Overstocking World Record

[fishydude]

I was in a work colleagues house the other day, and I believe he has the worst case of overstocking ever.

In a 70 litre tank (16 gallons?)

1 Clown Loach
1 Bristlenose plec
2 Cories
2 Pearl Gourami
8 Neon tetra
10 Cardinal tetra
2 Red-Claw crabs

My colleague does not believe in water testing, so I offered to test his water for him. I could not believe the results

Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 25

I have no explanation for these great test results with such overstocking, my colleague looked so smug when I told him the results, told me I did'nt know what I was talking about when I mentioned the overstocking. I was kinda hoping that some poor test results would back me up.

Can anyone explain to me how he can get away with such high stocking levels. By the way, his water change routine is 20% every 3 weeks, and the tank has some java moss, but no other plants

 

[Rhys]

Originally posted by fishydude
Can anyone explain to me how he can get away with such high stocking levels. By the way, his water change routine is 20% every 3 weeks, and the tank has some java moss, but no other plants

Get away with it lol..I would expect his fish to be dead from the nitrite levels lol.

 

[fishydude]

Whoops I think I've got my nitrate and nitrite mixed up, should be nitrate 25

 

[Rhys]

ok then i withdraw my post lol......NFI on how he has got such good results but have you thought he could be lieing to you about how often he does water changes??

 

[fishydude]

I guess he could be, but I have known him for years and a half-assed attitude to water changes certainly fits in with his general character.:shake:

 

[DEmigh]

Is he half-starving them? I predict eventual disaster for his tank and all its inhabitants, but if he feeds very lightly, the inevitable could be postponed.

 

[OrionGirl]

Biological filtration is only maybe a third of the picture. It's very easy to provide adequate bacteria colonies to support way more fish than the tank can.

The size, age, and behavior of the fish is more telling than the presence/absence of testable chemicals. For example, I had a chocolate pleco in a 40 that was packed--for one year, this fish stayed about 5 inches long. Good color, fat tummy, just didn't grow. I moved him into a 55, with only a few other fish, and he grew to about 12 inches within 3 months. The 40 got weekly 50% changes and never had any ammonia/nitrite spikes, but it still inhibited his growth.

 

[fishydude]

This sounds more like it OrionGirl. His bristlenose is supposed to be over 2 years old, yet is only about 2.5 inches long, I believe they normally grow to 4-5 inches. He must have fantastic biological filtration though, I would hate to think what would happen if anything upset this.

 

[TKOS]

It could also be that you tested his water just after he did a water change.

 

[Katz]

Maybe he's 'old school'. My dad just sent me some of his old fish-keeping books from way back when he had a tank. I remember his tank being green all the time.

Anyway, in one book it said you could have 17! (yes that's seventeen) fish in a 5 gal tank, well planted, and NEVER do a water change, just top it off...

Scary!!