New Tank
- Thread starter carpy6185
- Start date
In my opinion, no, it wouldn't be all right. A 19 gallon tank may be too small even for your fantails, depending on what exactly you mean by fantail. Are they goldfish? When you add too many messy fish to a small tank you are dealing with more than ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Fish can produce hormones that inhibit their growth and development.carpy6185 said:
In a small tank with many fish, you can imagine that this would mean much more of that hormone being present. This would stunt the growth of the fish (which has given rise to the whole misconception that fish grow to the size of their tank). The problem here is that this also stunts the development of internal organs and systems, making the fish ill-equipped for living a natural life, much less their expected lifespan. All in all, I personally feel it would be irresponsible to keep carp of any size in a 19 gallon tank as there are potential health risks to the fish.
Agreed. The problem is, that by the time you realize stunting is occuring, then permanant damage has probably already been done.
Well, 2 small goldfish will not remain small very long. Goldfish get big. Goldfish are messy. I wouldn't keep 2 fantails in a 19 gallon tank at all, myself. You could maybe get away with one in there with proper filtration and maintenance schedule, being careful not to overfeed.carpy6185 said:
72 liters is 19 gallons. That's a small tank in the hobby. Also, fantails can get upwards of 6 inches if given enough space, clean water, proper diet, etc. Now, look at your tank. Imagine, if you will, two big, fat 15 centimeter long fish in there. Also imagine that this fish has a lifespan from 10-15 years or more. Is that tank appropriate given these conditions? Because the thing is, the conditions are true. I know the fish are small now, but they will grow and the same things I spoke about before regarding hormones and retarded growth will hold true for two fantails in your tank.carpy6185 said:
Also, fish like to spread their fins and swim. People are often surprised when they move up to a bigger tank just how much their formerly inactive fish will move around in a bigger home. Also, keep in mind, goldfish are extremely messy fish. Hopefully a few more people will weigh in and let you know, or simply go to the coldwater forum and ask about 2 fantails in a 19 gallon tank.
simple - goldfish grow. it's the same as asking why you can't buy a terrier-sized dog crate and keep your itty bitty german shepherd pup in it forever.
those precious little 2 inch fish are going to reach 8-10 inches when fully grown. what is good now might be too small in 4 months, and definitely too small for anything longer than that. the fish secrete a special hormone, and when those hormones in the water reach a certain level, something in the fish makes it stop growing. while this might be convenient for people with small tanks, it is unhealthy for the fish. their internal organs get crowded and can't function properly, it becomes stressed, and the immune system is not as good, causing the fish to be much more vulnerable to parasites and infections. since there is no way to measure the hormones, or tell the difference between a slowly growing fish and one that is being stunted, smaller tanks are less than ideal for fish that are capable of growing large. cared for properly, a goldfish can live for decades. are you prepared for that?
those precious little 2 inch fish are going to reach 8-10 inches when fully grown. what is good now might be too small in 4 months, and definitely too small for anything longer than that. the fish secrete a special hormone, and when those hormones in the water reach a certain level, something in the fish makes it stop growing. while this might be convenient for people with small tanks, it is unhealthy for the fish. their internal organs get crowded and can't function properly, it becomes stressed, and the immune system is not as good, causing the fish to be much more vulnerable to parasites and infections. since there is no way to measure the hormones, or tell the difference between a slowly growing fish and one that is being stunted, smaller tanks are less than ideal for fish that are capable of growing large. cared for properly, a goldfish can live for decades. are you prepared for that?