Opinions About Dentist Office Anglefish...

I just switched to a new dentist's office, and had a recent appointment. While there, I noticed their fish tank in the waiting room. It was a 20 gallon high, full of artificial plants and decor. More than half of the tank was obstructed by the tank decorations.
The tank was stocked with about three different species of tetras and a few fish of a species I couldn't identify. The tetras were not in proper schooling amounts. Alone, the amount of fish would have been acceptable, but there were also five adult angelfish in the tank. They couldn't turn around without bumping into another fish or aquarium decor. There were four females and one male, meaning that the females had been impregnated. They were laying eggs all over the filter.
I can't help but notice that the tank seemed overstocked. Roughly, what sized tank should these fish be in? To what extent is this tank overstocked? It's not really my place to bring any attention to it but I'm still curious to know.

 

It seems very overstocked, 5 angelfish should be in a 40 gal minimum I will be getting 5 for a 55 gallon and I was worried that would be too much

 

It’s always your place to point out issues with pet care. Especially if it’s lacking. And from what you say, there is no proper size for this particular dentist because the tank will be full of plastic. These fish may be doing better if they at least gave them more room. But, if you could steer them either into a much larger tank or rehoming some of the fish, it’d be better for everyone. Those angels need lots more room. Lots.

 

The angels alone need at least 75 gallons (I think), just for the 5 angels. Can you get a picture of the schooling fish so we can ID?

 

Angelfish are egg layers, there is no impregnation going on as they fertilize outside the body.

I'd say at least a 55 (just for the length), with minimal plastic decor breaking the tank into three sections. Up the schools or don't (if they have so many schools there isn't much you can do unless they are willing to restock schools). I would suggest picking two angels to keep and rehoming the others, since they are male and females you are going to have them laying eggs and being aggressive regardless of who you keep (unless just the male is kept as centerpiece fish).
The you wording isn't directed at you but used a 'you general' or the dentist in this case.
In a 55 you can do two schools (of 6-10 fish, depending on the type it is, a larger growing tetra you want to do the lower number), some kind of bottom dweller and a couple angels (when they get crowded they can be nasty).

 

I wouldn’t point anything about the dentists fish tanks...until after your done with your appointment. The dentist after all works on your teeth.

Last thing you want the dentist to be thinking “Tell me what to do with my tank...I think I’ll tell this patient they have a cavity.”

 

I'd be willing to bet that the dentist doesn't actually care for the tank. More than likely he has hired a service (or maybe even a employee volunteered) to set it up. But it would never hurt to mention it.

In the place where I get my hair cut, they used to have a bowl with a betta in it. No heater, no filter, just a small bowl. Maybe not so surprisingly, there was a different betta in the bowl every time I got my hair cut. The mortality rate was pretty high. I did say to the girl who cuts my hair a couple of times, "Ya know..."

I guess the owner finally tired of replacing betta's and eventually the bowl just disappeared.

 

Man, I hate this kinda stuff. My doctors office has a 350 gallon, 2 clown fish, a blue tang, 4 fish I can't identify and a large hermit crab of unidentified species, sure it sounds ok. But the clown fish don't have an anemone, there is algae growth everywhere, the foot long fish attacks the clown fish and tang. There is fake rocks scattered all over and the filter is full of algae. I'm so mad when I go thereead:

 

Is no one going to comment on the connection between the title of this thread and Finding Nemo? “Dentist office angelfish”?
I thought this was going to be a trolling post for sure.


Image from Disney Wiki

 

Wow that sounds like a stingy dentist. Sorry that's just my first impression. Any decent dentist/doctor should be able to afford a nice size display tank that looks great in their office. You know, a tank that fits the whole "reassuring your patients with a professional atmosphere" kind of thing that most doctors try to achieve in their offices... If they penny pinch on a tank what else do they penny pinch on? And I bet the staff are taking care of the fish tank. If most dentists have their staff do all the cleaning, taking care of plants etc why not a fish tank.