Why do many Filipinos like putting potentially large fish in small tanks?

[kureyton]

I see many people in the Philippines put alligator gars in small aquariums, including channa argus, like seriously these fish grow up to a meter where are you gonna put them when they grow huge. If ever they don't grow it is because their growth is stunted due to the limited tank dimensions. I've talked to some people who intentionally plan on stunting their fishes' growth..

 

[Dloks]

That’s the Pinoy way I guess

 

[krichardson]

That’s the Pinoy way I guess

.....and it aint exclusive to the Pinoys either.I recall visiting a family friend years ago who had a twenty gallon tank on one of those wrought iron stands in her living room.In the tank was some species of gar which was about ten inches in length. The woman proudly explained to me that she'd gotten the gar when it was small and she said she's had it in that tank for years.

 

[FishBeast]

Not exclusive to Filipinos, but seems more prevalent there and in East and Southeast Asia in general. Could be a combination of lack of resources for a massive tank, relatively affordable fish prices, a potential deficit of knowledge, and even a different aesthetic sense, etc.

 

[kureyton]

.....and it aint exclusive to the Pinoys either.I recall visiting a family friend years ago who had a twenty gallon tank on one of those wrought iron stands in her living room.In the tank was some species of gar which was about ten inches in length. The woman proudly explained to me that she'd gotten the gar when it was small and she said she's had it in that tank for years.

So the gar hasn't grown for years

 

[kureyton]

Not exclusive to Filipinos, but seems more prevalent there and in East and Southeast Asia in general. Could be a combination of lack of resources for a massive tank, relatively affordable fish prices, a potential deficit of knowledge, and even a different aesthetic sense, etc.

Could be a lack of knowledge, especially in my country.

 

[taksan]

On the flip side .... I’ve never seen as many genuinely big freshwater tanks say 500g and up as in SE Asia and China including quite a few in the Philippines

 

[krichardson]

No.

 

[ny.subway]

I think its because the scarcity of big tanks and having a pond with a potential of flooding disasters. I've seen this more in southeast asia. They start with small tanks then when it got big, they make a make shift pond then a typhoon comes and that fish will be everywhere.

 

[burntrubber]

In Asia, lack of space, expensive tanks and cheap fish.