Big fish in small tanks stunts growth.. Does this make fish unhappy?

[><((((o>]

if taking a fish from unlimited space and placing it in a 6'x2' box or 4'x1.5' box is cruel then please explain how a 8'x3' makes any difference? you are taking it from miles of cruising area down to feet, i don't think that the fish is any"happier" in a big box as opposed to a small one. i am not talking about water chemistry here. just space and health related to the amount of space the fish has. from reading a lot of posts on this subject, it seems to me that those who berate others because they have a tank too small, have larger tanks and believe their tank is adequate. i don't believe a fish in captivity is stress free no matter how big the home aquarium is.I also think that it is different to have a juvinile fish grow in one tank it's entire life versus throwing a large fish in a tank. the fish that grew up in the same size tank is much less stressed than a full grown one dumped in a small tank.

I understand what you're trying to say but I have to disagree, in the last 7 years I've been going through a mental disorder that prevents me from leaving my home. I know I'm not a fish but I can say living in a house is still much more comfortable then living in my apartment unit. It's just very different living in these 2 different homes, in the apartment there's always a invisible stress that always clouds my mind, while in the house I feel like I'm in heaven.

 

[GhostCon1]

Now my question is, is this something that stresses or upsets the fish?

So, what do you guys think?

Upsets them? Probably; kills them? Yes.

 

[Gill_bucket]

 

[GhostCon1]

Point of your pic is what? To 'prove' something to us? Read around and learn something.

 

[hugo209]

I dont get the picture thing.......

 

[><((((o>]

Point of your pic is what? To 'prove' something to us? Read around and learn something.

Gill has a 125 gallon tank

 

[AquaKnight]

What's yer point?

 

[SlowCobra]

I dont get the picture thing.......

The point of the picture is that he decided it was a great idea to put a tang in what looks to be a 10gal tank. The most optimum conditions you can ask for. Now I will give him the benefit of the doubt as the Hepatus is really small and hope that it is only in there to grow a bit before going into a much larger tank.

I truly don't understand why people want to go through the time, expense, and often times headaches of this hobby only to provide **** poor conditions for their livestock?!? With the internet and all of the boards available for information, especially RC, it astounds me how many people are truly ignorant when it comes to the proper care of livestock.

 

[Gill_bucket]

Gill has a 125 gallon tank

ya I was just trying to get a rise out of you that blue in the pico is just QT

 

[hugo209]

just get a big tank!!!! problem solved...

 

[Gill_bucket]

Honestly though those of us who think we are doing are fish a service by confining them in ANY size tank are mistaken. We talk about longevity being a standard of husbandry and yet none of us to my knowledge have been able to breed the blue tang or any tang for that matter? We are all still living in the stone age of this hobby, some of us just more than others.

 

[revaltion131]

Actually, tank-raised hippos are starting to show up online (DD has had a few) and my LFS had three a couple of weeks ago.

 

[coachtjm]

tank raised not tank bred right?

 

[GhostCon1]

Honestly though those of us who think we are doing are fish a service by confining them in ANY size tank are mistaken. We talk about longevity being a standard of husbandry and yet none of us to my knowledge have been able to breed the blue tang or any tang for that matter? We are all still living in the stone age of this hobby, some of us just more than others.

That's because of the way in which they breed, one would need an extremely tall tank.

 

[TampaReefer79]

The 'any size tank is too small' arguement is stupidity. You don't think a free swimming fish wouldn't be happier in a 10' 500 gallon tank vs a 4' 55 gallon tank? As was mentioned recently, would you rather be confined to your closet or your entire house?

 

[Gill_bucket]

The 'any size tank is too small' arguement is stupidity. You don't think a free swimming fish wouldn't be happier in a 10' 500 gallon tank vs a 4' 55 gallon tank? As was mentioned recently, would you rather be confined to your closet or your entire house?

True but I think your argument is crucially flawed. Yes being confined in my home would be a vast improvement over my closet but I for one don't want to be confined to my home, do you? I agree that the bigger the tank the better but to suggest that this somehow clears you of all charges is ridiculous. We are all reef robbers and NONE of are fish are as happy as they could be.

I am not advocating keeping big fish in small tanks I am only suggesting you are in no position to cast the first stone.

 

[velvetelvis]

I don't mean to be rude, but hasn't this topic been beaten to death, exhumed, revived, and then beaten back to death several times over? There are people who will insist on keeping tangs and other large, active fish in tanks that are far too small for them, and insist that this is perfectly OK. There are people (myself included) who vehemently disagree with them. There's no convincing the first group that they're mistaken, and the second group just end up getting unfairly labeled as "tang police". These discussions are almost beginning to seem pointless.

 

[TampaReefer79]

True but I think your argument is crucially flawed. Yes being confined in my home would be a vast improvement over my closet but I for one don't want to be confined to my home, do you? I agree that the bigger the tank the better but to suggest that this somehow clears you of all charges is ridiculous. We are all reef robbers and NONE of are fish are as happy as they could be.

I am not advocating keeping big fish in small tanks I am only suggesting you are in no position to cast the first stone.

I can't cast the first stone? First of all, I didn't...I was answering the thread. Second of all, I don't have one single fish in my house. My tank is empty...

I can't really see how you agree with me, but yet want to disagree with me and say my opinion is crucially flawed? We are all robbing the reefs to keep our fish, yes. But that doesn't mean we should act irresponsible with them. House them as comfortably as possible and they will be fine. Saying that all fish will be unhappy in captivity anyway, so I might as well stuff them in tiny tanks is what's flawed. If you have a little tank, keep gobies and blennies. If you have a beast of a tank, keep tangs and angels. People that live in tiny apartments in NYC don't keep greyhounds, they keep poodles. :lolspin:

 

[beastrx]

If you stick a baby in a shoebox will it stay that size? I think the tank stunts its growth to a certain extent but a tiny blue tang could only live in a 20 gallon for so long. There are good general recommended tank sizes for most fish out there and people should follow them. You CANT put a tang in your NANO reef!

 

[Amoore311]

We talk about longevity being a standard of husbandry and yet none of us to my knowledge have been able to breed the blue tang or any tang for that matter?

This has nothing to do with a fish being "happy". Fish can't be happy to begin with, but that's a discussion I really don't want to start up. It has to do with the way the fish spawn. Conversely, take a look at how many tangs have lived out their entire life expectancy in captivity. That has been accomplished many times.


How about killer whales kept in captivity? Yes the have multiple 10's of thousands of gallons of tank water to live in. But how does that compare to multiple miles of travel they undergo every day. One could definitely argue they are cramped....... yet they are successfully bread in captivity all the time.