. I want to be able to touch the bottom with my fingers.
I also like for the top of a tank to be no higher than my arm pit when on a stand.

That said however, if I ever had a place and could have a truly large tank those two preferences would be dismissed quickly. On Clinton highway in Knoxville TN there is a fish shop Aquatic Marine) with a 1200 gallon acrylic on display. I have hinted several times that it would be a nice Christmas present. No luck so far.