Interesting idea, natural environment idea, NEED EXPERTS

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drunkenmastera

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May 21, 2009
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I've been thinking about this idea.

Let me run this idea by you guys. Let me know what you think. It might sound far fetch.

A large enough tank where many types of fish live. This tank would consist of plants and many rocks, natural environment.

Now the funny question is, can you create AN EXACT ENVIRONMENT where fish can procreate and survive in the tank. This tank would consist of bigger fish and these bigger fish would eat the smaller ones. Of course, the cycle repeats by other fish mating and making fries.

I guess I'm trying to say is a food cycle tank? One that occur naturally without my invention besides setting up the tank?
 

Rbishop

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I think for the typical fish keeper, it is a noble idea but bound to fail. Even the more serious hobbyists can only do it for limited periods of time and usually in significantly large tanks, IMO. Sooner or later you run into a shortage of something that is needed to maintain the environment, or an excess of something that is detrimental and can't be converted or removed.
 

Jspigs

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I think for the typical fish keeper, it is a noble idea but bound to fail. Even the more serious hobbyists can only do it for limited periods of time and usually in significantly large tanks, IMO. Sooner or later you run into a shortage of something that is needed to maintain the environment, or an excess of something that is detrimental and can't be converted or removed.
:iagree:

It seems like something that has many variables that all need to work just right. If one variable is not working right then I would think it could cause the whole system to stop working.
 

aussie pride

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Jun 21, 2010
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hmmm..i have a tank almost like this. it has moss, lots of filtration, shrimp, snails, blackworms in the sand, and 5 neon tetras. the tetras are upgrading to a 29 soon. this tank is a 5 gallon. i only feed about once every 3 - 4 days. even then its only 1 flake and 2 TetraColour pellets. i re stock the worms every 4 months...
 

jetajockey

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It can work, theoretically, but it will take some balancing. If it is in an outdoor setting, the bugs, algae, and whatnot can serve as the starting platform of the food chain. However, if the small fish that are eating the bugs have a constant food source, and good breeding grounds, they will soon explode in population. The population will be kept in control by the larger predator fish, but it could also be eradicated.

It might eventually balance itself out, depending on the temperment of the fish that are chosen to live in the environment, but I think it will take some micromanagement in order to keep it going as planned.


btw this sounds just like a standard pond setting that many people already have. Plant life/bugs for mosquitofish/guppies/minnows in the pond, which will also help feed the goldfish/koi etc.
 

CaitxSith

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Sep 30, 2006
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The pond with some Triops
Well, a limited version of this appears in a tank that houses fish and some shrimp. Otherwise, I couldn't have said it any better than Rbishop did.
 

Haydn24

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Jun 28, 2010
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The big fish will eat the smaller fish too quickly, therefore ruining the cycle...but this is a good idea but not practical, sorry.
 

knight4th

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Its a cool idea, and a cool idea that is bound to fail, not only would the tanks size need to be like a small lake at a park that you take your kids to. But also mother nature is a far better creature of creation then we are and trying to get everything right 100% would require an un-godly amount of time and personal to maintain.
 

Haydn24

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It's called the sea or the amazon ;)
 
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