HOW ARE ONE GALLON TANKS TO SMALL FOR FANTAILS EVEN IF MINE HAVE SURVIVED FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS!!!! :(
2006-12-06 13:25:10 · 4 answers · asked by ? 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
Two months is not a good lifespan for a goldfish! They can live well over 15 years with proper care. A goldfish living for two months is like a person living for 1.5 - 2 years. That's not very good, is it?
Fantails are big fish, they are fat, and they eat a lot and poop a lot. Poop = ammonia and ammonia is toxic. In a 1 gallon tank, this rapidly fouls up the water. It's like being in battery acid for fish. Not to mention that a healthy fantail will be wider than a 1 gallon tank. These fish need to swim!!
Also, in the wild and in bigger tanks with real filters, there are colonies of bacteria that break down ammonia into nitrates, which are less toxic. This means that although you still have to replace some of the water every week, that the tank can support the waste that fish produce.
2006-12-06 13:45:14 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You can always bend the rules. I have kept a brackish puffer in a 1 gallon hextank as a sick bay, it fully recovered. If you are not feeding the fish often(and also feeding small amounts)the fish will thrive. If you have a lot of decorations in your tank, it will give a larger surface area for healthy bacteria to grow! this provides an ecosystem. Plants help greatly too as fish waste is beneficial to them. Never think to get a snail or bottom feeder to help with the fish waste issue. Many people dont realise how much waste these produce on their own!! Frequent water changes of no more than 50% will also maintain a healthy bacteria and water quality. Using cycle(liquid bacteria is good too!) Rules can be broken for sure, but do think of the quality of life of your pet, and give it the best possible home!!!
2006-12-06 23:02:38 · answer #2 · answered by foxpumpkins 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fantails produce a lot of waste including deadly amonia.. Goldfish in tanks can live for a while (especailly if they are smaller) but eventually they will be killed by their own feces. Its kinda like that myth about farting in your sleep and posioning the air..which mythbusters proved isn't possible for humans.. not so true for fishies. Also a one gallon tank will stunt his growth which can cause him to die as well :( Someone told my my fantails will only last about 8 months in their tank So im saving up for a new hopefully i'm not to late
2006-12-06 21:31:27 · answer #3 · answered by Shaebee27 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Fish as a general rule need about one gallon of water per inch of fish. Levels of nutrients, etc. change rapidly in small tanks. They may be alive, but they probably aren't as happy and healthy as they could be.
2006-12-06 21:30:07 · answer #4 · answered by missyscove 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋