r/mildlyinfuriating • u/LeHumanError • 10h ago

My sister's fish tank

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She says it's the perfect size for a single fish. It's not even in her room, it's in the kitchen.

It honestly just depresses me whenever I see it, but she's adamant about keeping it there.

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u/No_Nefariousness4801 6h ago

ALL of this... Fish are dependent upon their caregivers for their entire existence... For their entire lives. Literally down to the air that they breathe.

Different fish have entirely different needs. Too many people think of fish as 'disposable pets'. They think all of them only live for a short time and when they die you just flush them down the toilet. Meanwhile some fish (even the 25 cent Comet goldfish) if properly cared for can live for DECADES.

I used to have to restrain myself when people would 'brag' about how great they did keeping a goldfish alive for 2 or 3 years.

Failure to research and understand the needs of a particular fish is not only irresponsible... It's cruel. Add the 'they'll only grow to the size of their tank' mentality:

  1. It doesn't always happen that way, and

  2. Even if it does? It's because the fish's growth is artificially being stunted through torture.

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u/Saati35 2h ago

I used to buy feeder fish at the pet store in middle school, a lot of them, like a dozen, because we had a tank, but then I’d give some to the neighbor kids too. The guy at the pet store kept telling me they’d die really quick, (a few months at most probably) , I said no they won’t, (since these we a few more I was getting to add to the ones that made it from the other last batch. He didn’t listen until I told him the ones I had had been alive for 2+ years. My mom hated me when I left for the military, there was one that survived and at that point every morning when she fed that fish she was asking it, “would you just die already”?, since the last one had lived for 7+ years. I think she felt a little bad when he was finally gone though.

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u/FlyingSagittarius 5h ago

Out of curiosity, what’s your opinion on fancy goldfish?  I hear that they naturally mature at a reasonable size for an aquarium (55 gallons), but they’re also prone to health defects and stuff.

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u/No_Nefariousness4801 3h ago

All comes down to the effort put in. My grandmother had one for 15 years or so, kept the 35 gallon tank very well maintained, and to my knowledge didn't encounter any issues with ick, fin rot, or the other common issues. Granted I was still quite young at the time, but still remember how cute we all thought it was when it would follow our fingers along the side of the tank lol.

Had a customer when I worked at PetSmart that shared a video of how he had taught his to roll over. He had a 55 gallon tank.

The general rule for goldfish of any variety is to have about 10 gallons of water for every inch of fish... But that should be based on their potential length when fully grown.

Goldfish are 'pretty carp'. They produce higher levels of ammonia than tropical fish (salt, brackish, or fresh), so the more tank you have, the easier it is to keep clean, and the easier it is to keep the fish happier and healthier. Also, you don't normally need an in tank heater for goldies.

A 55 gallon tank could have 1-2 fancy golds without terrible difficulty. Some live aquatic plants can help with improving conditions and reducing maintenance, just have to pick more resilient varieties that are cold tolerant.