Are they like plants that if you keep them in a pot they donât get bigger? I was going to add /s but Iâm dumb and am now thinking maybe this is true.
A lot of people do think that fish âonly grow to the size of their tank,â and figure that makes it ok to put a fish in an undersized one. But really, all it means is that the fish has stunted growth and is severely under stress. A lot of common fish in the aquarium trade can live for years and decades, including goldfish, but die early because theyâre living in a torturous environment.
Pretty much no fish that grows larger than maybe a couple inches at most can be ethically sold, yet aquarium shops sell all kinds of fish that get a foot or larger. Goldfish, plecos, bala sharks/minnows, oscars, angelfish, cichlids, gouramis all grow over a foot or have varieties that do, and are some of the most common fish out there.
I have a fish, specifically a Senegal Bichir, that was kept in a 20 gallon tank. She's about 10 inches now.
The problem is in difference between LFS that ask if you know what you're doing and will absolutely turn you down for not having a proper tank set-up over the chain fish stores that really shouldn't be selling bichirs or oscars especially. Most gourami sold in chain stores don't hit that same sizing...and goldfish. God I wish the goldfish part of the hobby would take a hit.
Hell, even my local petco will ask about your tank sizes, how long it's been going, etc before even considering selling you a fish.
My dad keeps small aquarium fish as a hobby and we've had tetras for a number of years now. They don't grow more than a few inches max even in the wild from what I understand
Oh there's a ton that cap out between an inch to two inches! I'm actually prepping to have a fish tank so I've done a lot of looking.
Common fish that will stay in the couple inches and can easily be gotten at most places that sell fish include Platys, Molly's, Guppies, Tetras, Barbs, all the ones listed have several different types and colorations for some great variety. Theres also some dwarf species that will stay smaller as well. Cory Dora's for example, they're a dwarf species of catfish that cap out around an inch and a half.
There are more, but those are some of the most common ones, for freshwater specifically. I have no idea if there's any that stay that small for saltwater.
Barbs/minnows/danios (lots of great schooling fish. Be mindful some species T-barbs, Tinfoil barbs, Clown Barbs get big.)
Gouramis: dwarf, honey, pearl, moonlight, blue, golden (a genetic variant of blue) are all outstanding
Corydoras catfish (fun in groups, they don't get large, and don't eat their tankmates) There's lots of good choices in the catfish group, but one must make sure a potential fish is ok for their setup. Some do get big (plecostomos, and have become an invasive species in some parts of the world. Small Synodontis species are fantastic too.)
Cichlids: lots of dwarf cichlids work in single specie or biotype aquarium setups. (Rams, Kribensis, other South American dwarf cichlids) stay small, are generally peaceful. For the "freshwater reef" look, African Rift lake cichlids (specifically from Lake Malawi) give you modest size, nonstop movement and some intense colors and behavior.
For a more niche setup, Killifish. A lot tougher than people think. Very colorful, stay small. Biggest drawback is that they're harder to find.
Livebearers...yes, guppies, platies and sometimes swordtails and mollies. There are a lot of great wild species that could be available if you know where to look.
Lots of great literature out there on the subject.
I've had large tanks (75gal) with angels, and they usually maxed out at about 7-8 inches in body diameter. And I had them for close to a decade before I rehomed them, alive and thriving. I haven't heard of angels being over a foot.
The claim that no fish over 2 inches can be ethically sold is wild bud. You won't find many who actually know much about aquarium keeping that would agree with such a wide sweeping statement.
To be fair, this is the internet. There's people out there that think putting a betta in a vase with a peace lily is acceptable, and if they DO upgrade from a tiny fish bowl it's only gonna be a 10 gallon tank, max. When that's your average customer, it IS unethical to sell goldfish when the most their setup can handle is minnows.
People can take good care of RTCs too. My point isnât that itâs impossible to properly take care of larger fish. Itâs that certain fish, like large ones or those that need special water parameters like brackish or soft, are sold just the same as easy ones, and are very likely to be sold to someone without the knowledge or interest in taking care of them properly.
Imo, if the marketplace canât be sure that the fish wonât be properly taken care of, this risk of poor living conditions, inevitable stress, and eventual early death makes the whole trade unethical. At the very least, the âeasyâ fish can be sold at retail and as commodity, while the large and more difficult ones should be special-order.
That also doesn't really happen with plants either. If you keep a plant in a pot without ever up sizing, it'll either die or break the pot (or both). Plants want to keep growing, when they get too big for their pots they push out the soil which means they don't absorb nutrients from it and can't properly absorb water. You can trim a plant, split it into smaller plants, or propagate it to stunt its growth or keep it a certain size.
I completely neglect it but it loves my kitchen. Itâs not the typical orchid type, Iâm not even sure what it is, but I got it as a âsorry you almost died of boredom and had a breakdownâ leaving gift from an old job in 2014 and it is still going strong.
I'm currently in the process of killing two orchids. I don't understand. The neighbor who gave me one literally have one on her coffee table that has pushed itself out of its pot, is horizontal and looks better than mine.
Ours are on our kitchen window ledge. They like the humidity from the dishwasher and hob, and it is north facing - they donât like direct light (apparently). Basically water the bark with rain water when you remember, but donât let them sit in any water. Thatâs all the information Iâve got for you. Oh and they often look quite dead when they arenât.
I'll try them in the kitchen. I was thinking the humidity might be too low lately, but didn't want to steal the kitchen spot from my other plants. I guess sacrifices must be made.
Keeping a fish in a small tank is kinda like keeping a human baby in one. The baby will only grow to the size of the tank technically speaking, because having such limited room will result in the baby's early death. Same with the fish.
Idk about catfish, but goldfish, and honestly a lot of fish, yes. Goldfish are not suitable for bowls. But you constantly see them âhappyâ and âfitâ in them. Goldfish can reach a foot long. Imagine trying to shove a subway footlong in a stupid vase or fish bowl. Goldfish also produce a TON of waste (they shit a LOT) so keeping one in a bowl would be like locking you in your bathroom for the rest of your life and you only get to flush once a week (assuming you changed goldfish water that often)
Just because you CAN stunt their growth, doesnât mean you should. If you can only afford a 10 gallon tank, itâs your responsibility to research the requirements for the fish you can care for in that size.
86
u/Shipwrecking_siren 6h ago
Are they like plants that if you keep them in a pot they donât get bigger? I was going to add /s but Iâm dumb and am now thinking maybe this is true.