Overstock?

[jmulrich2006]

Alright so in my previous tank I had 4 Sunset Coral Dwarf Platys, 2 Sunset Platys, and 3 Cory's. So everyone on here told me that that is really overstocked for a 10 gallon tank. Why is that? Are platys that bad?

[Malbri]

i think everyones just thinkin the corys

it actually seems okay to me, just clean it a bit more

[jmulrich2006]

well some people were saying about having like 6 neon tetras, and 6 corys in a tank why does that work?

[Malbri]

wellif oyu use the 1 inch per gallon, platys on average are about 2 inches(or at least the ones ive seen but i havent dealt with these fish)
so 6 platys=12 inches

in a ten gallon tank thats supposedly os but i think you are fine, it just that corys grow to about 2-3 inches so with 3 thats like a tleast another 6 inches

[Cfortunato]

Alright so in my previous tank I had 4 Sunset Coral Dwarf Platys, 2 Sunset Platys, and 3 Cory's. So everyone on here told me that that is really overstocked for a 10 gallon tank. Why is that? Are platys that bad?

What kind of corys? Pandas and albinos are pretty tiny. They also stay on the bottom. If your ammonia and nitrite still stay at zero, it seems ok to me.

[fballguy]

Alright so in my previous tank I had 4 Sunset Coral Dwarf Platys, 2 Sunset Platys, and 3 Cory's. So everyone on here told me that that is really overstocked for a 10 gallon tank. Why is that? Are platys that bad?

That was overstocked because there are so many platys in such a small area. 3 Cories is OK, they should be in groups of at least 6 but a 10 gallon tank is too small for 6(swimmin space/small footprint, so they are much better off with only 3. That is way too many platys because there is not enough room for them. So many fish in such a small area causes stress which causes disease. They may be fine for a while but you have to take into account the adult size of the fish.

[entropy311]

Probably the main problem is the corys...unless they're panda or pygmy corys, they'll get freakin' BIG. I saw some full-size bronze corys for sale at a LFS the other day, and I couldn't believe how big they were. 3 inches doesn't seem like much, but it is when the aforementioned fish are an inch and a half thick; emerald corys get to be around 4 inches, so you do the math.

[jmulrich2006]

Yes, i'm referring to Panda Cory in my tank. And the platys that I had before or like i had been posting 4 of them are Dwaft Platys that maximum size is only 1.5 inches and I have never seen them get bigger than 1 inch. Thats why i'm wondering because if you fallow the rule of 1" of fish per 1 gallon of water I really wasn't over so I was just trying to figure out why its overstocked if I followed the rule?

[pokagon55]

when you follow that rule of thumb remember to take in account the thickness of the fish, as the rule states: 1 inch of an adult fish, SLIMMED bodied, like a serpa tetra. the rounder or fuller the body the more water space it will need. :)

[Star_Rider]

the 1" per gallon rule does not take into account the bioload of the fish.

some species have a high bioload(plecos for one).

while it may be used as a reference I would suggest more investigation of the species you are interested in be done.
coming here is a good start. :rolleyes:

[Brett]

I don't think you are terribly overstocked yet, but you are definately pushing the envelope.

Podagon is right, and I think the inch-per-gallon rule can only apply for fish that are only an inch or less in total length. Besides swimming and schooling requirements, body mass is what's really important in stocking a fish tank. Body mass is what affects oxygen need and waste production, and as you double a fish's length its body mass can increase about eight times, meaning a two inch fish is actually eight times larger than a one inch fish.

[Brett]

the 1" per gallon rule does not take into account the bioload of the fish.

some species have a high bioload(plecos for one).

while it may be used as a reference I would suggest more investigation of the species you are interested in be done.
coming here is a good start. :rolleyes:
yep, what he said ^^^^^^ i'm a little slow

[jjanoch]

Yes, i'm referring to Panda Cory in my tank. And the platys that I had before or like i had been posting 4 of them are Dwaft Platys that maximum size is only 1.5 inches and I have never seen them get bigger than 1 inch. Thats why i'm wondering because if you fallow the rule of 1" of fish per 1 gallon of water I really wasn't over so I was just trying to figure out why its overstocked if I followed the rule?

These are all suggestions, but if your happy with the current situation and it sounds like you've done plenty of thinking on it....then let it go for now. Do your water changes and if you notice stress among your fish consider taking actions.
While there can be arguements that you might be overstocked...I think I've read postings that are far worse than your situation. Be a good fish owner and I bet you'll be ok. And if you have a dealth, consider the advice here, and maybe don't run out and replace that first fish or two.