# A Fish Tank for Your Toilet!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [December 14, 2006, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103 "2006-12-14T09:02:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/1 "2006-12-14T09:02:05Z")
[No joke!](http://www.fishnflush.com/) I wonder if it’d be considered “inhumane treatment” if I got one since the cats like to hang out in the bathroom?
I don’t think I’d want to put anything like piranhas or sharks in the thing, though. :eek:
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/2 "2006-12-14T09:24:02Z")
Wonder if these are manufactured in Flushing, NY?
I suppose one good thing is, when the fish die, you don’t have to take them far for their final resting place.
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/3 "2006-12-14T10:25:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Customers should consult their local pet store to find which fish are compatible and appropriate for your personal Fish 'n Flush tank.
Mine just recommended a couple of snappers but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with that.
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### Author:  [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/4 "2006-12-14T12:37:32Z")
Ooh! I want one!
Would definately complete the nautical theme in my bathroom!
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### Author:  [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/5 "2006-12-14T13:36:21Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara]
Mine just recommended a couple of snappers but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with that.
[/QUOTE]
It’s a shame that the tank is too small to hold a decent-sized [crappie](http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/fishing/fish_id_gallery/black_crappie).
I love fish, and I wouldn’t mind at all having this tank in my bathroom. But my much more conventional spouse would draw the line at this, I think. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/6 "2006-12-14T16:19:38Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara]
Mine just recommended a couple of snappers but I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with that.
[/QUOTE]
Presumably an electric eel would also be somewhat problematic.
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/7 "2006-12-14T18:00:29Z")
If you go with bottom feeders like catfish you won’t even have to buy fish food. Just leave a “top shelf” deposit once a week or so and everybody’s happy!
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/8 "2006-12-14T18:13:30Z")
I don’t think I’d be entirely comfortable with a bottom feeder either.
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/9 "2006-12-14T18:45:17Z")
I want one of these toilets. I would stock it with fish that glow in the dark. It would surprise my guests in the middle of the night. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/10 "2006-12-14T20:32:41Z")
One of the last things I want to hear during that 2AM stumble-in-the-dark bathroom trip is bubbling noises.
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### Author:  [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/11 "2006-12-14T20:57:58Z")
It looks cool, but I wonder how healthy it is for the fish?
Fish shock easily at a couple degree temperature drop. The water that comes out of my cold water tap can be quite cold at times.
After a flush you’ve got a container of very cold water with your fish tank wrapped around it. That’s got to drop the fish tank temperature down.
Goldfish and perhaps barbs could handle this for a short time - perhaps a few days worth - but I’d expect them to start getting sick and kicking over in a few weeks.
Also, bathroom cleaners are not known to be very fish friendly.
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### Author:  [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/12 "2006-12-14T21:00:05Z")
2.2 gallon? The only fish that’d thrive in that space would be a Betta. And a Betta probably wouldn’t stand a cold water shock per Seven’s arguments.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/13 "2006-12-14T21:08:42Z")
**Seven** : if you read carefully, they say that the tank the fish are in is NOT the toilet’s tank. The real tank must be hidden in the wall… or… something.
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### Author:  [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/14 "2006-12-14T21:09:17Z")
2.2 gallons is very small. I’d make it a terrarium and keep a tarantula in it.
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### Author:  [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/15 "2006-12-14T21:27:37Z")
Note to self: Go to the bathroom BEFORE going to **levdrakon** ’s house.
Regarding the fish, I don’t think I’d like it. I have a hard enough time keeping the cat out of the bathroom as it is.
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### Author:  [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/16 "2006-12-14T21:31:26Z")
There is no way to attach a filter to it either. It seems like it would hold more water than they say, however, the number of fish they show in it is severe overstocking. No way would that tank survive a week with that many goldfish and no filtration system. Even if frequent temperature fluctuations didn’t kill 'em.
That being said, I think it’s a neato idea and could be done better. Heck, just listening to the bubbling on the website made me wanna go, I can see how it would help with potty training which will soon be a part of my life.
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### Author:  [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/17 "2006-12-14T21:37:29Z")
Sorry for the double post.
It is a dream to have a source of water and a drain anywhere you have a fishtank. I would love to have a hard plumbed tank and have often wished to have a spot close enough to the bathroom or kitchen that I could accomplish that, or have a husband that wasn’t too lazy to do it.
The limiting of the tank to a conventional sized toilet is unfortunate, really if it extended a bit higher would be better and if the inner section was tinted darker or black, since in Florida at least, the amount of lime and crud in the water quickly discolors anything. Having two drill holes in the bottom, one for an overflow and the other to pump it back in wouldn’t be hard to do, for a tank that size a small wet/dry would be pretty easy to do, add to the functionality of the tank and not take up much room.
Acrylic is definitely the way to go, however, it does take away an important weapon from your bathroom arsenal, the heavy porcelain tank lid. So remember that next time you are naked in the shower and get attacked. Goldfish aren’t very good weapons.
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### Author:  [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2006, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/18 "2006-12-15T07:34:56Z")
[QUOTE=Sattua]
**Seven** : if you read carefully, they say that the tank the fish are in is NOT the toilet’s tank. The real tank must be hidden in the wall… or… something.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I understand that.
You’ve got 2.2 gallon of fish water that wraps around a container with toilet water - perhaps 2-3 gallons worth.
In my house, right now, that 2-3 gallons of toilet water would be VERY cold. I wouldn’t want to place that next to a skinny 2.2 gallon fishtank.
Next to a 20-55 gallon tank would be that much of a problem. But that skinny tank would be prone to temperature swings
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### Author:  [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/19 "2006-12-15T07:47:09Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast]
It is a dream to have a source of water and a drain anywhere you have a fishtank. I would love to have a hard plumbed tank and have often wished to have a spot close enough to the bathroom or kitchen that I could accomplish that, or have a husband that wasn’t too lazy to do it.
[/QUOTE]
Years and years ago I worked for a high end aquarium store. We installed a 350 gallon aquarium in [a camera store](http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8456427/portland_or/camera_world.html). It was behind the counter and all the video cameras pointed at the fish. Along the top of the aquarium were monitors to display the video camera output.
It was a pretty nice set up.
Anyway, a bar sink was installed in the floor under the aquarium for cleaning and water changes. It made cleaning REALLY easy.
I never did get around to doing that at home under my 150 gallon. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-fish-tank-for-your-toilet/384103/20 "2006-12-15T14:20:58Z")
I think it would be rather cruel to subject the fish to that view of the moon that they would always be seeing.