Pet Stores Selling Monster Fish
- Thread starter Kissyboots
- Start date
I'm going to have to delete my signature, lol. That was from like 3 years ago when I thought that getting a business degree that May meant I was going to get a good paying job rather than me working at a call center and then living on unemployment like I am today. All those fish are dead now except for two mbuna and the black tetra. So 55 gallon never came into fruition. I moved in the fall of that year (2006) and while I was gone for two months my family neglected my tanks and I lost a few fish like my frontosa and I don't even remember what happened to my clown loaches.
Later I had a new 10 gallon set up at my house because when my parents brought my furniture they brought my empty ten gallon (what was left what was originally in the tank got put into my brothers ten gallon). A snail survived in the ecocomplete in my parents garage for an entire week and that ecocomplete was in a bucket and not really wet. So that was interesting to see him appear when I set that tank up again. I got some stuff for the new tank.
Two months later, I visited my parents for Christmas and while I was there I did the daring stunt of moving my 29 gallon thru a 5-6 hour drive to my house. Then my brother decided he didn't want his fish anymore so I inherited a bunch of fish. I moved like 27 fish and 24 or 25 survived the trip. I did not really feel like remaking that huge rock structure that made caves in my 29 gallon again because I was exhausted after taking down a 29 gallon and rebuilding it all in one day and driving for 5 hours. My 10 gallon inadvertently ended up being over stocked. And I started working alot of hours so I didn't have much time for fish and I kind of lost interest in the hobby. About 3 months later there was a huge wave of deaths. The lack of hiding spaces in the mbuna tank eventually caused the two dominate fish to push the other mbunas to extinction. After about a year and a half of not really being interested in the hobby, I eventually decided to rebuild my tank to the glory it was on the website in my signature.
My last two mbunas (the alpha males) got put into a 10 gallon. I will probably get criticized to death for this but it end up working out. I originally bought a tank divider but it required way to much physical strength to put it together so that idea got scrapped. They seem to get along well. They don't really defend the territory outside their caves and both of them have access to 90% of the territory in the tank. Between the ecocomplete and the driftwood, they each have dug their own caves under them. The smaller mbuna managed to make a cave entrance small enough that the bigger one could never get in there. They have been in this set up for about a year now and both are in good health. They are each around 4 inches long and were fully grown long before this set up so there is no stunted growth issues. The Pseudotropheus elongatus maxes out at 12 cm and the blue and red finned Pseudotropheus is about a cm longer. Mbunas are among the hardiest fish I have ever dealt with in the hobby. There is no plants in this tank and there is mostly open space above the gravel, the driftwood is mostly flat on the ground. I have always had algae issues in this tank so it often looks like crap. The ecocomplete probably fuels the algae with nutrients. I would never recommend anyone to do this set up because in my case, I more than likely got lucky that it worked out. It is far from the ideal setup but outside of less swimming space, I don't really see any problems with it.
My 29 gallon set up currently is:
5 Platies
5 Tiger Barbs
5 Cories
5 Neons
5 Rasboras
4 Otos
1 Black Tetra
1 Zebra Danio
The Black Tetra and the Zebra Danio are the last survivors from the schools they were originally in. I have no interest in restoring their schools. The 29 gallon is slightly overstocked according to the inch per gallon rule. I got a little too excited when I bought most of the new fish a month ago and forgot that cories get 2 inches long or bigger. And no the tiger barbs do not fin nip the black tetra. But since this tank is now very appealing to look it I will get taken care of.
Now, considering the post history of the people talking to me, I expect to be condemned or whatnot but it will go in one ear and out the other. I shall give a preemptive response. I don't come to this usually come to this forum for advice but yet people feel the need to give it to me anyways. If I actually followed the advice people gave me I wouldn't have this much experience with this many species of fish. Very few people can actually afford to get a 75+ gallon tank or whatever other nonsense people recommend getting because a fish might live to adulthood. It takes a frontosa 4-5 years to even reach his adult size.
This forum has a certain attitude about fish that is far different from mine. For me, this is biology and ecology research in my own home. My fish aren't pets in the same way dogs and cats are. These tanks are dynamic ecosystems and just like real ecosystems life sometimes dies. I've had people tell me I am not in the hobby for the fish and whatnot but really, why are they held to such a high standard? We give bigger fish feeder fish and that is okay but it is wrong for the main tank fish to die. What about all those fish that are caught by fishing boats? I'm sure they suffer alot worse because I don't think they get put out of their misery directly. If you ever ate fish then you are guilty of fish torture. We kill pigs which are intelligent animals for food. Our society has done alot of biological research on lab rats for the good of mankind and I am sure you all are somehow benefiting from this research in some way. Zebra Danios are used like lab rats. The concept of keeping fish in aquariums could be considered cruel because of what they go thru for delivery and the nasty conditions of the pet shop, then later on to inexperienced fish keeper that have uncycled tanks. By participating in this hobby you are supporting the very industry that causes the fish cruelty you speak out against.
So to be honest, I don't buy this logic of putting aquarium fish on a pedestal. For me, they aren't pets, they are specimens. I purposely test the common claims of this forum and find there is alot of very restrictive advice going around what can go in what tank and much of it is completely blown out of proportion. The webmaster of age of aquariums Aquariums & Tropical Fish: My Personal Collection had alot aquariums that broke alot of the conventional wisdom that is spread on this forum. My goal here is to bring in alternate viewpoints as a way to eliminate this strong bias that in my opinion has made this forum a very unpleasant place to be due to the forum bullying against anyone that dares to treat fish like anything less than a cat or dog. It gets really old having to hide what is in your tank because some people feel the need to look at your signature and criticize your fish selection whether you ask for advice or not.
So what I do is instead of telling people that they have to absolutely buy a bigger tank, I give them pros and cons of each situation and let them decide. Things like telling people that zebra danios absolutely need a 20 gallon tank for the sake of swim space is just absolute nonsense. You see this? Fish Tank of October '98 at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish This tank got tank of the month and it is a 5 gallon with 5 danios, 5 serpae tetras, 2 otos, and 1 cory. Aside from the lone cory, I see nothing wrong with this tank. This website has had some pretty hardcore tanks that have been featured as tank of the month, especially in later years and has featured entries from over 20 different countries. I have kept a low profile since my return to these forums until now, but I feel alot of these issues have to be addressed because of the warrantless attacks about my fish selection on my signature that I no longer even have when I haven't asked for advice on this forum to begin with.
Later I had a new 10 gallon set up at my house because when my parents brought my furniture they brought my empty ten gallon (what was left what was originally in the tank got put into my brothers ten gallon). A snail survived in the ecocomplete in my parents garage for an entire week and that ecocomplete was in a bucket and not really wet. So that was interesting to see him appear when I set that tank up again. I got some stuff for the new tank.
Two months later, I visited my parents for Christmas and while I was there I did the daring stunt of moving my 29 gallon thru a 5-6 hour drive to my house. Then my brother decided he didn't want his fish anymore so I inherited a bunch of fish. I moved like 27 fish and 24 or 25 survived the trip. I did not really feel like remaking that huge rock structure that made caves in my 29 gallon again because I was exhausted after taking down a 29 gallon and rebuilding it all in one day and driving for 5 hours. My 10 gallon inadvertently ended up being over stocked. And I started working alot of hours so I didn't have much time for fish and I kind of lost interest in the hobby. About 3 months later there was a huge wave of deaths. The lack of hiding spaces in the mbuna tank eventually caused the two dominate fish to push the other mbunas to extinction. After about a year and a half of not really being interested in the hobby, I eventually decided to rebuild my tank to the glory it was on the website in my signature.
My last two mbunas (the alpha males) got put into a 10 gallon. I will probably get criticized to death for this but it end up working out. I originally bought a tank divider but it required way to much physical strength to put it together so that idea got scrapped. They seem to get along well. They don't really defend the territory outside their caves and both of them have access to 90% of the territory in the tank. Between the ecocomplete and the driftwood, they each have dug their own caves under them. The smaller mbuna managed to make a cave entrance small enough that the bigger one could never get in there. They have been in this set up for about a year now and both are in good health. They are each around 4 inches long and were fully grown long before this set up so there is no stunted growth issues. The Pseudotropheus elongatus maxes out at 12 cm and the blue and red finned Pseudotropheus is about a cm longer. Mbunas are among the hardiest fish I have ever dealt with in the hobby. There is no plants in this tank and there is mostly open space above the gravel, the driftwood is mostly flat on the ground. I have always had algae issues in this tank so it often looks like crap. The ecocomplete probably fuels the algae with nutrients. I would never recommend anyone to do this set up because in my case, I more than likely got lucky that it worked out. It is far from the ideal setup but outside of less swimming space, I don't really see any problems with it.
My 29 gallon set up currently is:
5 Platies
5 Tiger Barbs
5 Cories
5 Neons
5 Rasboras
4 Otos
1 Black Tetra
1 Zebra Danio
The Black Tetra and the Zebra Danio are the last survivors from the schools they were originally in. I have no interest in restoring their schools. The 29 gallon is slightly overstocked according to the inch per gallon rule. I got a little too excited when I bought most of the new fish a month ago and forgot that cories get 2 inches long or bigger. And no the tiger barbs do not fin nip the black tetra. But since this tank is now very appealing to look it I will get taken care of.
Now, considering the post history of the people talking to me, I expect to be condemned or whatnot but it will go in one ear and out the other. I shall give a preemptive response. I don't come to this usually come to this forum for advice but yet people feel the need to give it to me anyways. If I actually followed the advice people gave me I wouldn't have this much experience with this many species of fish. Very few people can actually afford to get a 75+ gallon tank or whatever other nonsense people recommend getting because a fish might live to adulthood. It takes a frontosa 4-5 years to even reach his adult size.
This forum has a certain attitude about fish that is far different from mine. For me, this is biology and ecology research in my own home. My fish aren't pets in the same way dogs and cats are. These tanks are dynamic ecosystems and just like real ecosystems life sometimes dies. I've had people tell me I am not in the hobby for the fish and whatnot but really, why are they held to such a high standard? We give bigger fish feeder fish and that is okay but it is wrong for the main tank fish to die. What about all those fish that are caught by fishing boats? I'm sure they suffer alot worse because I don't think they get put out of their misery directly. If you ever ate fish then you are guilty of fish torture. We kill pigs which are intelligent animals for food. Our society has done alot of biological research on lab rats for the good of mankind and I am sure you all are somehow benefiting from this research in some way. Zebra Danios are used like lab rats. The concept of keeping fish in aquariums could be considered cruel because of what they go thru for delivery and the nasty conditions of the pet shop, then later on to inexperienced fish keeper that have uncycled tanks. By participating in this hobby you are supporting the very industry that causes the fish cruelty you speak out against.
So to be honest, I don't buy this logic of putting aquarium fish on a pedestal. For me, they aren't pets, they are specimens. I purposely test the common claims of this forum and find there is alot of very restrictive advice going around what can go in what tank and much of it is completely blown out of proportion. The webmaster of age of aquariums Aquariums & Tropical Fish: My Personal Collection had alot aquariums that broke alot of the conventional wisdom that is spread on this forum. My goal here is to bring in alternate viewpoints as a way to eliminate this strong bias that in my opinion has made this forum a very unpleasant place to be due to the forum bullying against anyone that dares to treat fish like anything less than a cat or dog. It gets really old having to hide what is in your tank because some people feel the need to look at your signature and criticize your fish selection whether you ask for advice or not.
So what I do is instead of telling people that they have to absolutely buy a bigger tank, I give them pros and cons of each situation and let them decide. Things like telling people that zebra danios absolutely need a 20 gallon tank for the sake of swim space is just absolute nonsense. You see this? Fish Tank of October '98 at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish This tank got tank of the month and it is a 5 gallon with 5 danios, 5 serpae tetras, 2 otos, and 1 cory. Aside from the lone cory, I see nothing wrong with this tank. This website has had some pretty hardcore tanks that have been featured as tank of the month, especially in later years and has featured entries from over 20 different countries. I have kept a low profile since my return to these forums until now, but I feel alot of these issues have to be addressed because of the warrantless attacks about my fish selection on my signature that I no longer even have when I haven't asked for advice on this forum to begin with.
I'm going to try and do this without getting into an ethics debate... Cause those suck 
.
*For the most part* I tend to agree with Swordtail8... Especially in that he didn't ask for advice. I tend to view my fish as tertiary to the biology and technology of the over all system. Basically the livestock tell me if I'm doing something wrong or even right. In doing so I do some things I would NEVER recommend to the vast majority of aquarists... Ever wonder why I don't have my tanks/livestock listed in my sig? Just because something can doesn't mean one should though and I don't want someone to think everything is OK. Once one understands the details, things can be pushed... Once one understands the details behind the details one can have success with the envelope being pushed without it being coincidence. As evidence by the pic's/TOTM's from Aquahobby. BTW I was VERY active over there about 9 years ago. Last time I checked some of the regular posters are now mods, all VERY good people with a firm grasp of what I'm refering to. Not trying to imply people here aren't because some are, just trying to make a point before it comes up .
Now I just want to clarify something, I'm not trying to say people should never keep large fish. If they have a viable long term plan and can give it the best care possible for the time being... whatever. Note though viable is the key word there. One needs to know their local market well to be able to know if they will be able to rehome a large fish. And I don't mean asking your LFS employee, manager or even owner. For example if I wanted to grow out a Jardini (again) or Asian Aro for resale, I know at least 2 LFS' and 5 or 6 individuals that would buy a 10"er in a heart beat. Another example, doing the same with a Frontosa would not be a good idea... The market is saturated with large Fronts right now as evidence of a few tanks full of large ones, at a lower price than they have been in years, scattered around the city. 8-10" Berundi's are selling for $120 when 2 or 3 years ago a nice male at that size would be priced at $400-$500.
So far as general overstocking... Again, if one knows what they are doing... It *normally* isn't a problem. As said before though, a viable long term plan is key. Hey, it's been used as a tool for distributing aggression in Mbuna for years. It's not that far of a jump to use it with other fish. The reason I don't normally publicly endorse it though is because most people don't care to know the specifics or don't have the motivation to do the required maintenance. And doing so without education is IMO irresponsible.
Chris
. *For the most part* I tend to agree with Swordtail8... Especially in that he didn't ask for advice. I tend to view my fish as tertiary to the biology and technology of the over all system. Basically the livestock tell me if I'm doing something wrong or even right. In doing so I do some things I would NEVER recommend to the vast majority of aquarists... Ever wonder why I don't have my tanks/livestock listed in my sig
? Just because something can doesn't mean one should though and I don't want someone to think everything is OK. Once one understands the details, things can be pushed... Once one understands the details behind the details one can have success with the envelope being pushed without it being coincidence. As evidence by the pic's/TOTM's from Aquahobby. BTW I was VERY active over there about 9 years ago. Last time I checked some of the regular posters are now mods, all VERY good people with a firm grasp of what I'm refering to. Not trying to imply people here aren't because some are, just trying to make a point before it comes up . Now I just want to clarify something, I'm not trying to say people should never keep large fish. If they have a viable long term plan and can give it the best care possible for the time being... whatever. Note though viable is the key word there. One needs to know their local market well to be able to know if they will be able to rehome a large fish. And I don't mean asking your LFS employee, manager or even owner. For example if I wanted to grow out a Jardini (again) or Asian Aro for resale, I know at least 2 LFS' and 5 or 6 individuals that would buy a 10"er in a heart beat. Another example, doing the same with a Frontosa would not be a good idea... The market is saturated with large Fronts right now as evidence of a few tanks full of large ones, at a lower price than they have been in years, scattered around the city. 8-10" Berundi's are selling for $120 when 2 or 3 years ago a nice male at that size would be priced at $400-$500.
So far as general overstocking... Again, if one knows what they are doing... It *normally* isn't a problem. As said before though, a viable long term plan is key. Hey, it's been used as a tool for distributing aggression in Mbuna for years. It's not that far of a jump to use it with other fish. The reason I don't normally publicly endorse it though is because most people don't care to know the specifics or don't have the motivation to do the required maintenance. And doing so without education is IMO irresponsible.
Chris
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I personally do not care what you do with your tanks and your history, especially because you don't even ask for advice, but I am definitely against you promoting what is logically bad advice; such as mixing danios with a betta in a 10G. Yea people make ridiculous exceptions sometimes and once in a while it works out, but for the sake of newbies, and the ease of giving advice for situations, it's best to keep as many variables constant as possible, and to not offer silly advice. I am not going to tell someone to get a common pleco for their 20G tank, and I am not going to waste my time responding to issues for people who went and stuffed a pleco in a 20G tank, and had serious issues later on. Not only does the life of the fish take importance, but general management too. Why do foolish things with fish you more than likely cannot take care of? Wasting money? etc. If so then the reader is probably on the wrong forum because most people here provide advice so fish can grow and live in optimal housekeeping.
Now about the ethics, that's getting way off topic and game fish/delicassy fish/pet fish are 3 different areas, not to be mixed, compared or contrasted in any way.
Now about the ethics, that's getting way off topic and game fish/delicassy fish/pet fish are 3 different areas, not to be mixed, compared or contrasted in any way.
Let me start by apoogizing if you felt attacked. The post might have come off more hateful than I intended. I assure you it was not made in anger , more in jest. I do feel that once you bring a fish into your care it is your responsibility to ensure a healthy life or at the least a quick painless death. Ive seen your sig before and never commented until you posted in thread about keeping monster fish in small tanks. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the hypocrisy of saying stores shouldnt sell oscars because no one has a a tank big enough , yet you have a similar sized fish in a 29 gallon. Comparing the fishing industry that supplies us with food to people who play mad scientist with their fishtanks is like comparing a tiger to a crazed hunter shooting animals at the zoo.
I'm going to try and do this without getting into an ethics debate... Cause those suck .
*For the most part* I tend to agree with Swordtail8... Especially in that he didn't ask for advice. I tend to view my fish as tertiary to the biology and technology of the over all system. Basically the livestock tell me if I'm doing something wrong or even right. In doing so I do some things I would NEVER recommend to the vast majority of aquarists... Ever wonder why I don't have my tanks/livestock listed in my sig? Just because something can doesn't mean one should though and I don't want someone to think everything is OK. Once one understands the details, things can be pushed... Once one understands the details behind the details one can have success with the envelope being pushed without it being coincidence. As evidence by the pic's/TOTM's from Aquahobby. BTW I was VERY active over there about 9 years ago. Last time I checked some of the regular posters are now mods, all VERY good people with a firm grasp of what I'm refering to. Not trying to imply people here aren't because some are, just trying to make a point before it comes up .
Now I just want to clarify something, I'm not trying to say people should never keep large fish. If they have a viable long term plan and can give it the best care possible for the time being... whatever. Note though viable is the key word there. One needs to know their local market well to be able to know if they will be able to rehome a large fish. And I don't mean asking your LFS employee, manager or even owner. For example if I wanted to grow out a Jardini (again) or Asian Aro for resale, I know at least 2 LFS' and 5 or 6 individuals that would buy a 10"er in a heart beat. Another example, doing the same with a Frontosa would not be a good idea... The market is saturated with large Fronts right now as evidence of a few tanks full of large ones, at a lower price than they have been in years, scattered around the city. 8-10" Berundi's are selling for $120 when 2 or 3 years ago a nice male at that size would be priced at $400-$500.
So far as general overstocking... Again, if one knows what they are doing... It *normally* isn't a problem. As said before though, a viable long term plan is key. Hey, it's been used as a tool for distributing aggression in Mbuna for years. It's not that far of a jump to use it with other fish. The reason I don't normally publicly endorse it though is because most people don't care to know the specifics or don't have the motivation to do the required maintenance. And doing so without education is IMO irresponsible.
Chris
. *For the most part* I tend to agree with Swordtail8... Especially in that he didn't ask for advice. I tend to view my fish as tertiary to the biology and technology of the over all system. Basically the livestock tell me if I'm doing something wrong or even right. In doing so I do some things I would NEVER recommend to the vast majority of aquarists... Ever wonder why I don't have my tanks/livestock listed in my sig
? Just because something can doesn't mean one should though and I don't want someone to think everything is OK. Once one understands the details, things can be pushed... Once one understands the details behind the details one can have success with the envelope being pushed without it being coincidence. As evidence by the pic's/TOTM's from Aquahobby. BTW I was VERY active over there about 9 years ago. Last time I checked some of the regular posters are now mods, all VERY good people with a firm grasp of what I'm refering to. Not trying to imply people here aren't because some are, just trying to make a point before it comes up . Now I just want to clarify something, I'm not trying to say people should never keep large fish. If they have a viable long term plan and can give it the best care possible for the time being... whatever. Note though viable is the key word there. One needs to know their local market well to be able to know if they will be able to rehome a large fish. And I don't mean asking your LFS employee, manager or even owner. For example if I wanted to grow out a Jardini (again) or Asian Aro for resale, I know at least 2 LFS' and 5 or 6 individuals that would buy a 10"er in a heart beat. Another example, doing the same with a Frontosa would not be a good idea... The market is saturated with large Fronts right now as evidence of a few tanks full of large ones, at a lower price than they have been in years, scattered around the city. 8-10" Berundi's are selling for $120 when 2 or 3 years ago a nice male at that size would be priced at $400-$500.
So far as general overstocking... Again, if one knows what they are doing... It *normally* isn't a problem. As said before though, a viable long term plan is key. Hey, it's been used as a tool for distributing aggression in Mbuna for years. It's not that far of a jump to use it with other fish. The reason I don't normally publicly endorse it though is because most people don't care to know the specifics or don't have the motivation to do the required maintenance. And doing so without education is IMO irresponsible.
Chris
Yes good posts everyone.
No one should feel attacked or take offense about anything.
People are just trying to help the fish and hobbyists and not trying to be mean or hateful. Meanings get lost or confused in the typing.
We're all entitled to our own experiences...right? Mistakes too.
I think we can agree no one is infallible and knows EVERYTHING.
Most people here are beginners or intermediate who do want advice even if it is not asked for. Sorry. I like that though. If anyone sees something wrong with what I do...by all means TELL ME so that I can research further and fix the problem.
oh quick question...did you buy your specimens in the pet store or catch them in the wild? You speak as if they are some science project? which is fine if that is so...i guess. Whatever floats your boat, imo.
No one should feel attacked or take offense about anything.
People are just trying to help the fish and hobbyists and not trying to be mean or hateful. Meanings get lost or confused in the typing.
We're all entitled to our own experiences...right? Mistakes too.
I think we can agree no one is infallible and knows EVERYTHING.
Most people here are beginners or intermediate who do want advice even if it is not asked for. Sorry. I like that though. If anyone sees something wrong with what I do...by all means TELL ME so that I can research further and fix the problem.
oh quick question...did you buy your specimens in the pet store or catch them in the wild? You speak as if they are some science project? which is fine if that is so...i guess. Whatever floats your boat, imo.
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Sorry if my post seemed somewhat harsh. I thought I'd get more hostile responses but the responses have all remained civil which is good. Over the years though I have gotten very careful at internet debating.
I've clashed with people on this forum before previously over some issues in the years past and I sometimes get flustered on this forum. I went and cleared my signature outside my fish tank website so I can somewhat clear my fish tank history, lol. But now the people I am likely to clash with know where I stand now so I won't have to get into a long argument with them later explaining myself.
I still am able to give advice on my things though but I'll try to avoid give risky advice unless I state the risks. Compatibility of fish often varies which results in many different opinions on it. I personally believe bettas are compatible with danios and many other fish because I have mixed my betta with just about every fish you see in my older tank pictures on my website. The dwarf gourami seemed to be the main fish to avoid mixing him with. I often use the tank pictures in the link in my sig to show compatibility. Personally I like having clown loaches and common plecos so much that I often bought them regardless of their adult size and always assumed I would buy a bigger tank someday after college (but life happens). But I don't own them anymore, I have had them in my tanks enough times that I don't feel like I have to absolutely have them anymore.
A trick question, lol. Yes, they were "bought" in a pet store, so that makes them like dogs and cats right? Well, I study ecology personally so having a contained ecosystem is interesting to me. Also, I like to set up fish tanks as something to look at.
Yeah, it was hypocrisy, lol. Much of it was trying to reestablish myself as a poster so I wanted to participate in this discussion. I've never had much interest in Oscars much myself so I have always joined into the majority opinion about them. But the nature of the debate eventually brought my true opinions out because I have kept "monster fish" in the past and I left my sig out in the open. I don't own any monster fish now though so I have been converted somewhat, lol.
There is room to bend standards. I have found that you can get around 16 inches of fish in a ten gallon. If you push beyond that, you will lose fish. If you get bored of your tank and don't water change as often, you lose fish. I usually loaded up ten gallons with plants in the past too though so that lessens the effect of nitrogen wastes. The more working parts of the ecosystem that are included, the better.
I've clashed with people on this forum before previously over some issues in the years past and I sometimes get flustered on this forum. I went and cleared my signature outside my fish tank website so I can somewhat clear my fish tank history, lol. But now the people I am likely to clash with know where I stand now so I won't have to get into a long argument with them later explaining myself.
I still am able to give advice on my things though but I'll try to avoid give risky advice unless I state the risks. Compatibility of fish often varies which results in many different opinions on it. I personally believe bettas are compatible with danios and many other fish because I have mixed my betta with just about every fish you see in my older tank pictures on my website. The dwarf gourami seemed to be the main fish to avoid mixing him with. I often use the tank pictures in the link in my sig to show compatibility. Personally I like having clown loaches and common plecos so much that I often bought them regardless of their adult size and always assumed I would buy a bigger tank someday after college (but life happens). But I don't own them anymore, I have had them in my tanks enough times that I don't feel like I have to absolutely have them anymore.
A trick question, lol. Yes, they were "bought" in a pet store, so that makes them like dogs and cats right? Well, I study ecology personally so having a contained ecosystem is interesting to me. Also, I like to set up fish tanks as something to look at.
Yeah, it was hypocrisy, lol. Much of it was trying to reestablish myself as a poster so I wanted to participate in this discussion. I've never had much interest in Oscars much myself so I have always joined into the majority opinion about them. But the nature of the debate eventually brought my true opinions out because I have kept "monster fish" in the past and I left my sig out in the open. I don't own any monster fish now though so I have been converted somewhat, lol.
There is room to bend standards. I have found that you can get around 16 inches of fish in a ten gallon. If you push beyond that, you will lose fish. If you get bored of your tank and don't water change as often, you lose fish. I usually loaded up ten gallons with plants in the past too though so that lessens the effect of nitrogen wastes. The more working parts of the ecosystem that are included, the better.
Monster fish
Do you know what i find funny about well known aquarium shops!! there total hypcrites!!!!
Where i live in Essex UK there is one aquarium shop (Wickford Aquatics) that specialises in monster fish, many of i have kept in my monster tanks, and they sell them cheap to the expienced hobbyist and give you all the information you need!! They also take in big fish which they put in to there very huge tanks, smallest being 6foot wide and 5 foot high!!
The thing that really p*sses me off is that the well known Swallows Aquatics that have a go at people for using small tanks will put a TSN and Pacu into a 3foot tank for display.....the pacu and tiger shovelnose has no where to move!!!! i think these shops that have a go should look into their own doings!!!!
Do you know what i find funny about well known aquarium shops!! there total hypcrites!!!!
Where i live in Essex UK there is one aquarium shop (Wickford Aquatics) that specialises in monster fish, many of i have kept in my monster tanks, and they sell them cheap to the expienced hobbyist and give you all the information you need!! They also take in big fish which they put in to there very huge tanks, smallest being 6foot wide and 5 foot high!!
The thing that really p*sses me off is that the well known Swallows Aquatics that have a go at people for using small tanks will put a TSN and Pacu into a 3foot tank for display.....the pacu and tiger shovelnose has no where to move!!!! i think these shops that have a go should look into their own doings!!!!