Does tank depth matter?

[ygwilliam]

does the depth of a tank matter as much as the water volume and the quality of the water? Let’s say for a RTC or an arowana. Is tank depth as important as water volume? Say I had a tank that was 9 feet long by 8 feet wide by 12 inches deep would that be a big enough water for either of those fish? What if you were to add 100 gallons of sump space to that? All of this is a theoretical question.

 

[Backfromthedead]

While most would say height is not as important as the footprint defining dimensions of a tank, i believe adequate height plays a very important role in the health of some fish. Fish use their swim bladder to regulate pressure and buoyancy as they traverse up and down the water column. I suspect short tanks do not stimulate this organ very much in active fish like cichlids and characins. But the fish you mentioned, catfish and aros, have specialized swim bladders that make them more comfortable at specific depths like the top and bottom of the tank.

In summation, i can't be certain but i would think at least 24" depth for either fish you mentioned.

 

[islandguy11]

I think it depends on the kind of fish one is talking about (not to mention their age/size) . Shallower depth might be ok for a younger RTC (keeping in mind how friggin' huge they get of course, so I doubt 12" would be good long-term), but imo the Arowana would prefer some more depth of at least 24-30", esp. if it's got tank mates -- Aros are top dwellers and they generally want to rule that area, which in a 12" tank you'd really only have one swim zone so it'd likely be asking for problems some way or another.

 

[Rocksor]

That would make a nice bichir tank. They like go up to the water line and take in some air, so they don't need really tall tanks.

 

[PYRU]

Well common sense is going to have to come into play. You can't take a 1ft tall fish and put it in a 1ft tall tank. You research your fish and make a judgement call.

That's just a very general statement like the 1" per month growth thing.

 

[ygwilliam]

Ya all of that makes sense... so really it depends on the fish and where it likes to hang out... so you would have to do all top dwellers or all bottom dwellers is what I’m getting from this and they would also not have to grow so tall

 

[Lilyann]

Just like most anything in life, it depends.
Altum Angels, for example, need ( at minimum) a 24 inch tall tank- but, a 30 inch tank is recommended due the high dorsal and trailing fins. This is much more important than the length. Of course, length is important as well; but relative to the need for height, it is much less so.