Can massive filtration compensate overcrowding?

[Speakerman]

I have a 55g tank I bought from Wal-Mart a while back. It's been set up for about a month. I don't have any live plant because my fish eat them. I have 2 Green Terror's under 2", 1 Green Terror 5", 2 Oscars 4", 1 Jack Dempsey 5", 1 Pink Convict under 2", Common Placo 5", and 2 Blood Parrot's 2."

I realize this is a massive overstocking...But i've done my best to compensate.

I've aquired several of the fish through adoption at Petco. I'm going to get a much larger tank in the future, but for now I want to know if pumping up the filtration can compensate for having too many fish.

Again, I am fully aware of how large all of these fish get and the tension that will be sustained between them once they reach adult size. I plan on seperating some of these fish and putting the bigger fish (oscars) in about 100 gallons.

Right now I have a Rena Star xP3 that I just put in and an Aqua-Tech 20-40 with strictly carbon and zeolite blend where the filter cartridge should be.

I have 2 30-60 Aqua-tech filters I can put in the tank, but for some reason I don't think they do that great of a job. I don't like them very much.

Last time I looked at the water quality the stats were pH 7, N <20ppm, Amonia- 0....But that was after I did a substantial water change.

All beer cans were emptied and washed thouroughly with extremely hot ass water. heh

 

[DeFeKt]

I've aquired several of the fish through adoption at Petco. I'm going to get a much larger tank in the future, but for now I want to know if pumping up the filtration can compensate for having too many fish.

Yes and no,
It will give you more enahnced mechanical type filtration but your biological side of things most likely will not keep up with rising nitrates.

Might be best just to give a few away in a few months mate

Matty

 

[tropicfishman]

somewhat, but the oscars are going to outgrow the tank in no time, you could keep all the fish in there for a while if you beefed up the filtration and did water changes every few days

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I don't recommend it, no. The only compensation is major water changes. And even then, can lead to problems.

 

[Toirtis]

As the previous posters have stated, overfiltration, combined with very regular filter cleaning and very regular (3x weekly) partial water changes can compensate for that sort of overstocking for a while, but soon most of those fish are going to be so big that the tank will simply be too small for them....within 3 months those terrors should all be 6"+ each, the oscars a good 8"+ each, the pleco 8"+, the dempsey 8"+, the parrots a good 4" each....you see where we are going with this?

 

[Speakerman]

Aight thanks a lot for the help, I realize they will outgrow the tank. I'm getting ready for that. I think an additional 100 g tank should do just fine in housing some of the larger fish.

I've got a 10g planted, 29 g planted, and this 55 gallon....planning on getting a 100 gallong soon. So hopefully everything will work out.

 

[hc8719]

i dont go by this, but for larger tank, they say that each inch of fish should equal a gallon of water, all of your fish added together is 33" and you have a 55 gal right? if that inch per gallon system is ok, than your tank should be fine for now

if you want a filter to clean up the amonia, nitrite, and nitrates, i really reccommend a penguin filter series from marineland (the ones that have to bio-wheel, seeing bio-spira off the market in my area, i think marineland cut production so you had the buy the bio-wheel system)

bio-wheel takes care of all the toxins your fish make

just curious, i found some old coca-cola cans from the '70s in our family lake, and they do get kinda rusty

 

[pkillur]

Aight thanks a lot for the help, I realize they will outgrow the tank. I'm getting ready for that. I think an additional 100 g tank should do just fine in housing some of the larger fish.

I've got a 10g planted, 29 g planted, and this 55 gallon....planning on getting a 100 gallong soon. So hopefully everything will work out.

I was looking at Oscars and was told that Oscars need a minimum of 80 gallons per fish for their swimming patterns. I got this quote from oscarfish.com:

The 120 [gallon] will be totally maxed out with just the 2 Oscars. In fact, if this is a tall 4 foot tank, I don't think it will be sufficient for even the 2 Oscars as it does not allow much territory for each fish.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

i dont go by this, but for larger tank, they say that each inch of fish should equal a gallon of water, all of your fish added together is 33" and you have a 55 gal right? if that inch per gallon system is ok, than your tank should be fine for now

Not a good thing to go by. One thing a few people in here believe is that the 1 inch rule does not pertain to cichlids at all, as they REQUIRE more space for TERRITORIES. The 55G just isn't enough room, even if you have the filtration. But since you are getting the 100G, and are planning for upgrades, sounds like you probably know what you are doing.

Aight thanks a lot for the help, I realize they will outgrow the tank. I'm getting ready for that. I think an additional 100 g tank should do just fine in housing some of the larger fish.

I've got a 10g planted, 29 g planted, and this 55 gallon....planning on getting a 100 gallong soon. So hopefully everything will work out.

I was looking at Oscars and was told that Oscars need a minimum of 80 gallons per fish for their swimming patterns. I got this quote from oscarfish.com:

The 120 [gallon] will be totally maxed out with just the 2 Oscars. In fact, if this is a tall 4 foot tank, I don't think it will be sufficient for even the 2 Oscars as it does not allow much territory for each fish.

True, but it will be some time before more space will be required. Just remember that with the current stocking, even after you get the 100G, when they start needing more space, you might need to go a little further. But as for now, that won't be necessary for a while.

 

[Speakerman]

I am fully aware of how large the Oscars will get. To compensate for lack of space in an aquarium (for Oscars) I've kind of learned through observation that if you have several really great areas for hiding (establishing territories), the Oscars will be fine. Mine stick together all the time and ward off those who try to take their territory.

80 gallons per fish is about the highest estimate I've ever heard. Thanks for the qoute, but I'm not going to play by that rule. 50 gallons a peice will be just fine.

Anywho, thanks a lot for the information guys. I've been here for just a couple days and have allready learned quite a lot. I reckon I'll stay around and put my 2 cents in where I deem necessary. heh heh..

 

[Toirtis]

80 gallons per fish is about the highest estimate I've ever heard. Thanks for the qoute, but I'm not going to play by that rule. 50 gallons a peice will be just fine..

50 gallons per oscar is a minimum, not a suggested maximum...we are talking 12"-16" very active fish here...I would suggest you listen more closely to advice from people that have been there, and think about more like 60-70g per oscar. You are also going to need a second 115-130 for those terrors, dempsey, parrots and pleco.

 

[chotie]

you will be fine for a couple of months. frequent W/C (im talking 50% twice daily) can keep up with almost all overstocking.

of course, your fish will
1. tear each other up because of limited space
2. possibly injure themself or the rest of the community
3. be much more suceptible to disease
4. generally be unhappy

if you can live with it, there ya go.

 

[hulkamaniac]

Yeah, like everyone has said, you're severely overstocked. You can compensate with massive water changes a couple of times a day (what a pain in the butt that'll wind up being) and overfiltration, but you're stuffed to the core either way. I'd take some of the fish back/give them away.

 

[Speakerman]

Aight thanks guys. I'm actually trying to get a 155 gal right now. Found a good price on it. So I will most likely put the two Oscars and the Dempsey in there with the pleco. While leaving the rest in the 55 gal that I have. I'm also planning on giving the Parrots away. I don't like them all that much and I know a very nice place for them. They will go in a 30 gal tank with a single adult pink convict.

How does that sound?

 

[Ky'smommy]

well i think my dad had 2 full grown oscars in a hundred gallon with more then enough room and happy fish. and he kept them for years.
and they breed and they were always fine. i think that a 100 gallon for two oscars would be fine. from our own experiance.

 

[Speakerman]

Dudes I just scored a freakin 155 gallon tank!!!!!!!!! 250 bucks with a stand, needs some work but I think it should be fine.
Ill get some measurements and pics soon maybe...thanks for the advice guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[Resurgent]

PWC a day could work for while till they outgrow the tank.