My all time favourite comm tanks

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I cannot call any of those gorgeous tanks a 'community'. Yes, very many, very large, healthy looking, and very beautiful fish in large tanks, but hardly communities.
The term 'community' in ecology has a very specific meaning. I am okay relaxing it substantially in the context of aquarium keeping, but not completely. Perhaps 'group', 'crew', 'fishy denisens' or a number of other terms may be more appropriate.

Admittedly, a matter of opinion.
In my mind, a community implies combinations of members of a number of groups not present on those set-ups - A physical media (sand, gravel, etc), where benthonic organisms (macro and micro) can live, plants playing playing a role in biogeochemical processes, physical elements of decor, planktonic denisens, and of course, the fish interacting with the other members. In a crowded large tank full of beautiful fish (and nothing else), I see just that but barely (or not at all) a community.
 
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FJB said:
I cannot call any of those gorgeous tanks a 'community'. Yes, very many, very large, healthy looking, and very beautiful fish in large tanks, but hardly communities.
The term 'community' in ecology has a very specific meaning. I am okay relaxing it substantially in the context of aquarium keeping, but not completely. Perhaps 'group', 'crew', 'fishy denisens' or a number of other terms may be more appropriate.

Admittedly, a matter of opinion.
In my mind, a community implies combinations of members of a number of groups not present on those set-ups - A physical media (sand, gravel, etc), where benthonic organisms (macro and micro) can live, plants playing playing a role in biogeochemical processes, physical elements of decor, planktonic denisens, and of course, the fish interacting with the other members. In a crowded large tank full of beautiful fish (and nothing else), I see just that but barely (or not at all) a community.
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Technically that’s an ecosystem by definition, but I get what you mean.
 
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i would agree that these are not communities... hard to watch a tank with no substrate and jammed full with huge fish. much more pleasing when there are groups of fish, decoration and different sized fish with different trophic needs.

these tanks are chaotic and anxious- something that, to me, is in direct opposition of how i view my hobby and why i enjoy it.
 
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Millions who own these style of set ups would argue the definition of community tank, aka comm tank, which is exactly what they refer to them as. The term "community" is used rather loosely in this hobby, and always has been.

Like it, don't like it, different story altogether.
 
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By that logic (not referring to your post RD.)
90% of people in this hobby who use the term 'community tank ' are using it the wrong way .....perhaps we should start referring to such tanks as Bunch-of-fish-who-don't-belong-together-chucked-in-one-tank :)
 
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RD. said:
Millions who own these style of set ups would argue the definition of community tank, aka comm tank, which is exactly what they refer to them as. The term "community" is used rather loosely in this hobby, and always has been.

Like it, don't like it, different story altogether.
Click to expand...
i guess in this instance the common ground by which they are defining community, is residing in the same place.
 
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