Dispelling the inch per gallon rule.

[blackwolfXKAV]

Ok, i know there are definite disagreements on this, and it includes SW.
I'm just trying to dispell the 'myths'.

First off, i was taught that the ipg (inch-per gallon) rule only worked up to fish that were three inches and that when it was adjusted, it would generally work like this:
1 inch per 1 gal
2 inch per 2 gal
3 inch per 3 gal

I was also told that it only worked up to fish that got to 3 three inches only.
It had also been said that it could only be applied to fish that grew to that lenght, not just measuring any give fish in length only. I was told to remember that in general, once a fish got past three inces, it would bulk out, thus creating an uneven measurement.

On a side note, one source for SW stated that it was a 6"pg rule, but i doubt that this by any means an efficient way.

Any thoughts on this?

[beblondie]

Its actually a generalized guide thats been mislabeled a ''rule'' after years of common misuage

[rbishop]

What about if one 1" fish doesn't get along with another 1" fish because they do not get along with one another?

What if the fish involved do not have the same dietary needs?

Temperature?

Water chemistry?

Free swimming space?

Male/female issues?

Spawning issues?

Protecting fry?

Growing to adult size?

[blkwdw13]

I think rbishop pretty much covered it.

[Max]

I agree he sure did! Just as an added example 500 gal tank and 2 different sort of clown fish and you have a war. 1000 gallon tank and 2 different tangs," or anything that looks too much like a tang," and you'll end up with at least one dead fish.

[RockabillyChick]

i always thought that most marine tanks were very understocked compared to freshwater tanks?

[rbishop]

RC...hadn't ever thought about that, but now that you mention it, it does seem that way. Okay you SW folk, are we seeing things (or not)?

[jm1212]

they are. marine fish need around twice as much space as FW.
but still it would be the same as putting two male convicts in a 100 gallon of so. but still even then you cant put a 24" Emperor Angelfish into a 48 gallon. everything else stays the same but you cut stocking in half
(by the way if you did happen to have a 1000 gallon tank you could have a school of regal tangs [hippo tangs])

[SnakeIce]

Just addressing bioload supported by the volume of water one would have to compare volume of fish, yes the actual volume the fish takes up, to volume of water.
This is a simplistic method still since herbivores produce more waste than omnivores and some fish have higher metabolizms than others.


Then there are questions of agression, a more agressive fish will not let as many fish reside with him.


The final point I look at out of the many considerations is what it takes for a fish to thrive. This generally will be much less densly stocked than what the system will support biologicly. Fish need territory and personal space that isn't constantly invaded by other fish. Even schooling fish need space for that school to exsist in peace without other fish invadeing that school.

A further explanation of these basic points is found in the link in my signature.

[Max]

Salt water tanks usually have any where from 1/2 to 1/4 of the # of fish than a f.w. tank. In reefs it tends to go to the lower number due to the fact that inverts need really clean water and a lot of them can get pretty big to.
There is a little more to keep in mind with s.w. especially with reefs you pretty much have to make a semi-functioning eco system. Its a whole lot easier for it to more or less manage it's self than for a hobiest to try to do everything by artificial means like you'd do in most f.w. and fish only s.w. tanks.

[mostlycichlids]

I like that explanation rbishop that pretty much summs it ou for almost ANY setup.

[sly2kusa]

I have a freshwater question regarding this topic that I was just trying to find good info on last night...

15g aquarium being used for feeder quarantine (not to exceed 30 days in containment). How many could I put in there? I've been told 150 to 200 tops. That seems like a lot to me, but...

Thanks

P.S. We're talking small to medium sized Minnows (Rosey Reds, Chubs and Shinner Minnows).

[rbishop]

That sounds like a lot unless you had it on a continuous feed and bleed filter system. 50-100 maybe and only two weeks max? Anybody else?

[Corax]

Even feeders deserve respect. Stocking a tank at those levels is inhumane at best, bordering on cruel.. If ya did that with puppies, the SPCA would be up in yer ***..

re: the marine stocking questions... Marine tanks cannot be stocked by a formula due to personalities. No two fish, even of the same species, behave the same. In my years of keeping sw tanks, one of my favorite fish was the Coral Beauty angel.. I had 3 of them and all 3 were very different. 1 was very shy and never harmed anyone. 1 was very agressive, always in the front of the tank (which is very unusual for a CBA) and even would attack your arm while cleaning the tank. The other was a mix, sometimes coming to the front but hiding when I messed in the tank. The 2 less agressive ones were good for a community tank, but the third was a complete butthole to the other fish. I had to return him to the shop due to that agression. So, while the tan was fully capable of supporting him according to the common stocking guidelines, he was not stockable due to a very unusual mean streak. Same goes for several clowns I've had. You simply cannot apply a generalization to such strong individuals..

[sly2kusa]

That's kind of what I thought.

Thanks RBishop for the rec!

Let me ask this though - I am thinking of swapping this tank out with a 30g tall (which fits the stands 12X24 footprint). Would that be able to house 200 feeders for about 30 days? Or is that still borderline cruelty?

[Corax]

Would you want to be crowded in a room with 200 people for any length of time? Why do you need to maintain 200 feeders? If you go through 200 in 30 days, then buy 40 per week instead. 40 is still too crowded in my book, but it beats 200..

Plus, something else to consider... Prepared food is almost always better for your fish than feeders. In SW, it's popular to buy a Volitan (lionfish) and throw a bunch of feeder goldfish in there to see it hunt. Well, the problem there is that feeder goldfish have virtually no nutritional value, so he's essentially eating a bunch of chocolate bars. Same goes for Oscars or whatever other tankbuster you've got. Prepared food is a far better choice if you can get your fish to take it. Plus, you lose the whole housing/feeding/cleaning problem with feeders. I'm not preaching against keeping predatory fish, I had red bellies and oscars for a long time and loved to watch them hunt. But, the benefits of a more varied diet outweigh the bloodlust of watching something die.

[sly2kusa]

Would you want to be crowded in a room with 200 people for any length of time? Why do you need to maintain 200 feeders? If you go through 200 in 30 days, then buy 40 per week instead. 40 is still too crowded in my book, but it beats 200..

Plus, something else to consider... Prepared food is almost always better for your fish than feeders. In SW, it's popular to buy a Volitan (lionfish) and throw a bunch of feeder goldfish in there to see it hunt. Well, the problem there is that feeder goldfish have virtually no nutritional value, so he's essentially eating a bunch of chocolate bars. Same goes for Oscars or whatever other tankbuster you've got. Prepared food is a far better choice if you can get your fish to take it. Plus, you lose the whole housing/feeding/cleaning problem with feeders. I'm not preaching against keeping predatory fish, I had red bellies and oscars for a long time and loved to watch them hunt. But, the benefits of a more varied diet outweigh the bloodlust of watching something die.


Ummmm - thanks - I don't know that I see the comparason being the same (between humans in a room and feeders in a tank), but I appreciate your insights.

As for food - the fish I keep will only eat live feeders so I don't have much choice (they're not ornamentals - they are game fish - I keep native tanks).

Thanks