Why?

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Fish do not stop growing just because a tank is small.
But in many cases they do stop growing in small tanks, because it is very hard to keep high quality water without massive daily water changes, so they become stunted as water becomes too high in nitrate and other growth inhibiting, stress producing compounds.
 
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Fish do not stop growing just because a tank is small.
But in many cases they do stop growing in small tanks, because it is very hard to keep high quality water without massive daily water changes, so they become stunted as water becomes too high in nitrate and other growth inhibiting, stress producing compounds.
 
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I know duanes duanes It was just my lame attempt at funny sarcasm. It didn't work out lol

I can't tell you how many people over the years that I have had conversation with that say, oh you keep fish, Me too, I have an oscar (or whatever fish) in a 10 gallon tank.
It's okay because they only grow to suit their environment!
My response is usually, do you keep a dog in a cage it can only turn around in?
NO thats cruel!
Then why do you keep your fish that way?
 
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I knew you knew G, but I'll bet there 'are" a bunch if not many people out there who actually believe the fish only growing to tank size BS.
When I answer anything here I figure there are many who are noobs without experience, and because I've been keeping fish since the late 1950s, have made tons of mistakes over the years, because back in the 50s and 60s there was a lot of misinformation, I hope to have others learn from my mistakes.
And I try never to get personal, just the facts as I see them, and have learned over almost 60 years of fish keeping.
 
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At 5yrs old my son had a better grasp of tank sizes required than most of the employees at our lfs
 
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BIG-G said:
So what you're saying is, My fish wont grow to suit the tank its in? I can't keep an oscar in a ten gallon, because it won't stop growing once it reaches that perfect fit?:confused:
:p
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Lol!!

You just have to stuff the oscar in. It'll fit lol. I always get a chuckle when I see a "how many fish can I fit in this tank" thread. It's like are you filing the tank with water or just stuff the fish in there :p?
 
Drstrangelove said:
I do.

But, should you? There's the rub.

Is it okay if you only owned a 90 with a midas? Is it okay if you only owned a 55 with a convict and a green terror (like me)? Is it okay if you've only owned 5 other CAs in a 90?

Or should you respond only if you've owned a 90g with a fh, midas, green terror, and a convict?
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kewpiefishypewpie said:
Let's be honest, we're all talking about Hendre Hendre right? Him and him alone?
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Hendre said:
Wouldn't be surprised if it's me...
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Angelphish said:
I've seen threads where one of the most well known members has never kept most of the fish he gives advice on, and his largest tank is a 55 (I believe). I always thought it was funny how anyone took him seriously.
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That's me. I am amazed that I am "one of the most well known members". Yes, my biggest tank is a 55, but I have taken care of my mother's 120 for her when she had it, and have a blow by blow history of the tank from when I was too young to remember. I also have friends and relatives with experience keeping a lot of things, some of whom have given me the same info, and some of whom I have helped care for their fish. I only have a 10 & a 55 right now, and never more than 3 tanks at any point in time, because that is all I am able to keep right now. I do answer threads about fish I have never kept. Maybe I should stop. I try to add a link to where I got the info, but maybe I should be careful to write "I have not kept this fish". I do spend a lot of time reading about fish, so I do know some stuff, but I understand I should be more clear about just how I have gottten my info.
Stanzzzz7 said:
This is very true.
When I started in the hobby my source for info was asking my dad,the guy at my local fish store and some outdated books.
I do believe this forum is a massive resource of very good information and it's pros definitely outway it's cons.
Regardless of who answers a post,there are normally enough replies for the newbie to gage from and go with the majority opinion.
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I did not have access to the internet until a little more than a year ago for social/religious reasons. I also lost many fish from bad advice gotten from people and old, unclear books. I am very thankful for the internet.
 
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The supposition that anyone who has not kept a particular fish is incapable of providing good advice is disproved everyday on this site. What about the folks that constantly qualify their advice with their extensive fish resume (see my first response to this thread)? Is advice superior by virtue of the advisor providing an up-front fish resume? I say the proof is in the pudding and the fish resume is extraneous.

At the end of the day, we are all here to help each other become better fish keepers. We should all be saying things like this:
"I have had success doing it like this...."
"If it were me, I would try...."
"I've heard that this works...."
"I read somewhere that such and such might be the trick"

That said, it's important to reflect on what you are qualified to talk about. I will use myself as an example: I've maintained 4 different fish racks with central sumps for work and built one for myself, so I figured I should be able to help a guy that was having sump issues with his big tank. I quickly realized that while my advice was first to the punch and was helpful in that regard, those that chimed in later had better advice and I need to STFU and learn more about sumps attached to single big tanks. Was I wrong to try and help the guy when no one had responded to him yet? Absolutely not. Was I wrong to try and help a guy setting up a 300 gallon tank when the biggest I've personally set up is 180g? No way. Would I have been wrong to continue to provide advice in that thread once those that obviously knew better had stepped in to help? Yes.
 
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Grinch said:
The supposition that anyone who has not kept a particular fish is incapable of providing good advice is disproved everyday on this site. What about the folks that constantly qualify their advice with their extensive fish resume (see my first response to this thread)? Is advice superior by virtue of the advisor providing an up-front fish resume? I say the proof is in the pudding and the fish resume is extraneous.

At the end of the day, we are all here to help each other become better fish keepers. We should all be saying things like this:
"I have had success doing it like this...."
"If it were me, I would try...."
"I've heard that this works...."
"I read somewhere that such and such might be the trick"

That said, it's important to reflect on what you are qualified to talk about. I will use myself as an example: I've maintained 4 different fish racks with central sumps for work and built one for myself, so I figured I should be able to help a guy that was having sump issues with his big tank. I quickly realized that while my advice was first to the punch and was helpful in that regard, those that chimed in later had better advice and I need to STFU and learn more about sumps attached to single big tanks. Was I wrong to try and help the guy when no one had responded to him yet? Absolutely not. Was I wrong to try and help a guy setting up a 300 gallon tank when the biggest I've personally set up is 180g? No way. Would I have been wrong to continue to provide advice in that thread once those that obviously knew better had stepped in to help? Yes.
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Nothing you said is wrong but i think this part is what some people have issues doing :

"I quickly realized that while my advice was first to the punch and was helpful in that regard, those that chimed in later had better advice and I need to STFU and learn more about sumps"

Some just try to shove their narrative through thick and thin.



Say i ask how big of a tank should i get for my senegalus.

Someone who never kept the fish or has only kept it for a short time googles thos and replies "your gonna need a big tank they get 20 inches"

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile41.html

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/polypterus-senegalus-senegalus/

Thats clearly wrong and might steer me away from getting one. This is where i think a "hey just found this online" or "i never kept one long term but this is what i found" would be a better reply
 
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jaws7777 said:
Nothing you said is wrong but i think this part is what some people have issues doing :

"I quickly realized that while my advice was first to the punch and was helpful in that regard, those that chimed in later had better advice and I need to STFU and learn more about sumps"

Some just try to shove their narrative through thick and thin.



Say i ask how big of a tank should i get for my senegalus.

Someone who never kept the fish or has only kept it for a short time googles thos and replies "your gonna need a big tank they get 20 inches"

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile41.html

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/polypterus-senegalus-senegalus/

Thats clearly wrong and might steer me away from getting one. This is where i think a "hey just found this online" or "i never kept one long term but this is what i found" would be a better reply
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Not many fish are a taxanomic nightmare like polys, and while one subspecies may just be that big I googled it and saw links to here and mostly 12" which is somewhat correct
 
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