[lektronimo]

I'm considering putting a 125 gallon tank in my music - drum room, I practice about 1 hour a day or so
Would that stress them out too much?
african cichlid set up
Does anyone out there have any thoughts?
Thanks
SG

 

[PfunMo]

My thinking would say yes. If it was continuous noise, they might adapt but for one hour a day, no. I find that fish are very sensitive to the vibrations noise makes. They can actually jump sometimes when I snap an algae wafer in two before feeding it. Taking a vac strainer off and banging it in a plastic trash can to clear it, nearly gave them a heart attack. Lots of banging and rushing around in a panic. I never do that any more. Since you [/list]know how sound works, think of how easily sound travels in the water and you can see what it must do for them in the water.

 

[Zamboniman]

My thinking would say yes. If it was continuous noise, they might adapt but for one hour a day, no. I find that fish are very sensitive to the vibrations noise makes. They can actually jump sometimes when I snap an algae wafer in two before feeding it. Taking a vac strainer off and banging it in a plastic trash can to clear it, nearly gave them a heart attack. Lots of banging and rushing around in a panic. I never do that any more. Since you [/list]know how sound works, think of how easily sound travels in the water and you can see what it must do for them in the water.

I know when the kids are playing Rock Band too loud the fish on the other end of the room swim around madly the whole time. The kids figure they're dancing. I'm not so sure.

 

[PfunMo]

I've noticed on a number of occasions that my fish tend to hide when one particulary loud person comes to visit. He is a bit hard of hearing and speaks too loud for most people and when he goes to the fish room , the fish hide.

 

[ravencrow]

I don't necessarily agree with the statement that fish are negatively effected by noise, especially musical noise. I have a large home sound system and the fish never seem to be skittish while we party and blast the music. What they do appear to be influenced by is lots of people moving around the house. The fish in the 65gal community setup are never daunted by anything... much less noise... the mbuna in the 6ft naturally are a little more jumpy but not by music or movie volume, i know because i too was worried about their well being until watching them over and over again as the decibels rose or fell and never did they seem to pay attention or be negatively impacted by it.

 

[prov356]

It's all about vibrations picked up by the lateral line system. You can have loud noises (to us) near a tank that don't impact them because it doesn't result in any significant vibration to the tank and water. You can also have low frequencies that aren't as 'loud' but will affect them greatly because it will cause vibrations to ripple through the tank. We've all heard the car stereos that can vibrate our houses. That's what you want to avoid. They won't fall over dead, of course, but I wouldn't subject them to that over extended periods. There may be ways to buffer the tank against some vibration through the use of styrofoam, etc under the tank. Carpeting helps too. Stand where you intend to put the tank and see if you feel any vibrations from the music. If no, then I'd say you're fine.