minimum tank size for an Ornate
- Thread starter klmt
- Start date
I own an ornate that is now close to 18" and she seems fine in my 135. If I had another six foot long tank that was two feet deep instead of the 18" deep my 135 is I think that would be a better setup.
Now that she has lost some weght she seems to be fine in the 135 though. Her diet has done wonders for her. She's still thick but moves around more (not a complete slug basically) and just seems to have an easier time turning around in general.
Now that she has lost some weght she seems to be fine in the 135 though. Her diet has done wonders for her. She's still thick but moves around more (not a complete slug basically) and just seems to have an easier time turning around in general.
120g would be the minimum. Any bichir that get up to 20" have minimum tank size of 120g.
1-4" 10-20g
5-8" 29-35g
9-12" 40-55g
13-15" 75-90g
16-18" 100g
19-20" 120g
21-25" 160g
30" 180g
31"+ 200g+
Note: There is a twist to this. With enough filter for the bio-load, you can keep more bichirs of the same size in one tank.
For example: You can keep 5 bichirs or more that are 12" in a 55g tank, but once they get up to 15"+ you should move them to a 90g or bigger.
1-4" 10-20g
5-8" 29-35g
9-12" 40-55g
13-15" 75-90g
16-18" 100g
19-20" 120g
21-25" 160g
30" 180g
31"+ 200g+
Note: There is a twist to this. With enough filter for the bio-load, you can keep more bichirs of the same size in one tank.
For example: You can keep 5 bichirs or more that are 12" in a 55g tank, but once they get up to 15"+ you should move them to a 90g or bigger.
I would have to agree with King-eL. The number of bichirs is something I didn't mention. Princess, my ornate, has roughly the same bio-load affect as a cichlid like a RD or oscar that is in the 8-10" range.
Overall fish mass should be taken into consideration for stocking and filtering a tank.
Let's face it, you can keep 6-8 upper jaw bichirs (the ones who stay under 20" altogether) in a 75 gallon tank easily. Two adult oscars will create more waste than those same adult bichirs would in any given time period.
I find that most bichirs prefer being with other bichirs. Keeping more always seems to be a better choice.
Overall fish mass should be taken into consideration for stocking and filtering a tank.
Let's face it, you can keep 6-8 upper jaw bichirs (the ones who stay under 20" altogether) in a 75 gallon tank easily. Two adult oscars will create more waste than those same adult bichirs would in any given time period.
I find that most bichirs prefer being with other bichirs. Keeping more always seems to be a better choice.
Talking in gallons is useless, for polys its the footprint that counts. IMO 5x2' footprint would be the minimum, no fish should be kept in a tank that isn't wider than the fish is long...