Will Extra Filtration Compensate for an Overstocked Tank?

Thank you all for your responses. A lot of helpful info.

So if I had 4 fancy goldfish (not adult size yet. still pretty young and small), 1 comet (adult), 3 dojo loaches (two are about 5 inches and one is about 3 inches), and 4 cory cats. 12 total. As long as my ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates stay under control and they seem fine and healthy, would it be okay to keep them all in the 75 for now? I plan on moving in about a year and when I do I'll probably set up another tank and split them up, but don't have much room for another tank at the moment.

They all get along really well and I've never seen and aggression between any of them.
 
How big is the "adult comet"?
 
Here's a photo of my tank. The orange one in the middle is the comet. And I've actually taken some of the wood out and moved the rest to the corners so the goldfish have more room to swim, but still giving some hiding places in the corners for the cory's and the dojo's to hide and relax.

IMG_3217.JPG
 
I'd lose the comet to someone that had a pond.....and get more low level overhang cover for the dojo's...and cory...then not add anything else...
 
  • Like
Reactions: chub04
Nice setup! All I have in my goldfish 55g is a few small plastic plants that mostly just float around the tank because the goldies constantly knock them loose and a thin layer of small grain pebble natural gravel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chub04
OrionGirl said:
Ammonia is definitely NOT the only issue to address in stocking concerns. Stock levels must take into account the adult size and behavior of the animals in questions. There are many large cichlids that will claim an entire 150 gallon tank and kill anything else that is added with them. Nothing to do with ammonia. Just as some fish will be stressed when kept alone, some will be stressed when kept in groups, or with other species. Some fish wage biological warfare--they produce chemicals which will stunt tank mates. This can't even be tested for by the average hobbyist. Over/under stocking has many factors. Addressing the nitrogen cycle is just one piece.
Click to expand...
that is good stuff, OG - i'm really impressed. Most people haven't even heard of that and the debate about whether the fish secretes it as a defense mechanism or as a tell for determining how much space it has. Overlooked things like these are very important to consider. Bravo.
 
It's well documented in the fish hatcheries, where constant flow rates are needed to avoid uneven growth rates. If trout do it and it has an impact in the wild, it's ridiculous to think a) other species don't as well b) the effects aren't compounded by a closed environment. I feel it is happening with sword tails, where a male sword tail will 'stealth' as a female when there is a dominant, large male present. Move to another tank, boom, sword develops. It's not been tested, but I've heard from people who have multiple tanks, same water and they report 'stealthing' in tanks that don't have a dominant male, which leads me to think it's hormone/pheremones in the water, rather than actual sight/interaction with the dominant fish. Animals compete for resources like food, mates, and space in ways beyond just visible means like fighting/chasing off a competitor. We can't forget that. Even if the competition isn't lethal, it will have impacts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frank Castle, chub04 and Tifftastic
Rbishop said:
I'd lose the comet to someone that had a pond.....and get more low level overhang cover for the dojo's...and cory...then not add anything else...
Click to expand...

So I decided to take some of your advice and I rearranged the wood so there's more cover for the dojos and corys. There's a few hiding places underneath the wood now. And it clears up space throughout the middle of the tank for the goldfish.

I know eventually I'll have to give up the comet to someone with a pond, but I'm not ready to part with him yet haha. I think I'll see how this goes, I think at least for the time being I'll be fine since most of my fish are still pretty young and small, and just keep an eye on things to make sure they're not stressed or that I'm having any problems with my water parameters. But once they start getting bigger I'll set up another tank for them. Hopefully by then I'll be moved and actually have my own fish room so I have room for another tank.

Although, I'm still open to any other opinions or thoughts on this subject.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom