List of minimum tank sizes for common freshwater fish!

[GodFan]

I would not put 200. I would put AT LEAST a 250. Think about a 14 inch fish that likes schools of 6 in a 250 gallon. Oh and it likes to swim around alot. IMO it should not be attempted except by those who can afford to have a zoo sized aquarium.

 

[jetajockey]

I'm not sure why they MUST be in a group of 6 or more. Do they die of sadness if kept in smaller groups, or what? I get that they are a schooling (technically shoaling) fish, but is there any actual data that shows that they cannot thrive without a certain group number?

And where do you get strong glass for an aquarium?

I'm not trying to argue, just wondering where these ideas come from.

 

[GodFan]

I'm not sure why they MUST be in a group of 6 or more. Do they die of sadness if kept in smaller groups, or what? I get that they are a schooling (technically shoaling) fish, but is there any actual data that shows that they cannot thrive without a certain group number?

And where do you get strong glass for an aquarium?

I'm not trying to argue, just wondering where these ideas come from.

Well 3 might be suitable but they do get stressed without a school. I have read about cases were they were not thriving because of lack of the same species.
You just need to buy an aquarium with thick glass or acrylic.

 

[jetajockey]

Well 3 might be suitable but they do get stressed without a school. I have read about cases were they were not thriving because of lack of the same species.
You just need to buy an aquarium with thick glass or acrylic.

How do you know they get stressed without a school? Basing that on some cases about them not thriving purely due to lack of same species? Their behavior looks to be more shoaling than schooling to me, that's why I'm asking. And I've seen many tanks with very small groups, or even singles or pairs that are doing just fine.

I'm just asking these questions because these guidelines don't always have to be on one end of the spectrum or the other. I can understand if this is one of the species that is a tight schooler that literally stresses or dies because they don't have an adequate group size. I don't think it is, though, because like I said their behavior and the information I've read doesn't lead me to that conclusion.


I was asking about the thick glass thing because the big tanks we are talking about already have thick glass because of the amount of water volume they are holding. You are suggesting something thicker than that?

 

[GodFan]

How do you know they get stressed without a school? Basing that on some cases about them not thriving purely due to lack of same species? Their behavior looks to be more shoaling than schooling to me, that's why I'm asking. And I've seen many tanks with very small groups, or even singles or pairs that are doing just fine.

I'm just asking these questions because these guidelines don't always have to be on one end of the spectrum or the other. I can understand if this is one of the species that is a tight schooler that literally stresses or dies because they don't have an adequate group size. I don't think it is, though, because like I said their behavior and the information I've read doesn't lead me to that conclusion.


I was asking about the thick glass thing because the big tanks we are talking about already have thick glass because of the amount of water volume they are holding. You are suggesting something thicker than that?

I have always heard they are schooling and I have heard specific cases where somebody said they had stressed individuals that became healthier and happier after adding more individuals.
As far as the glass I am not sure exactly how thick it should be. I know that it is supposed to be thick as they can crack glass.
I think I probably overstated how many they need. 3 could probably work..