Stocking and adavisor

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CrashCourse

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
185
Location
Maryland
I've been using aqadvisor, and I like the site. I know it doesn't have all the answers, but it's a good general guideline.
That said, does anyone know if it takes swimming levels into account?

I will be stocking my 10 gallon eventually when I get out of this endless mini-cycle. Right now I have 4 x-ray tetra and a small mystery snail. (I read recently that the tetras should be in groups if at least 5, and would prefer a longer tank. Too bad I never came across that information in any of the profiles I researched before I bought them...)

Anyhoo. Originally I wanted to add a dwarf gourami, but after reading some of the stories on here of people having aggression issues, especially in a 10 gallon, I'm reconsidering. I'm now thinking one more tetra to complete their school, maybe a small school of endlers, and possibly a few kuhli loaches. Supposedly they all have a low bioload, and Aqadvisor says that the filtration is good, but it would be 130% stocked.

The loaches are a maybe for now, since I've had a couple cory eggs hatch, and I might need to move them over to that tank, since the one they hatched in is already pushing its limits on stocking. But it would be nice to put something new in there that I don't already have in the 20 gallon.

I thought overstocking has as much to do with overcrowding than just bioload. I overfilter, and have an aquaclear 30 filter on the 10 gallon, and do weekly water changes.
So I guess I'm wondering if, added them slowly enough to let the BB catch up with the new additions, is it still considered overstocked, since they would all be occupying different levels of the tank?

One day I'll have a nice big tank, and have a little more freedom with stocking. Haha.
 
First off you should re-home the tetras. They need at least 20 gallons of water.

No dwarf gourami either, they need at least 15.

Kuhlis need a least a 20 gallon long tank because you should have 5+ Kuhlis

Since you like Endlers, get like 10 males and you would have a colorful tank! You could also put some cherry shrimp and a few snails in there too.

So to answer your question, no, you could not do that.
 
Ok, after re-reading, I put way too much extra information in there. I intended my question to be more about swimming levels as relates to stocking/overstocking, and not a specific stocking plan. :)

Thanks for the reply.
 
I agree that your stocking list has some issues, but I'll leave that alone since that's not your question.

I don't think aqadvisor takes swimming levels into account at all, it's very basic. It would allow you to have a ton of loaches and Cory's and other bottom dwellers without even a warning that they're all in the same space stressing each other out. Aqadvisor is a good tool, but like you know it's not definite.
 
Either way, it's not a final stocking plan. Get the idea, then research and revise. I'm in no rush.

Besides, there is precious little in this hobby you'll get a group of people to agree on, beyond the need to cycle the tank. Everyone will tell you something different, so I take it all with a grain of salt and do more research.

Which brings me back to the original question about swimming levels. Haha.
 
Either way, it's not a final stocking plan. Get the idea, then research and revise. I'm in no rush.

Besides, there is precious little in this hobby you'll get a group of people to agree on, beyond the need to cycle the tank. Everyone will tell you something different, so I take it all with a grain of salt and do more research.

Which brings me back to the original question about swimming levels. Haha.


Okay. Swimming levels.

You obviously want to have fish that swim in different levels of the tank. A. It would look weird if there was just fish at the top, bottom, or middle. B. Say you have 30 fish all competing for the same level, there is going to be lots of aggression and stress among the fish.

Even if all your fish are at different levels, it is not okay to overstock. Period. With the exception of certain fish like cichlids, but that is for another thread.

Does that answer your question?
 
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