There’s a visible difference between a reptile tank and a fish tank. But as a beginner in the aquarium niche it might be a bit difficult to tell the difference.
On that note, I’ve come up with a detailed article on how to tell the difference between a fish tank and a reptile tank.
This article is for you if you are;
- A beginner in all things aquarium
- If you’re having a hard time selecting a good aquarium
- If you’re looking for a beautiful home for your fishes of reptiles
- If you’re looking to convert your old fish tank into a home for your reptile.
All this and possibly more knowledge on aquarium fish and reptile tanks.
First of all, a fish tank is called an aquarium while a reptile tank is called a terrarium. In fish tanks, there are roughly five-sided thick glass compartments that hold water, while in reptile tanks, there are nooks made of more slender glass that are intended to be more agreeable for more modest smaller creatures.
Technically, a fish tank is has a thicker glass than a reptile tank.
If you have intentions of turning your old fish tank into a home for your reptile, keep in mind that aquariums are not great for reptiles, since they are intended for fish and don’t have the important elements for reptiles. Despite the fact that aquariums are not great for most reptiles, especially bigger species, they can be still utilized to house little reptiles, snakes, and turtles.
The difference between a fish tank and a reptile tank
Short story, in the beginning of my aquarium shopping for my fishes, I was really excited and would literally stop at anything tank shop and supplies to have a look around.
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Eventually, I got stuck on a very beautiful tank in a thrift shop. So I bought it and went back home. Long story short after a while of using it, things didn’t feel exactly right, the glass was too light, I was scared it would break so I ordered for a new one and switched things up.
Here’s what you should know to tell the difference between a reptile tank and a fish tank;
Reptile tanks are called terrarium;”terra” in this context means land while a fish tank is called an aquarium. We all know aqua fits with anything regarding water.
Fish tanks are designed to hold water ranging from small to large quantities. Because of this fish tanks don’t have ventilation holes or drains like the reptile tanks and are built with a strong watertight glass to hold the water without breaking.
So it’s safe to say that fish tanks have a very obvious thicker glass than reptile tanks. I’ve heard reports of people who interchanged the 2 and complained of water leaks, breakage and a lot more. Reptile glass isn’t designed to withhold the pressure of water.
It’s important to ensure that you’re using the right tank to avoid serious injuries in case f breakage.
Another thing to keep in mind is that fish tanks are obviously heavier than reptile tanks. They weigh much more than reptile tanks because of the thickness of their glass. However this doesn’t mean that there aren’t some reptile tanks that are heavier than fish tanks. In this situation we’d be looking at the sizes.
In my observation, I also noticed that fish tanks were relatively longer in size than fish tanks. And in addition to It, fish tanks are sealed with a different type of silicon, which is why it is totally waterproof with no leaks. If you fill a terrarium with water, you might notice some leaks.
Moving on to the next point, there are a lot of holes on in a terrarium to aid with ventilation of the animals in it. It also has a door in front of the tank which makes it easier to feed the reptiles, care for them, access them and clean out the reptile tank.
On the other hand, water tank doesn’t have a front or back door, obviously if it did, there would definitely be leaks and imagine opening the door with a large amount of water contained in it- that would be disastrous. Fish tanks have a top lid with holes drilled to help with the ventilation process in the fish tanks.
Getting familiar with all these difference will definitely give you a head start on choosing the right aquarium for either your fishes or your reptiles as the case may be.
Should I buy a fish tank or a reptile tank?
Personally, if I’m conflicted with having to choose between two very important items, I just end up buying the two and deciding on what’s best for me after using them- but only if it is budget friendly.
However, i don’t think a lot of people buy the idea because most people are working with a budget.
So should you buy a fish tank or a reptile tank? The answer to this depends on your needs.
What kind of pet do you intend to keep in the tank?
If you’re looking to have a fish pet, then buying a fish tank is obviously an ideal choice. However, if you have a reptile, then it’s definitely a reptile tank you should go for.
This is definitely the first decision you have to make on deciding on which to buy.
On the other hand, if you’re a lover of both pets like myself, there is no harm in owning both a fish tank and a reptile tank for your pets. Both have different working systems and you’d get used to it eventually.
Can a fish tank be used as a reptile tank?
Like I said earlier, reptile tanks and fish tanks differ in length, thickness, drainage, ventilation and possibly lots more.
In other to make use of a fish tank as a reptile tank, there a few changes one needs to make on the tank before it fits the needs of the reptiles.
Many individuals use aquariums to house their pet reptiles since they are promptly accessible. Despite the fact that aquariums are not great for most reptiles, especially bigger species, they can be utilized to house little reptiles, snakes, and turtles.
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For instance; Aquariums are intended to help fish in vertical direction, while snakes will profit from more open space toward the front. Ball pythons, Children’s pythons, and savu pythons can be kept in a 20-gallon aquarium; however a 40-gallon “reproducer” tank is ideal for bigger creatures.
Most reptiles can’t survive in a fish tank because they require a larger amount of oxygen and airflow to survive. An example of this is the chameleons.
Also because of the thicker glass of an aquarium tank, it might be hooter inside than the exterior, ensure that you check the temperature regularly and make regular adjustments where necessary in other to promote better body functioning of your reptiles.
Final Words
If you’re a DIY person, converting your fish tank into a reptile tank or vice versa shouldn’t be an issue. But just in case you’re not really into DIY you can browse through notable blogs on how to convert your fish tank into a reptile tank and vice versa as the case may be.
By now, we should be able to tell the difference between the two tanks and choose according to our needs, I wish you good luck.
Let me know your thoughts In the comment section! Cheers.