Planted tank bio load

[Dean]

Can a planted tank have alot more fish than a non planted. I have a 15gallon empty right now and plan on making it heavily planted. Thinking about
- 4 smaller corys
- 2 rams
- 6 small tetras

would this work?

[Leopardess]

A heavily planted tank CAN hold *slightly* more fish than usual because the plants help suck up some of the nitrates and organic wastes, but not anything too extreme.

At any rate, a 15 g is not large enough for a pair of rams, planted or not. I wouldn't keep a pair in anything under a 29g.

You can get away with the cories, and, say, two smaller groups of six tetras, but not the rams imo.

[Grandmastr]

i have a 20g wit 2 pairs of rams and some danios wit alot of plants, never had a problem wit them yet

only had the tank up for a week, and they are startin to breed now

[Leopardess]

Well, i don't mean to sound mean (too many means;)) but you've only had the tank up a week...so thats not really longterm.

Also, a pair of rams could LIVE in a ten, but how happy would they be???

Its not just keeping them alive, but healthy and happy...which requires swimming room. And breeding isn't a surefire sign of health....

but hey, your fish your tank;) but if you really mean you have 2 pairs of rams (total of four) I really think thats *quite* cramped.

[Grandmastr]

its cycled already,, i took gravel out of my 8 year 55 gallon tank, was running the foam filter pad in my filter in my 55 gallon for a good 2 months

and all the plants are from my 10 gallon i had up for a few months wit some more gravel out of there

i have no readings on ammonia yet, have extremely low nitrites/nitrates

[emoore]

I somewhat agree with Leopardess in that the Rams would need more swimming room. I have two pair of Rams in a 20 long. The 20 long is the same length of a 29 so they have some "leg room" (plus they are the only fish in the tank). I would leave the rams out of the 15.

[Wippit Guud]

Go with tetra and a few gouramis, they're larger but not as active, a pair should be ok.

[Leopardess]

grand - I'm not concerned necessarily about hte ammonia/nitrate readings. That is not solely how one meausres what fish can go in a tank. Physical SPACE is also a huge factor...like I said, sure they can *live* in even a ten gallon, but how *happy/healthy* will they be?

Dean asked for opinions - I gave him mine. I second the suggestion of a gourami, maybe even two. Pearls are beautiful and are not nearly as active a swimmer as a ram, let alone two. Not to mention how "territorial" a pair of breeding rams will be.

[Captain Hook]

Leopardess don't you think pearls get a little too big for a 15 gallon?

[Leopardess]

one isn't...i was being a little sarcastic/facetious when I said to get two though...I guess that didn't really come through though lol.

[Captain Hook]

I still think one would be pretty big for a 15.

[Leopardess]

I thikn one would be fine. They max out at about 4" in all actuallity. Also, being labrynth fish, they are not as active as most other fish. I have two and am quite familar with their behavior....but either way, I'm not going to get into a gourami debate when the guy hasn't mentioned what he's gonna do about the two rams;)

Also, i'm not suggesting he still get the tetras and cories with the gourami....