1 inch per gallon rule true?
- Thread starter jay733
- Start date
not even close to being true. the number and size of the fish you keep in your tank should be based on several factors. it should not be based solely on the chemistry of your water nor on the magic of the inch per gallon myth. it's more than simply a matter of successfully keeping the ammonia and nitrites at zero or the fact that you may have "great filtration".
certainly these are important issues, but one of the most important factors is almost always overlooked. the number and size of fish that one maintains in a tank should be predicated on the "biology" and behaviour of those fish.
this means that the interraction of a mixed community tank and/or the behaviour of a single species is the single most important factor to consider. you want the fish you're keeping to have the ability to exhibit "normal" and functional behaviour. normal behaviour is important. abnormal behaviour results in stress. stress leads to disease. disease can lead to death. for example:
1. if species (A) does not get along with species (B), then these fish don't belong in the same tank no matter how few fish you have or how large the tank. "getting along" is based on the visual and behavioural Q's that each fish species is genetically programmed with. this is why African cichlids generally don't belong in the same tank with Central American cichlids. Africans don't "understand" Central American fish speak and this leads to behavioural problems and stress.
2. if species (A) has specific food or water chemistry requirements which are completely different from species (B), then these fish don't belong in the same tank no matter how large it is.
3. if species (A) is aggressive and defends a territory of 2 square feet, then you cannot expect to successfully keep more than one of these fish in a tank which is smaller than 2 square feet. convict cichlids are an excellent example of this ... this little fish aggressively defends territories of about two square feet give or take. if you have a tank which allows only that much room and no more, the convict will defend the entire tank to the detriment of any other fish (no matter how large it is) in that tank.
fish need room to swim without having the rest of the tanks inhabitants "in their face" continuously. when crowded, fish exhibit stress syndromes that result in poor color, improper fin form, insufficient metabolic development, do not exhibit proper musculature, do not develop properly functioning organ systems and most importantly slowly lose their inherant resistance to disease. this results in a significantly shortened lifespan and along the way, lots of diseases for which the poorly conditioned fish is a good target..
think about your local lake or river --- the fish are free to inhabit whatever space suits them biologically. if it gets crowded by their standards, some will disperse and move to other areas where they again have the space they need to exhibit functional behaviour.
it's difficult to allow for that "space" in your tank -- the fish have no escape within the confines of your tank so it's up to you to insure that the fish have that space in the first place. if your tank "looks bare" .. it's probably just right.
certainly these are important issues, but one of the most important factors is almost always overlooked. the number and size of fish that one maintains in a tank should be predicated on the "biology" and behaviour of those fish.
this means that the interraction of a mixed community tank and/or the behaviour of a single species is the single most important factor to consider. you want the fish you're keeping to have the ability to exhibit "normal" and functional behaviour. normal behaviour is important. abnormal behaviour results in stress. stress leads to disease. disease can lead to death. for example:
1. if species (A) does not get along with species (B), then these fish don't belong in the same tank no matter how few fish you have or how large the tank. "getting along" is based on the visual and behavioural Q's that each fish species is genetically programmed with. this is why African cichlids generally don't belong in the same tank with Central American cichlids. Africans don't "understand" Central American fish speak and this leads to behavioural problems and stress.
2. if species (A) has specific food or water chemistry requirements which are completely different from species (B), then these fish don't belong in the same tank no matter how large it is.
3. if species (A) is aggressive and defends a territory of 2 square feet, then you cannot expect to successfully keep more than one of these fish in a tank which is smaller than 2 square feet. convict cichlids are an excellent example of this ... this little fish aggressively defends territories of about two square feet give or take. if you have a tank which allows only that much room and no more, the convict will defend the entire tank to the detriment of any other fish (no matter how large it is) in that tank.
fish need room to swim without having the rest of the tanks inhabitants "in their face" continuously. when crowded, fish exhibit stress syndromes that result in poor color, improper fin form, insufficient metabolic development, do not exhibit proper musculature, do not develop properly functioning organ systems and most importantly slowly lose their inherant resistance to disease. this results in a significantly shortened lifespan and along the way, lots of diseases for which the poorly conditioned fish is a good target..
think about your local lake or river --- the fish are free to inhabit whatever space suits them biologically. if it gets crowded by their standards, some will disperse and move to other areas where they again have the space they need to exhibit functional behaviour.
it's difficult to allow for that "space" in your tank -- the fish have no escape within the confines of your tank so it's up to you to insure that the fish have that space in the first place. if your tank "looks bare" .. it's probably just right.
Different fish have different needs. The inch per gallon might be used as a guide-lie for small thin fish (guppies,neons, ect.) But eve then you should not think of it as a rule. Personally I would toss it out all together. Consider how large your fish will get as they grow, how heavy or messy they are, if they prefer being in schools, if they have delicate fins (like angels), if they are territorial. Also the shape of the tank is important.
Take a look at this thread for article for a better explanation. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36902
And I don’t know what kid of loaches you are talking about but I'm thinking 6gallo would be way too small.
Take a look at this thread for article for a better explanation. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36902
And I don’t know what kid of loaches you are talking about but I'm thinking 6gallo would be way too small.
Measuring bioload as inches vs gallons also breaks down if the tank you are using has a small surface area in relation to the gallons--tall tanks are especially horrible for this.
The classic long low rectangular tank is a classic because it offers a large surface area for gas exchange--the forumula I've generally seen used to determine the rough bio-load is width x length/12. But, as previously mentioned, you have to take into account the body type of the fish.
You should also consider the level the fish in question will most commonly inhabit. Fish move horizontally thru their environment more than vertically, so it's best to balance your fish populations across the different levels.
Bottom feeders, mid-level fish, top level fish etc.
The classic long low rectangular tank is a classic because it offers a large surface area for gas exchange--the forumula I've generally seen used to determine the rough bio-load is width x length/12. But, as previously mentioned, you have to take into account the body type of the fish.
You should also consider the level the fish in question will most commonly inhabit. Fish move horizontally thru their environment more than vertically, so it's best to balance your fish populations across the different levels.
Bottom feeders, mid-level fish, top level fish etc.