New tank, what size?

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Benjamin
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Joined: 05 Aug 2007, 11:30
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Location 1: Vlissingen, Holland.

New tank, what size?

Post by Benjamin »

Hi all,....

Been away for a while, back with some questions.

I'm still in love with my catfish, they have won the competition with my cichlids, and now have the complete priority :)

Since i'm moving in a few months its about time for a bigger tank, now i am wondering what size i am gonna need for my friends.

The biggest of my fishes are a Megalodoras uranoscopus currently 25cm, a Pterodoras granulosus pushing 40cm and an golden Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps of 45cm.

Further more some smaller staying doradidea and 2 stunningly pretty Chrysichthys ornatus one of 20cm and an other one of 33cm, huge fish really cool :)

Annyway, i know bigger will allways be better, but with wich dimensions wil i not harm the fish in life ?

Tnx in advance.
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Richard B
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Re: New tank, what size?

Post by Richard B »

As a basic rule look at how big a fish will be in full adulthood (Pteradoras = 3feet). a tanks should have a footprint of 4 times that length by 2 times that length. As doradids are not a particularly active family, that basic rule could possibly be relaxed a little, but plenty of pteradoras reach that size with no difficulty, so bigger is always going to be better
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Benjamin
Posts: 18
Joined: 05 Aug 2007, 11:30
My cats species list: 11 (i:0, k:0)
Location 1: Vlissingen, Holland.

Re: New tank, what size?

Post by Benjamin »

Being realistic to my self, a tank of 4x2meters is not gonna happen in my future house.

But i'm also not sure it its really nesacary.

I now bigger is always bether, but now he is 40cm when i bought him 2 years back he was 25cm, growth seamth to have slown down, how long do you ppl think he will take to get lets say 60cm ?

He never moves in the tank, that is offcourse when it's not feeding time for he has an healthy appitite, so always hanging on top of his favorite piece of bogwood.
The only exeption was the 2007 fall, then he was in the dusk twice a day swimming around like his life depended on it, beautifull sight ;)
But this fall he barelly moved, did he forgot to check his calander?

Annyway the tank i was considering to order is in the range of 2,5/3x0,9x0,6m since i can't really go bigger yet, it's not gonna be a tank for life but more of an in between sollution.
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