water volume effecting fish?

[nanoreefs]

I have a question, when a description of a fish says it needs a certain number of gallons,does it mean total system volume or just of a display tank?

 

[Ted]

Display, The fish doesnt know that you have a 100 gallon sump on your 12 gallon nano :D

 

[ErinCahir]

+1 Ted.

 

[Bifferwine]

Display. That refers to the swimming room it needs (its "living space"). Sump water doesn't count.

 

[wontonflip]

+2 Ted Think about living in a huge high rise. You get one small piece of it to call your home...maybe 1500 sq ft. Who cares that the building's entire square footage is thousands and thousands of square feet -- you can't get to it all ;)