Bioload

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Saltair

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
201
Location
New England
Is there reliable info on the net somewhere that provides info on how "dirty" particular fish are as opposed to others? I am pretty new at this and have been surprised at the apparent differences.
 
Its how much the fish produces giving different bioloads. Sometimes, the bigger the fish, the bigger the bioload.
 
I understand that bigger fish will be dirtier, but I have Platies and female swordtails. Both about the same size right now, but the swordtails seem to produce much more waste putting a larger strain on the system per fish or inch of fish. Wondering where one might find info like this.
 
aqadvisor.com is probably the closest to what you are asking for. You can put in your tank stocking and it will tell you your "stocking level". Fairly accurate. You can also estimate by looking at the length and girth of the fish. The fatter and longer, the more bioload.

--Adeeb
 
Fish poop size is not usually not listed in the fish profiles. That info is going to be found by asking people.
 
There really is no big difference per weight from one species to the next. It is all about weight, temperature, and food input. More weight means more waste. Higher temperatures mean more waste (due to higher metabolism). More food means more waste.

Even with stereotypically 'dirty' fish like cichlids and goldfish, in my experience PER WEIGHT they are no dirtier than any other fish, they just pack a lot of weight into one fish.

The quality of the food can effect how much waste is produced as well. Low quality foods that are not easily digestable for the fish means more waste coming out the other end.
 
Back
Top Bottom