I don't understand, my gf's bro is a bio major and has a 25 gallon tank with a good number if fish..?

Question

He just put a big rock scuplture in there, he's got a few shark fish, two clown fish, 2 angel fish, 2 bleeding hearts, and 1 tetra, this all ina 25 gallon tank. He hardly sipon's and his water is clear as anything. Yet when I say I have 1 glodfish, 2 fancy and 1 clown fish, I'm totally wrong? My fish are doing great and are very active. Yes they get big, but he has had his 2 clown fish loach's for awhile and they havent gottten that big at all, am I missing something?

Answer 1

First of all, when people tell you that you should put this size fish in a 75 and that one in a 55, it is the ideal. Fish keepers that are experienced are able to keep fish in smaller tanks more successfully than beginners. I bet he doesn't call you every time a fish dies either. Clown loaches do grow large, but they grow very slowly, compared to other big fish. I have seen some of your questions, and I'm not trying to be mean, but you have a long way to go before you are ready to keep half the fish you have been asking about. The key to keeping fish is to go slowly. Get only one or two fish at a time. If possible, quarantine first. Small fish go in small or large tanks, big fish only go in big tanks. Learn the nitrogen cycle and what it means when one falls to zero and the other spikes. Figure all this out, and you will be able to answer your own questions.

Answer 2

Clown loaches grow fairly slowly. I think the reasons you're getting some conflicting advice is that most people want to fill up a tank with fish they buy from the pet store without any regard to the fact that most fish you buy are babies and will grow, so what they're in now may not be what they will eventually need. Most of the users who give advice here just want the people (like you) who ask these questions to know what you'll be in for in the future.

All too often people get a fish that "gets too big for their tank" then they are faced with buying a second (larger) tank, finding it a new home, selling it, taking it back to the store, killing it, or releasing it somewhere they shouldn't. Maybe if they knew how large of a fish they'll have on their hands, they won't get something that will outgrow the space they have available so both fish and owner can be happy.

So in the case of your brother, if his sharks are relatively young (around 3"), some 2" loaches, 2" angels, and three tetras around 1 1/2" in a 25 gallon tank, that's probably fine for now. But when the sharks get 5" each, the clowns are 10", and the angels are 6" (I'll say the tetras are almost full sized now), that same tank will be too small. His lack of maintenace will catch up with him eventually, and fish only growing to the size of their container is a myth.

Answer 3

You have goldfish with a clown fish? That IS totally wrong -- the clown fish is marine! and goldfish are cold freshwater. I would separate them asap, before one or the other dies -- is this a marine tank or a freshwater tank?

Answer 4

I have a small tank with to many gold fish..my water is great..But i also have a filter made for a larger tank which helps. You can buy quick dip test strips that save a lot of time no need to mix water and tester anymore..