1 inch per gallon

[Dallascowboys16]

It's a terrible rule because you could say that 10 guppies could fit in a 10 gallon which is a less extreme example than the 10 in Oscar idea but is still a really bad stock.

 

[Aqualady40]

No, it is not. There are too many factors to consider.

Yes but an oscar can get to be 10 inches. However a 10 gallon tank would not be okay.

I absolutely agree and you would be surprised how many have actually kept a large fish like an Oscar in a 10g tank that the fish couldn't even turn around in and feel the inch per gallon rule is spot on. Not everyone has the common sense to use it as a guide line especially if they have no clue about bio-loads, adult sizes fish will reach, etc. Therefore it is not a good idea to tell people to use it especially if they are relatively new to the hobby.

+1 agreed

 

[20cc]

so you guys says " its not a good rule " but then dont offer any ideas on how to stock your tank for a noobie. at least with the 1 inch per gallon rule he has something go on as a starter . i mean im sure he has a brain and wouldnt put a 10inch fish in a ten gallon tank , thats just being rediculous .you shoot down a theory thats been in place for awhile and then crickets. the website is called aquarium advice not aquarium what i think is right....

 

[Cynic]

so you guys says " its not a good rule " but then dont offer any ideas on how to stock your tank for a noobie. at least with the 1 inch per gallon rule he has something go on as a starter . you shoot down a theory thats been in place for awhile and then crickets.....

Research.

 

[20cc]

Research.

he did research and the search landed him here. you have anything to offer?

 

[Cynic]

he did research and the search landed him here. you have anything to offer?

They researched if the 1" rule was a reasonable rule.

It is not.

If they research what fish they want they'll get an understanding of how appropriate that fish is for their tank size and stocking.

What are we supposed to say?

.76" per gallon is good? There are no hard and fast rules in this hobby, that's why the best thing we can do for our fish is research them before buying them.

 

[cmwalters]

he did research and the search landed him here. you have anything to offer?

Ask questions. If you are unsure of a stocking, ask questions about it. I'm sure someone has some first hand experience with said stocking or a similar one.

Sure, there are occasions where the inch per gallon rule does apply. But the exceptions to the rule far outnumber the times when it stands true. If everyone followed your logic, imagine where our medicine system would be right now. We would still be chopping limbs off and using potions and whatnot. Bottom line is, when knowledge is gained, some things become obsolete. The inch per gallon rule just happens to be one of them.

 

[Delapool]

Ask questions. If you are unsure of a stocking, ask questions about it. I'm sure someone has some first hand experience with said stocking or a similar one.

Sure, there are occasions where the inch per gallon rule does apply. But the exceptions to the rule far outnumber the times when it stands true. If everyone followed your logic, imagine where our medicine system would be right now. We would still be chopping limbs off and using potions and whatnot. Bottom line is, when knowledge is gained, some things become obsolete. The inch per gallon rule just happens to be one of them.

Have to disagree, I find it useful as part of my checks. Example is I saw black ghost knifefish and thought that could be good, saw max length of 25 inches and thought nope. That was enough to rule it out. Plus I like my neons If I get large disagreement then I go back to look at everything. To date I don't find the surface area tool useful, by fish weight is jolly difficult and the stocking website the best. What else to use? Experience and knowledge are best (even borrowed from another) but even that should have checks on it. Mother Nature is out because I stock much higher than she does.

 

[Evansimp]

This rule obviously doesn't apply to hobbyists as much as complete beginners. If you are on this forum daily and know a ton about this hobby then obviously you don't need this rule as we always research stuff before we buy and know that bioload and all that is much more important. Research as one pointed out! But what about that complete beginner walking into petco looking for a fish tank and asks how many fish to fit in a 20gallon... Is the employee gonna say " go home and research every fish you want and ask experienced people in the hobby what can fit in it and what can't".... Of course not. He's gonna say try following the inch per gallon rule as this is a basic way of trying to stock a tank. Is it the right way? Absolutely not but I don't think it's terrible to say this to a beginner who is just starting out. I actually think it's a very decent way to tell a beginner how much they can have. Are some gonna overstock and make rookie mistakes... Yes, but I think overall most will have a decently well stocked tank.

 

[molliwopp]

Doing a quick post on this, my opinion of this rule is its false, even down to small fish like tetra ect.

*Tank Size and Shape
*Filtration
*water changing routine
*Where the fish will occupy(mid lower top)
*Décor (plants ect)
*Fish themselves, aggression, territory.

 

[20cc]

Doing a quick post on this, my opinion of this rule is its false, even down to small fish like tetra ect.

*Tank Size and Shape
*Filtration
*water changing routine
*Where the fish will occupy(mid lower top)
*Décor (plants ect)
*Fish themselves, aggression, territory.

i disagree.. using the inch per gallon rule as a guide in a 55 gallon tank i can safely house a school of 25 neon tetras given that you take the length of the fish at their maturity which is 2 inches for a neon. 25 x 2 = 50 . since neons inhabit the middle of the tank i can then go ahead and get some bottom dwellers and upper tank dwellers to fill in unused spaces being careful that my filtration can keep up with the bioload.

 

[ArtistGardener]

As much as I love this site, I also rely on AqAdvisor AND good, old-fashioned aquarium books. It amazes me that many newbies to the hobby don't want to spend a few minutes doing a bit of research. I learned some lessons the hard way and do not want to repeat them so really spend time finding out what is best for each species of fish. Types of stock and their bio-load, filtration, surface area, plants… it is all part of the puzzle.

 

[Rivercats]

i disagree.. using the inch per gallon rule as a guide in a 55 gallon tank i can safely house a school of 25 neon tetras given that you take the length of the fish at their maturity which is 2 inches for a neon. 25 x 2 = 50 . since neons inhabit the middle of the tank i can then go ahead and get some bottom dwellers and upper tank dwellers to fill in unused spaces being careful that my filtration can keep up with the bioload.

This is where it becomes a slippery slope. Yes your example of using a 55g tank using 25 neons for stocking at their adult size works BUT technically then that would be the max amount for that tank if this rule was used.

Then you go on to say "since neons inhabit the middle of the tank i can then go ahead and get some bottom dwellers and upper tank dwellers to fill in unused spaces being careful that my filtration can keep up with the bioload." Which means not using the rule to "finish" stocking the tank based on other factors which is what Molliwoop was saying.

This rule can be debated till the cows come home because everyone is going to have their own idea's on how well it works or not. It can have it's uses to a point but many newcomers to the hobby could and have used it "literally" because they have no clue and have done no research to enlighten themselves that many factors have to be taken into consideration. With today's information literally at almost everyone's fingertips there is no reason any newbie can't be armed with plenty of information to help them in their initial stocking. BUT many people do impulse buy, tanks and fish without a clue to what they are getting into or what they should know before hand. So while the rule might have its uses for some it is sorely lacking IMO considering all the information out there that can help any newcomer make a much better educated choice on stocking levels if they just take the time to research it.

 

[20cc]

This is where it becomes a slippery slope. Yes your example of using a 55g tank using 25 neons for stocking at their adult size works BUT technically then that would be the max amount for that tank if this rule was used.

Then you go on to say "since neons inhabit the middle of the tank i can then go ahead and get some bottom dwellers and upper tank dwellers to fill in unused spaces being careful that my filtration can keep up with the bioload." Which means not using the rule to "finish" stocking the tank based on other factors which is what Molliwoop was saying.

This rule can be debated till the cows come home because everyone is going to have their own idea's on how well it works or not. It can have it's uses to a point but many newcomers to the hobby could and have used it "literally" because they have no clue and have done no research to enlighten themselves that many factors have to be taken into consideration. With today's information literally at almost everyone's fingertips there is no reason any newbie can't be armed with plenty of information to help them in their initial stocking. BUT many people do impulse buy, tanks and fish without a clue to what they are getting into or what they should know before hand. So while the rule might have its uses for some it is sorely lacking IMO considering all the information out there that can help any newcomer make a much better educated choice on stocking levels if they just take the time to research it.

point taken.

 

[pip walters]

IMO, there are so many variables that there can't be a general rule. A tank can be overstocked as long as water quality is kept optimal - ask african mbuna cichlid enthusiasts. The argument to this is that the fish will only survive and not 'thrive'.... put that to african cichlid keepers and they will tell you, rightly, that their fish are thriving and possibly even breeding. It is all about looking after your water.

Yes, it is always better to give any captive animal as much space as we can afford, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will be less stressed. Any animal kept in artificial conditions is going to suffer some amount of what we humans call stress, but the fact is many will live much longer lives than they might in the wild. There is a balance - in the wild they have to search, or hunt, for food at the same time as avoiding predation by other animals - the fact that they often have vast amounts of space to do this may actually increase any 'stress' on them, as food will be harder to find and predators may have more places to hide in ambush etc. In an aquarium, food is almost placed directly in their mouths and predators are kept... well, in another tank!

If a fish can't turn around in its tank, then that is not acceptable to us - even though it can still breathe, eat and grow without any effect on its health (assuming optimum water conditions, as I said). A german carp growing experiment in the 70s proved this by growing the fish at rate of 200kg per cubic meter of water without any ill effects on growth or normal bodily function! I can only assume that this used a 'flow-through' of fresh water, rather than any kind of filtration.

I know of a customers tank that has a fish stock that would not be accepted by most on this kind of forum, yet the pair of ancistrus that live in this approx. 15 gallon tank breed every 4 weeks or so! Also in the tank are three of the largest pearl danio I have seen, 4 large neon tetras, 5 or six corydoras, a couple of black neons and several of the baby ancistrus she hasn't managed to catch yet. They are also some of the healthiest fish I have come across.

The best advice I would give to anyone starting up and wondering about stocking density would be to read several books and don't get any fish until you understand the nitrogen cycle.

 

[Ezimmer1990]

Okay. Thanks for all of the input. Recently my friend went to Petsmart to get some new fish since she had no more fish, and she wanted to buy 4 neon tetras, 2 buenos aires tetras and two ghost shrimp for her ten gallon and they wouldnt let her because they can't guarantee her fish because of one inch per gallon. Were they right? Would it be too much? She ended up just getting the neons and ghost shrimp.

 

[ArtistGardener]

Interesting! I would agree with her not keeping that mix for two reasons: Buenos Aires tetras get a bit large for a 10 gallon, and both species of tetra are schooling fish and are best kept in groups of five or more. There is no way a ten gallon could hold five of each of those (the ghost shrimp are almost a moot point-they add so little to the bioload). She could keep a nice bunch of neons, certainly more than four, although they would be happier in a larger tank, too. I would suggest she get four more neons for a group of 8, another 5 or 6 ghost shrimp, and a honey gourami. That would be a sweet display in a ten gallon tank. She should put some live plants in for the shrimp.

 

[Ezimmer1990]

Yeah, she had a few live plants in her tank right now. but I do NOT remember the names of them. her tank looks pretty nice. but I'll tell her about the suggestion!

 

[T1KARMANN]

One inch per gal is total rubbish

If it was true I could have 1000 inch of fish in my tank

I have about 200 inch and would say I'm over stocked

 

[Delapool]

One inch per gal is total rubbish

If it was true I could have 1000 inch of fish in my tank

I have about 200 inch and would say I'm over stocked

I tried pacing that out, and now I'm just jealous

It would be useful to know why the fish shop uses the rule.