When is too big

Z

zabak80

AC Members
Jun 13, 2005
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Hi guys and girls,

Here is my situation. 55 gallon cycled, some nice live plants and some big pieces of driftwood. Currently I have 5 neon, 5 black neon, 3 guppies (will be going soon) 2 mollies and 2 snails. I added 3 bala sharks. One is maybe 2 inches the others are maybe 1 - 11/2 inches. I hope to be upgrading to a 90 gallon within the next 12 months, so I can keep the balas, but if I can't find one affordable in time, when should I return the balas to the fish store? Would 4 or 5 inches each be too big for the 55 gallon? The lady at the LFS store says that I can just bring them back if they get too big.

So when is their size too big for the 55?
 
There is no exact science to it. Which is why most of us tend to stock according to the fishes final size and not their current size. There is no real way to tell when it's safe and when you've started to stunt their growth.

My advice to you is to return them now and save yourself and the fish a headache. Even if you were able to upgrade to a 90 gallon that wouldn't be enough. I've also heard Balas grow quickly in the proper environment. You should have a 125 in the least for them to grow to full potential and be healthy. Bala's are very active swimmers and thus need more "space" then their size required.

Curtis
 
I agree that you should just take them back now :o !! I honestly would never even keep balas in a 90g. I have 3 in a 180g and sometimes I feel like that is not even big enough, plus IME they do grow pretty quickly, of all my fish they are the only ones that I can really tell a difference in. I had them in a 50g when they were smaller (about 3 inches or so) and they were absolutely spastic, they would jump and hit the lid if anyone moved to quickly around the tank :eek: !!! If you want more fish now I would suggest rounding out your tetras, they'll school together better that way and it would look really nice in a planted tank
 
I'm not planning on raising them to their full size. I'm sure the larger ones when they are bred and then shipped to the fish store don't each have a 125 gallon tank all to themselves at every moment of their life.

I also know that my lfs store sold about 20 of them during the week and I'm pretty sure 125 gallons aren't in that high demand. So there has to be a limit.

I know if they're 6 inches for 2 years that I've stunted their growth, but I also know that 55 gallons will be enough for them for a little while. I just want to know when.

My friend owns his own business and has a fish professional come in and stock and take care of his 35 gallon in his office, he's got a 8-9 inch bala, healthy and lively. So I know 125 gallon tanks aren't always necessary. How big should they get into the 55 gallon?

I can return them to the store as babies right now, but someone with a 20 or 29 gallon will just buy them and keep them in there for their entire lives. In my area, over 55 gallons is not very common at all. So if I allow them to grow large enough and return them to the store, then a person with a proper aquarium size will be able to get them.
 
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Really I mean no offense, but you asked WHEN you should return them and we have given our opinions. Just because other people keep their fish improperly (including your friend, a 9 inch fish of any kind should not be kept in a 35g tank, and the fish is not healthy, stunted growth causes a myriad of problems that you can't "see") does not mean you should too!! If you insist on keeping them until they are bigger, they may very well have their growth stunted, and will possibly harm themselves by hitting the walls/lid of the tank, they are very active fish, at least if they are healthy they should be. There is no magic size or time frame, so there really isn't a straight answer, other than the ones you have already got
 
Look, take the advice or leave it. Don't sit there and all of a sudden think you know it all about Balas after you have asked for the advice. To my knowledge balas are not captive bred, or if they are they are bred in massive ponds, not tanks. A 35 gal tank is not enough anymore than a 55. A 125 is even on the small side. Those "Fish professionals" half of them don't know jack and never will and most of the other half still don't know too awful much.

Take the fish back now, the LFS doesn't care who they sell them too or what tanks they are going into period, so how many they sell doesn't mean crap. There are many many fish that LFS sell that should not be sold in your run of the mill fish store period. Pacu, Redtailed Cats, and Iridesent sharks just to name a few. LFS are also notorious for having awful knowledge about fish. You asked for help and what to do then you turn around and call all of us Liars because we are saying correct contradicting info to what you want to hear.

Take it back, be done with it, and research about the fish before you buy them next time.

Now I'm ready for all of you on here to jump on me and call me mean again, go for it I don't care.
 
I agree. I hate to say it but far to often people will ask questions like this and when they get the correct answer from 5 or more different people they just lash out and call us liars.

If you didn't want to know the answer why was it even asked?
 
NatakuTseng said:
Look, take the advice or leave it. Don't sit there and all of a sudden think you know it all about Balas after you have asked for the advice. To my knowledge balas are not captive bred, or if they are they are bred in massive ponds, not tanks. A 35 gal tank is not enough anymore than a 55. A 125 is even on the small side. Those "Fish professionals" half of them don't know jack and never will and most of the other half still don't know too awful much.

Take the fish back now, the LFS doesn't care who they sell them too or what tanks they are going into period, so how many they sell doesn't mean crap. There are many many fish that LFS sell that should not be sold in your run of the mill fish store period. Pacu, Redtailed Cats, and Iridesent sharks just to name a few. LFS are also notorious for having awful knowledge about fish. You asked for help and what to do then you turn around and call all of us Liars because we are saying correct contradicting info to what you want to hear.

Take it back, be done with it, and research about the fish before you buy them next time.

Now I'm ready for all of you on here to jump on me and call me mean again, go for it I don't care.
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There's a time and place for everything. In this case hes trying to prove us wrong, so ya your right. This is totally acceptable to say at this present time.
 
Not I! I'm behind you on this one, Tseng! :thm:
 
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