a new spin on the 1" rule

[talloulou]

what about tank length? Isn't it true you can get away with more heavily stocking a tank that is long, vs the same gallon tank that is tall? Tall tanks are so popular right now and sell well in the stores but I was always told never to buy tall over long. Long is always better due to surface area and you can't stock those tall ones the same way.

 

[mentallylost]

The thing about length vs. height is surface area. The more surface area that a tank has, the better that the gas exchange will be. It's all about oxygen exchange.

 

[dax29]

I've still not seen one smile. I do know that many of them come up to the glass when they see me coming, but I'm fairly certain that is due to the expectation of food and not affection. :|

 

[mentallylost]

 

[Fishyfanatic]

African's show affection.

 

[dax29]

How? I might get one if I'm impressed.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They will follow you around the room. Not actually jump from the tank and flop after you. But if you walk from one side of the tank to the other, they will follow you. When I put my hand in the tank, several of them will let me rub my hand against them, basically rubbing their sides. It's really cool. It freaked me out at first because I'm such a scaredy cat. But now it's really funny to watch. If I put my hands into the tank, the Johanni used to swim into my hands. I guess he felt really comfortable with me. But we had to sell him back to the lfs because he was becoming to agressive with the females. Mating probably.

 

[Toirtis]

They indicated that my bottom dwellers should not count towards my inches-of-fish-per-gallon b/c they don't take up the swimming space and that, with adequate filtration mind you, only middle and upper level swimmers should be counted in the inches per gallon stocking level guideline.

Same bumf that a local chain here tells its customers, although they usually put in the 'They don't count because they eat garbage' line, too. Don't believe a word of it.

 

[Lepomis]

If it consumes oxygen then it has to be taken into account. Of course you can increase the carrying capacity of the tank but more care must be given to continue successfully keeping healthy fish. Also often under these "stressed" enviromental conditions when something goes wrong it can often go wrong in a big way.