Joy & anquish in new tank -- and shrinking aquariums

[coolchinchilla]

There is such joy and such anguish when one starts stocking a new aquarium. It's always fun to put fish in your tank and watch them explore their new home. But there is an anguish when choosing the next fish. Which one should I get? Compatibility? Bioload? Aggression? Appearance? Functionality?

I have a 15 gallon tank with 6 glolite danios so far. I want some bottom dwellers. So I think I'll get about 5 corys. Then I think no, that many corys will push the bioload too much and too few corys makes for a lonely fish. Then I think I'll get some red cherry shrimp, but I'm not sure that the danios will leave them alone.

I said this once before. I'm absolutely astonished at how small my aquarium is becoming. As I've learned more, my tank has gotten smaller and smaller. I thought 15 gallons had lots of room for lots of little fish (at least 25 fish). Now I know that this tank can really only house 5-10 fish depending on size. Where did all that extra fish space go?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Actually Coolchinchilla, you are experiencing Shrunked Tank Syndrome. Over time tanks shrink in size. The only way to prevent this from happening is to buy a HUGE tank. STS will still occer, but it will take you longer to feel the symptoms. We thought we could have tons of fish in our 150 gal tank. Boy were we wrong. It has shrunk in size and feels incomplete.

 

[Japola44]

i have a ghost shrimp in my 20gal that i thouht got eaten ahwile ago, but none of my fish seem to bother him.

I agree with fishyfanatic.
I remeber thinking that my 10gal was huge, and then my 20 gal was huge, and then i got my 55gal WOW! Now It feels like nothing will ever be big enough. I suppose i will have to buy seaworld next....maybe i will just go with the ocean haha

 

[nomadofthehills]

What kind of fish are you talking about? Is this a 15 long? I could see 20 small fish in that, easily. What kind of filtration are we talking? I have a 2.5 that is heavily planted with 3 ottos and 8 white clouds. You think its a lot? Tell that to my fish who are pigs, and have colors you wouldn't think a minnow could have.


Bioload depends on your filtration and plants. You could EASILY add 5 cories imo...

 

[mr funktastic]

i agree that you can add quite a few fish. but if u want to add more fish i would suggest getting some live plants. and aslong as you keep up with your water changes your fish will be very happy. just try to keep fish that are relativly the same. u could keep 2 nice sized schools of tetras along with your bottoms feeders. it wont see that crowded becasue most tetras will swim in all the upper regions of the tank giving them about 10 gallons to themselves because the cories are always near the botom. so 2 schools of 5 is 10 fish in 10 gal and then 5 cories have 5 gal to themselves. that is not a bad bioload if u ask me.

 

[jrp1588]

yeah, they are pretty small-bodied fish, I wouldn't see much of a problem with it as long as you take care of things. And sorry, I already bought the ocean. lol. I'd be happy to let it go for say...$1000? haha

 

[Zagz]

STS LOL, I have that. Even my 125 seems small in stocking possibilities now. STS leads or feeds MTS I think.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Zagz, you've been seeing Bill's psychiatrist, haven't you? I believe her name is Dr. Ivana Phishtank? SHe is great in treating STS by dosing with MTS.

 

[Zagz]

Zagz, you've been seeing Bill's psychiatrist, haven't you? I believe her name is Dr. Ivana Phishtank? SHe is great in treating STS by dosing with MTS.

ROFLMAO, I mean that! I am dying here. That is so good.

 

[coolchinchilla]

Zagz, you've been seeing Bill's psychiatrist, haven't you? I believe her name is Dr. Ivana Phishtank? SHe is great in treating STS by dosing with MTS.

LOL! STS is very very real. I think STS is the beginning of all these maladies with fish keepers. I still say that MTS is an illness independent of STS though they can be comorbid.

 

[coolchinchilla]

Bioload depends on your filtration and plants. You could EASILY add 5 cories imo...

Yes, it's a 15 gallon long. Filtration is a whisper HOB sized for 20-40 gallons. So far I have some anacharis in the tank and plan to put in more. Thanks for the affirmation that I can put in 5 corys. Yahooooooo!!! I was checking out the LFS for differnt corys. I'll go buy some in the next few days.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Since you are currently experiencing bouts of STS, it would be a perfect time for an experiment. You can experiment with STS and I'll dive into MTS. I'll have to sell my car for start up money, but I believe that we can find a cure together.

 

[rlebeau]

Are outdoor ponds a symptom of MTS?. It started 4 years ago with a 10 gallon tank, a pleco and a few goldfish. The next summer I put in a 125 g garden pond for the goldfish. My wife wanted to winter them inside so we bought 20g. The following summer I find myself in the front yard spending a bunch of money putting in a 10' x 4' x 2' pond behind a retaining wall. And if you didn't know, when you put gold fish in a big pond, they grow big. We buy a 30g to winter the bigger fish in. The next winter, the gold fish are too big to put inside the 30 and 20 gallon. So I build a crate with a liner, it's in the garage.. no kidding. She make me put a heater in for the goldfish. She doesn't like the crate in the garage so she bought the 55g. I had to take a stand. The goldfish are still in the garage and I have set the 55g up for cichlids.

We have talked about buy a swimming pool for our kids. But I have one fear. Seen the movie "Big Fish"?

 

[Zagz]

Still LMAO here about Dr. Ivana Phistank. Can't help it, too funny.

And yes outdoor ponds are a form of MTS. And I have given thought to having a swimming pool, for fish not for humans, LOL, unless I swim with the fish that is!