tank footprint question

[Teru]

While the debate between pea and figure 8 puffers is still ongoing in my house, we decided to take a break and argue about tank sizes.
I would like to get a 30g frag tank 24x24x12. The opposing side wants a standard 30g 36x12x16.
My thinking was that whichever we end up getting would appreciate the added floor space to explore. Also keeping an under 12" height would allow me to rearranged some tanks and keep the new tank on the middle shelf of a rack.
The other side is going for aesthetics and wants a larger viewing area. This would also allow us more room for some taller plants (I don't understand it but there is a weird obsession with vals) and decor. However this would require the tank to go on the top shelf about 5 feet up, which as the water changer is really unappealing to my back.
So folks give us some ammunition, which would be better for either a single f8 or a trio of peas, short and fat or long and skinny?

[Stratters]

I'd go for long and skinny, bigger footprint is better imo, and I don't think the puffers will give a monkeys about having taller plants, they'd prefer more floor space to explore

[Biff Malawi]

I vote for the 24x24 and 3 dwarfs. Put in some sunset hygrophilia with fairly bright lights and it will stay low and very pretty. F8s are awesome but the brackish water is more work and limits the plant choices severly. Although plastic ones can be nice.

Sorry Stratters the 24c x24 is the larger footprint

[DMD123]

I really am no help on this topic. My thought was get both and put pea puffers in one and the figure 8 in the other.

[RTR]

Tank selection depends on the particular set-up. For most puffers, footprint is a heavy factor as these are not schooling fish in other than quite large hobby tanks, but are strongly territorial seasonally in the wild. You have to go to very large tanks to get puffer to show schooling behavior in captivity, and even that may be seasonal for them in the wild. Whether or not we can simulate wild seasonality in captivity has not yet been well demonstrated.

[Teru]

So we ended up getting a 30 breeder. Compromise is possible! but we're still fighting about the fish...