tank dimensions vs fish swimming

[jminick2]

how important is side to side swimming vs up and down swimming or does it make a difference at all?

I have been looking for an 8 foot tank today I found a real nice one but it's only 140g 14.5 inches tall and 8ft long. I currently have a standard 4 x 2 x 2 - 120g.

so my question would my fish really enjoy the extra 4 foot of side to side swimming vs losing the 12 inches of up and down room? thank you.

 

[CHSUB]

i think it makes a difference, but many here will insist length is more important and i will disagree. i've asked my fish which is more important, but they don't answer back; maybe others get answers from their fish?

 

[Giovanni]

IMO it depends on the species of fish. If it is a fast swimming fish like tangs, length and high flow to let the fish stretch its "legs" is important. If it is a fish that moves slower and likes to graze on rock, hight and caves/ledges are important. Not sure I would say one is more important than the other, unless you are going to extremes. I would not want anything less than 14.5 inches for sure. My tank is 6'x2'x2'. I would have preferred a tank 8ftx10ft long. but I wanted glass and did not want to pay the price of a custom tank/stand.

 

[ChimolaFish]

Its very species specific. In general, most fish will appreciate the longer tank I think, but when you get into large fish, height is always going to be important too. Just keep in mind that when you get into tanks that are very deep for their length (110g standard, etc) it becomes harder to aerate properly without making weird flow patterns. I have a 90 because I like the way it looks over the 75, and I think my tang, although small, does appreciate the extra height at times. He would be happier in an 6ft tank thats the height of a 75 I think though.

 

[jminick2]

well I have more tangs than I should in a 120g, which is why I'm shopping for a larger tank jw if I should be really concerned with the whole length vs height. thanks for the input so far...I think I'll just ask my fish like CHSUB I dunno why I didn't think of that.

 

[Genera]

I like more width than height, unless I'm dealing with seahorses.

 

[Dmorty217]

Length and width are equally important, depth is less important.

 

[snorvich]

Length and width are equally important, depth is less important.

Up to a point, I agree.

 

[ca1ore]

Unless we go to ridiculous extremes, I think length is marginally more important than either width/depth or height. For example, when considering my current tank, I was waffling between getting either the marineland 300DD or 265. The latter is a foot longer, a few inches taller but a foot less deep (though still 24"). I opted for the 265 figuring it would offer more 'practical' swim room for my tangs. Of course, if ML made a 350DD, I would have gone with that :lol:.

 

[snorvich]

Yes, in general, length is the most important dimension. If you are a coral keeper, width is the "next" most important.

 

[d-man]

My wife tells me it's more about length and girth....

 

[Dmorty217]

my wife tells me it's more about length and girth....

lmfao!

 

[PsymonStark]

tank dimensions vs fish swimming

Another consideration with length would be longer/more lighting..

 

[nuxx]

Another consideration with length would be longer/more lighting..

Depth would need stronger lighting.
Width might need more lighting as well.

If given the choice, it's typically better to go with length.

If you're going with a big tank, try to keep width and depth to at least 24" though.

Over 30" does get tough to work with when talking about height though. Our tank is 31" tall and I'm 6'2 ish and it's still hard for me to work near the bottom.

 

[d-man]

Bah! Some of us like challenges...
My tank current tank is 130"x24"x24"
The tank im currnetly building is 145"x32"x43"
I'm sure my tangs and wrasses will love the extra space up top as well as added width. Especially since the come to surface to feed all the time. Plus I plan to have 1vertical wall of rock on side of dining room where I sit so that hopefully a bunch of anthia will hang out near the "cliff" so to speak. The rest of the aquascape will have areas for open swim space as well as caves

 

[nuxx]

Bah! Some of us like challenges...
My tank current tank is 130"x24"x24"
The tank im currnetly building is 145"x32"x43"
I'm sure my tangs and wrasses will love the extra space up top as well as added width. Especially since the come to surface to feed all the time. Plus I plan to have 1vertical wall of rock on side of dining room where I sit so that hopefully a bunch of anthia will hang out near the "cliff" so to speak. The rest of the aquascape will have areas for open swim space as well as caves

That's what tongs are for...

But still when I have to get my hand on something at the bottom of the tank... I get wet :bigeyes: