Bioload question.

[SeanMurphy]

Another quick question. I've got a 29G with two Aquaclean 30 filters running on it. Currently I have 8 Platys, a single baby pleco, and some MTS that seem to be missing in action right now, haven't seen them in days. I was wondering if it would be overloading the tank to add a small school of guppies, maybe 4 - 6. Guppies and Platys are pretty small, and don't seem like they'd really need a lot of tank estate, but from watching the platy school, I know they certainly seem to poop an awful lot for such small fish.

I know the pleco will get much bigger than he is, and when that happens, he's either retiring to my friend's 60g tank, or is being donated to a lfs which has a behemoth display tank, it's gotta be 200g+.

 

[Zagz]

IMO you would be find adding some guppies. Just be prepared for more guppies soon unless you go all male. LOL.

 

[SeanMurphy]

I've got a male/female mix of platys in the tank right now (2:6 male:female). I'd probably go a little heavier on the males in a guppy addition, but I'd probably still go a mix. I'm not actively breeding them, but if some fry should happen along and I caught it before it became part of the food chain, I'd seperate it into my secondary/hospital tank until it was big enough to re-introduce or to donate to friends' tanks.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Also, as the pleco grows, he's going to poop even more, lol.

 

[Tiffi]

You should stick with at least a 1:2 rate for guppies though. The males might otherwise harass the famales to death wanting to procreate.

 

[Crusis]

Yep. The males will stress the females brutally. I like two females for each male. I also like two female guppies for each male guppy.