Fish Tank Sizes

One of the most common questions that I receive from novice fish owner is about fish tank sizes. Usually they don’t provide enough information for me to answer the question, but still  this questions arises in one form or another. What size fish tank do I need for saltwater fish? What is the rule about number of  fish per gallon of water? How many fish can I keep in a 55 gallon tank? Do I need a larger tank for freshwater fish than I need for my saltwater fish? What size tank do I need to for my fish? Do I need a small tank and a large tank?

The answer isn’t as simple as it sounds, although the widely accepted rule is an inch of fish per gallon of water you can use almost any size fish tank to keep fish. However, depending on the task you are trying to accomplish and the number and type  of  fish you would like to keep, fish tank sizes will become and important factor in the health of your fish community. There’s nothing worse than coming home and seeing your fish go belly up day after day from and over crowed tank or keeping incompatible fish in the same tank.

Since there are so many variables when it come to fish tank sizes, I decided to a mini series on the subject. I will start with the common fish bowl ( a favorite with kids) and work my way up to the 55 gallon tank. Some of the variables that will be covered:

• Your skill level at keeping fish
• Type of fish you would like to keep
• Number of fish that you will maintain
• Amount of work you are willing to put into maintaining your tank
• Your budget

I’ll get started in the next few days. Be sure to get in all your questions before hand and I will do my best to answer them. You might want to include some of  the variables I’ve listed above if you want a detailed answer.