Like a lot of things in the reptile industry, aquariums were frowned upon because the animals failed to thrive in them. I think what people have started to figure out is that it was never the aquariums themselves that were the problem, but the lack of other appropriate care. Think about it. A couple decades ago when tortoise tables started taking over, do you think people had their temperature and humidity correct? Do you think they started with quality, captive bred animals? Do you think they didn't try to stuff a bunch of tortoises of varying size and species into a small aquarium?
Now that we know more about tortoises and their needs, and we are continuing to discover more and more, I predict that a decade from now people will be warning others about tortoise tables, and the fact that it is impossible to accurately control the temperature and humidity in a tortoise table without also changing the temperature and humidity of the entire room.
I have been using closed-top enclosures from the very start of my tortoise-keeping, and I think the great results that I have gotten in a relatively short amount of time should say something. I raise all of my hatchling russians in aquariums.
