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This is one question that has been bothering me for some time. I wonder why it is that people can say "this fish is too big for this tank" yet can keep another fish that gets much larger in a smaller tank and justify it by saying "this fish grows slowly"?
For example, why is it not ok to keep a pair of bala sharks in a 5 foot long 90+ gallon tank, but it is ok to keep 6-10 Clown loaches in a 55g tank?
This has always bothered me. One reason is this, I feel my Bala sharks will be fine in a 5 foot tank because, even when full grown the tank is wide enough for them to turn around without touching anything. However, despite several attempts of people to try to convince me to get clown loaches, I cannot justify getting a group of clown loaches that each reach 10-12 inches for my tank just because they "grow slowly". This to me seems to mean that it is ok to stunt the growth of a large fish because it grows slower, but it is not ok to house a fish in sufficient space if it grows quickly.
I dont know if I am making sense or not, but I hope you get the point.
I dont aim this at any people or person, but just in general because just the other day I was at the fish store, and this fish store guy says to me: "You should get Clown Loaches for your tank". I said "No thank you, I have enough bottom feeders, and clowns get much too large to fit an appropriate size school of them in a 90g tank", this same fellow responded "Well, I have a 55g and I have 8 clown loaches, 6 tinfoil barbs, 4 rtbs, 2 ruby sharks, and 6 gold gouramis, a bgk as well as other fish, and they seem just fine, however, its not like I would ever put a Bala Shark in a 90g tank, they just grow too quickly".
This to me just seemed ludicrous. Like how can he justify tinfoil barbs and clown loaches and other fish that are highly aggressive to their own kind in a 55g tank, but wouldnt put a bala shark in a tank my size?
This also occurred to me before, when a friend of mine said I seem to have a few too many fish in my tank, yet he kept 1 full grown JD, a Green Terror, a Red Devil, 2 oscars, and 12 convicts in a 55g tank.
In my opinion, smaller fish can be overstocked much more easily and less harmfully than those big fish.
So does anyone know why people justify these ludicrous things?


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So does anyone know why people justify these ludicrous things?

To make themselves feel better.

Now, one correction to what you said...many people do say its ok to put clowns loaches in a 55 gallon tank because they grow slowly. I still believe anyone that would advise this would also advise that within 3 years or so a larger tank should be purchased. putting clowns in a 55 until they are ~6" or so would not stunt them. That's the thing...with slower growing fish you have more time to save up for a larger tank than with faster growing fish. either way an appropriately sized tank will at some point be necessary.

as to the guy at your lfs...the funniest thing about what he said is that he wouldn't put balas in a 90 cause they grow to quickly but he has tinfoil barbs in a 55. tinfoils grow much more quickly, ime, than balas. I used to have 2 tinfoils that got to 7-8" very quickly.

I hope that helps at least a little.

To make themselves feel better.

Very, very true. Often times people only hear what they want to hear, and if that doesn't happen they put together some sort of reasoning to justify their actions.

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as a clown loach owner, i originally bought the fish because they looked cool, not knowing the responsibility I was taking on.

However, after speaking to people on this very site about my purchase I quickly learnt. Not wanting to give up my new fish, I started saving for a new tank. I recently bought my new tank and since then the CL's have been growing even more. As they are pretty slow growers, I reckon I can put off buying my next tank for another 6 months.

Most CL's are tiny when bought...my biggest one is 1 year old and only 3.5 - 4 inches long. It takes ages for them to get to 6 - 8".

I don't see any problem with slowly upgrading. I don't believe a person needs to start off with a 100-150 gal tank when they buy 4-6 CL's.

But obviously the guy you spoke to was an idiot and I can easily see why he frustrated you! ]:|

Last edited by simpkia at 26-Oct-2004 06:10