Overstocked? Or Can I Add More????

almsk8s4life

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Dec 27, 2005
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i have 1 albino oscar and 4 blood parrots
i have two aquaclear 110s running i was just wondering if i could add 1 more cichlid maybee a dempsey
 
just return 3 of your blood parrots to the store and you'll be fine. a blood parrot and an oscar could live together in a 125g just fine.
 
Overstocked, IMO.

No More Fish!

Get rid of two or three of the BP's...

55gal absolute minimum for one adult O, prefer 75gal as recommended minimum, that leaves 50gal divided between 4 BP's...
12.5gal per BP isn't good.
Not enough water volume for dilution of waste that would allow for a acceptable maintenance schedule, e.g once or twice per week.
 
I don't want to start an argument here, but I think you are ok with the fish you have. I wouldn't say to add any more because all of them will continue to grow, but I don't think you are horribly overstocked. Just make sure you keep up with the regular water changes and your current fish will be fine. On the other hand, if you start to notice overly agressive behavior, then you might start thinking of alternative living spaces for one or two of them. Good luck!
 
Rosswake, would you recommend a 25gal aquarium as acceptable longterm for either a O or BP?
25gals per fish, especially with messy cichlids (eating/pooping habits) is just not enough for the reasons mentioned above.
Chile said:
Not enough water volume for dilution of waste (NO3(Nitrate)) that would allow for a acceptable maintenance schedule, e.g once or twice per week.
 
I agree with rosswake. Remember, you're not compartmentalizing the tank with fish. They can swim wherever they want to. The "requirement" that people say an oscar needs 75g is because they can get over a foot long and turning around can be an issue in a 55g. I say keep an eye out for behavior issues and if you see none, leave the tank as it is.
 
I wouldn't say that 25 gallons is enough for an Oscar, but that is because we all know how small a 20-30 gallon tank can be dimensionally. I would say that with proper filtration and regular water changes, the prospect of having happy, healthy fish is very high with 1 oscar and 3-4 Blood parrots all together in a 125 gallon tank. I would not add other fish due to the bio-load these adult fish (especially the Oscar) would create.

There are a lot of knowledgable people on these forums, so listen to them and then make your own informed decision. Take it easy!
Ross
 
I dont think you are over stocked either. As stated above the large tank is really just so the fish can move around. In the future you might want to add another canister filter to the tank to help keep up. I wouldnt however add any more fish. From the sounds of it not everyone is full grown yet. Give it another year or two and your tank will look a lot fuller.
 
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