[quote="runway1]Just a note, actually not. I design experiments often, although not in this discipline, I'm an aerospace engineer. What you would do is simply use thousands of subjects, therefore deriving thousands of data points. Also, I'm sure they could find fish with far shorter lifespans. And....as for cost....I've run two day experiments that would cost far more than a bunch of guppies in an aquarium being whatched and charted by a bunch of grad students for free. Again, not saying it happened, just offering some info. [/quote]
You can't simply use thousands of subjects for data points, because with the great variables that exist from one tank to another it would be tough to derive clear enough data that proves bowfront tanks reduce lifespans. I would also hope that the existence of an entire tank design would not hinge on a test run on guppies only.....which can also live up to 5 years. I don't dispute your 2 day experiments obviously, but if you ask the "experts" of the hobby why little concrete data is available on most subjects the answer is almost always time and money.
Again, no offense but I have to correct. Auto glass is optically far higher quality than acrylic and certainly higher quality than that greenish glass stuff they make tanks from
We're not talking about the same thing. I didn't mention clarity, but rather the shape of the curvature of the "lens". A magnifying glass is shaped essentially as if you would cut the top off of a sphere. It refracts the light entering the lens and focuses on a single point (hence why you can use them to concentrate sunlight on a single spot and generate enough heat to start a fire). This is not the shape of bowfront tank....it is a simple sheet of glass "bowed" similar to that of a windshield.
Regardless, the discussion brought up seems to be less about clarity and more about the bowed glass causing stress. If clarity would be a consideration, then I would imagine this could only be a partial ban as Starphire glass available for aquariums is excellent clarity and acrylic is nearly 100% transparent as well.
Personally, I think the idea is interesting and thought provoking even though I don't believe it to be probable. With the amount of other issues that easily kill large quantities of livestock (collecting, shipping, etc.), I don't think anyone would be focusing first on bowfront aquariums.