why the rule inch per gallon doesnt work.....

[Fishfriend1]

I'm telling animal planet on you!


And yeah...busy tanks are totally overstocked regardless of what the bioload is...I kindof hate it when people have a school of about 19 different species of fish...its all seizury

is this serious? I have a tank with 14 neon tetras, 4 serpae tetras, 1 blue ram, 1 bolivian ram, 1 gouramis, 3 mollys, and 9 corys. It's a very busy tank, but there are no issues and the tank has much more filtration then it needs. I like the busyness of the tank as it is, and it's not overstocked.

it does look kinda empty.

*tries to resist urge to decorate and plant empty tank* very difficult!* LOL!

lol

 

[Fozzybear]

I'm telling animal planet on you!


And yeah...busy tanks are totally overstocked regardless of what the bioload is...I kindof hate it when people have a school of about 19 different species of fish...its all seizury

I'm not referring to actual overstocking, but rather that a tank can be overstocked in appearance (imho) while being totally healthy in filtration and actual space for the fish. I totally redid my 50 gal because i had 4 different species of schooling fish and i couldn't handle looking at it. I got each of the schools a species tank, or mixed them with 2 schools, max, in fish that matched and only put one school of Priscilla tetras in the 50. Now I enjoy each of the fish much much much more because they aren't clashing with each other.

For my tanks its all about matching, there is symmetry in nature that i just don't think you get with too many odd fish together.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

I'm telling animal planet on you!


And yeah...busy tanks are totally overstocked regardless of what the bioload is...I kindof hate it when people have a school of about 19 different species of fish...its all seizury

thats collectoritis

I'm not referring to actual overstocking, but rather that a tank can be overstocked in appearance (imho) while being totally healthy in filtration and actual space for the fish. I totally redid my 50 gal because i had 4 different species of schooling fish and i couldn't handle looking at it. I got each of the schools a species tank, or mixed them with 2 schools, max, in fish that matched and only put one school of Priscilla tetras in the 50. Now I enjoy each of the fish much much much more because they aren't clashing with each other.

For my tanks its all about matching, there is symmetry in nature that i just don't think you get with too many odd fish together.

maybe using the word poor stocking choices would be better then saying overstocked.

 

[SubRosa]

I maintain a 26 gal Flatback Hex that has been set up for 8 years( I've only serviced it for 1.5 yrs) that contains 6 Parrotfish around 4"-6" each, a 6" Tinfoil Barb, a 4" Spotted Pictus Cat and a 4" Bushynose, all of which grew up together in the tank. Once a month I change 75%, clean the filters and wipe a tiny amount of algae. Between services all the owner does is feed the fish. All fish are beautiful and healthy, nitrates never exceed 80 ppm and the pH always stays above 7.0. Naturally ammonia and nitrites are always zero. Is the tank overstocked?

 

[platytudes]

Well, needless to say, the fish would prefer a larger home...I am sure the difference would be noticeable were they upgraded to even a common 4' tank like a 55.

I imagine the blood parrots (I don't suppose you mean Hoplarchus psittacus) and tinfoil barb are severely stunted, only growing to the size of their tank and all.

I don't doubt it is possible for them to be healthy, this is like the 5 gallon oscar tank talk that David Boruchowitz gives. Changing the water almost completely is what makes all the difference.

I gather you do not interfere with the stocking choices of the customers, or give advice unless asked?

 

[jpappy789]

Overstocked is a subjective label. I can only imagine what the tank looked like but I would find something like that so visually unappealing that I would consider it overstocked as I doubt the fish had as much room as I find necessary. Again, its subjective.

 

[Lab_Rat]

I maintain a 26 gal Flatback Hex that has been set up for 8 years( I've only serviced it for 1.5 yrs) that contains 6 Parrotfish around 4"-6" each, a 6" Tinfoil Barb, a 4" Spotted Pictus Cat and a 4" Bushynose, all of which grew up together in the tank. Once a month I change 75%, clean the filters and wipe a tiny amount of algae. Between services all the owner does is feed the fish. All fish are beautiful and healthy, nitrates never exceed 80 ppm and the pH always stays above 7.0. Naturally ammonia and nitrites are always zero. Is the tank overstocked?

Nitrates at 80ppm, I'd say overstocked. Fish can't swim much, I'd say overstocked. I can't even imagine that tank looks good with fish packed in like that. Fish sound stunted as well (at least the barb and the 4" BPs).

 

[Fishfriend1]

Sub, that tank does sound overstocked. However, opinion is in the eye of the beholder, so some people may think it's fine.

 

[msjinkzd]

another thing to consider when stockign is the fact that large groups of a single fish act much better then several small groups of different fish.

10 embers mixed with 10 neons and 10 erythromicrons act VERY differently than 30 embers in a tank on their own. They group much tighter, get better coloration, and utilize more of their preferred tank level.

 

[livebearerfreak]

ill say my version on why it dont work:

ok ill use my green terror for exsample, hes about 10 inches and in my 75. now if i had my 55 and he was in there, he would be cramped. its like having a great dane in a apt. no where to run, no room for him at all. crewl. and ok oscars, they grow fast, alot have them in a 20 gallon up to 55, they can get to a foot long or bigger. and the width of a 20 to 55 is a foot wide, try living in a closet your whole life. thats basiaclly how any fish over a foot would feel if they were in a tank that is the same width as they are size wise.