is this overstocked?

[DarrylR]

My friends tank has:

20 gallon tank
4 plants, dwarf lily, 2 tall grass things and i think red ludewiga amd java moss
a filter and a 10 gallon internal stick to the window filter and a air pump

the fish are:
3 golden dojos 3 inches long about
weather loach 4 inches long
2 female bettas
4 long finned danios
3 albino cory cats
2 spotted cory cats
britlenose pleco I THINK the one that stays around 4 inches max
and 3 african dwarf frogs

I told him it seemed to full, any advice?

 

[Bubble_B0y]

in my opinion, that is definitely overstocked.

i would remove the frogs and the dojo loaches.

I'm also worried about the female bettas. I've never kept 2 females. will they fight?


so you will end up with something like
1 weather loach
2 female bettas ????? (I guess it could work with lots of plants)
4 long finned danios
5 cory cats
1 bristlenose pleco


then you can add a couple more danios or cories.

 

[black hills tj]

I'd move the weather loach into a bigger tank and get it some buddies. It'll be much more fun to watch that way.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

I've always thought that dojo loaches and weather loaches were the SAME thing.

anyways........

 

[black hills tj]

I've always thought that dojo loaches and weather loaches were the SAME thing.

anyways........

indeed they are...

shows how much I know about loaches...


Thanks for making me feel bad bubble_boy...thanks man. :?





On another note, thanks for correcting me so I don't make the same mistake again.

 

[DarrylR]

It used to be 2 female bettas and 1 male betta, the male betta messed them up and we know even through mating or dislike the male betta will beat up the female bettas. The male was moved after a few days but the females stayed. They are now accustomed to each other, we would not have risk the putting of females together, but we read that females can go together. Even though they nip at each other they will get used to each other. But as to now they are eating with each other, as buddies.

So the only thing overstocked with the tank is the weather loaches and the dojos, and the frogs?

The weather loach also isn't a young one I guess you can say, he is pretty thick like a cigar and I am guessing mature already not like those skinny ones.

 

[majolo]

Another point is that dojo/weather loaches are coolwater fish, so that's another good reason to move them out.

 

[bs6749]

Too many bottom dwellers IMO.

 

[DeFeKt]

Now.. I'm a cichlid man, so at the risk of not knowing the largest size for most of those fish and their compatibility..... One thing I have always said and believed is that you are only as stocked as your routine maintenance and tank handling capabilities allow you to be.

The real question here is how often does he/she do water changes, gravel vac, clean filters, check levels and watch the tank for any probs or aggression etc..

For example... (VERY loose example)
If he/she sits there all day monitoring maintaining the tank.. add more fish.
If they maintain once a week or fortnightly.. Take some away..

 

[7Enigma]

Stocking level is dependant on 2 things, bioload capacity and actual adult fish size. I cannot comment on the fish sizes for the loaches, but the rest from a size standpoint are fine in a 20 gallon. The bioload capacity is dependant on the filter capacity (normally in direct relation to the size/turnover of the filter). Have a barely adequate filter on tank and the max bioload is MUCH less than a larger filter. I'm a huge fan of overfiltration, it eliminates the question of from a nitrogen standpoint do I have the capacity. The plants will offer a break in line of sight, and help in the overall reduction of ammonia, but a HEALTHY weekly water change is required. I would do 50-75% weekly with that stocking, and be sure not to overfeed.

If your friend is more of the top off or 10% a month variety, the tank needs a serious reduction.