I suppose I should add that the respondants to the poll/survey did not all indicate success in keeping mandarins. I think more of them actually lost the fish, and in indicating tank size, seems to point at the 40g as being a boundary in the success/failure of long term survival. Of course other aspects were included such as maturity of the tank, amount of LR, etc. All else being equal, the 40 still seemed to be a cutoff point.
Sam, I think we can squeeze the 38g under the wire
I also like to argue against anyone taking a fish back to a LFS. The new owner can and may take steps to ensure the health of their new charge...the LFS almost certainly won't. Might as well smash a big rock on it's head (no offence Bev) rather thatn take it back to the store. The last place a fish should ever be is in a pet shop...nasty places!!
