Is 4 gallons enough for 2 orandas?

Question
QUESTION: Hi Shawn,

I got given a couple of orandas (one red and one red-cap) as a gift about a year and a half ago along with a small (10l) starter tank (without a filter). I have loved looking after them, the 2 fish seem to have thrived in their little world and have almost doubled from their initial size to about 2.5 - 3 inches, both have also recently developed rather impressive head growths so I guess they must be just past the 2 year mark. However, I was starting to get a bit fed up cleaning out their increasingly smelly tank every week and thought I would treat Scampo and Chip to a new house. So, after a trip to a nearby 'Pets At Home' superstore (I know - I should have gone to an LFS!) I came away with a shiny new 15l Baby BiOrb and 3 plants. I now have the new tank all set up and the fish seem to be loving it but, having since read a few articles here and there, I am concerned that this might be a bit cramped for the little guys.

I know bigger is obviously better but can you give me a definitive answer on whether a 15l spherical tank is too small for 2 medium size fancies? The last thing I want is to be cruel to these beautiful creatures but was advised by the 'expert' (yeah right!) at the shop that this 'tank' would do the job.

Thanks in anticipation for your thoughts.

Ross

Glasgow, Scotland

ANSWER: Ross,
Sorry to tell you, but the tank is just too small. considering that an oranda can get to be a good 12" (the current record is a 15" oranda in HK) and most of them get to be well over 5" you can see why 15l just wouldn't suffice for two fish. The recommended ideal is between 10 and 15 gallons per fish when they are young and between 20 and 30g per fish when they are older, but even in a pinch, the smallest tank I'd house them in would be a 20g.
Personally I dislike the idea of biorbs as a good environment for most fish on account of the lack of length. Most orandas are prone to swim-bladder problems and this only makes that problem worse on account of having to rise and dive in a short space.
I am not sure if you can take it back; I do realize that those biorbs are a little pricey... If you can shoot for something no less than 24 to 30" long. You seem to be a responsible fishkeeper and those goldfish if cared for live a couple of decades.
As a final note - if you're feeding the fish dry food / pellets - make sure to soak them in water first. they need a rather diverse diet, so if you have a staple, add in some peas, lettuce (fresh), and even shrimp cut up...
good luck
Shawn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Shawn,

I cannot thank you enough for your advice. It is great to get guidance on these things from someone who so obviously knows what they're talking about!

Unfortunately I wont be able to return the 'Biorb' but will definitely be purchasing a more suitable aquarium for the goldies and might look into getting a heater and a lone betta to make use of the smaller one. Do you think the 4g Biorb would be big enough for a single betta and a small shoal of little fish (half a dozen tetras maybe), or would that be pushing it?

Thanks so much again.

Ross


Answer
Hello Ross
The official rule of stocking a tank is 1" of fish per gallon of water - this assumes a rectangular shape (for the purpose of calculating surface area), which would leave you with between 2 and 3 inches of fish to stock. The rule isn't written in stone, and you could push that to having a betta + 4 small fish. with any overstocked tank, you got to ensure water quality doesn't suffer, which means more frequent water changes.
The other problem with bettas and smaller fish is they sometimes will try and dominate them. It's not all bettas, just some that can be agressive...
Another suggestion would be a betta and some kind of shrimp. Or perhaps the betta and an aquatic frog (African Dwarf frog)... IMO they are a little more entertaining to watch than the tetras.
Hope that helps... Good Luck.
Shawn