Stocking Question / Options / Opinion

[chrism]

Ok so here's the deal, at the moment I have a 20gal 24" x 12" x 15" in that lives:

13 Cardinal Tetra
5 Redeye Tetra
3 Bolivian Ram
2 Pictus Cats
1 Bristlenose Cat

That adds up to about 49.5" of fish! Hmmm slightly over stocked I think. My water parameters are ok ish, before a water change they are...

Ammonia is 0.6 mg/L
Nitrite 0.3mg/L
Nitrate ~30mg/L

I do two 20% PWC a week, and vac at the same time. I have live plants that are now beginning to have some brown algae growing on the leaves

Now going by the 1" to a gallon rule, I could only stock 16/17 cardinals in there or 7 Redeye, now I wouldn’t have thought that that is right. I know its only a guide and depends a lot on the fish. Here's the awkward bit, I would like some oto's to help with the brown algae. I am taking over another 20Gal tank from my friend soon as he's moved out bla bla


SO... Could I keep

6 cardinal
3 Otos
2 Bolivians, I’ve only got 3 till they pair off
2 Pictus
1 Bn

And split the rest into his tank or return to my lfs? That would be about 31" of fish... better but is it still over stocked? Any other suggestions or comments welcome, at the moment everyone seems happy and getting on well... but they are all growing too!

 

[Melody]

From past expierences, Pictus Cats, while so cool and so pretty are going to get full grown!! QUICK!!!! and will start eating everything in sight. I had one that I had to return to my LFS because he was eatting my full grown tiger barbs!!! My barbs were 2 in long! When I got the Pictus he was about 2 in long and got to be over 5in in less then two months. Thats when I started noticing the disapperence of my other fish. First the guppies, then the sword tails, then the chienese alge eater, then a couple of tiger barbs... then a few more tiger barbs... argh!!! he had to go! I was sad, he was one of my favs!!! Good Luck with whatever you decide!!!
~Melody

 

[Menagerie]

Ammonia is 0.6 mg/L
Nitrite 0.3mg/L

That is not "okayish." Ammonia above .25 is BAD and so is nitrite!! You need to increase your water changes.

That would be about 31" of fish... better but is it still over stocked?

Overstocked is okay, but your water parameters must be perfect for the fish to live healthy, long lives. Ammonia and nitrites need to be undectable and you need to over filter the tank. The gph needs to be more at 8 or 10x the tank size instead of at 6x. What is your current gph?

 

[FawnN]

It's not so much that your overstocked (which by the way you are), it's the certain kinds of fish you have in your tank.

Your BN Pleco, Bolivian Rams, and Pictus Cat are IMO, pretty big waste producers which is why even with your 2 water changes a week is still creating too much ammonia for your bacteria to handle.

I would definitely increase your water changes from 2-20% water changes to 3-20% with only doing a deep gravel vacuuming once a week. And move some of them out to the new tank you will aquire later on.

How often and how much are you feeding them?

 

[chrism]

Melody - WOW! 8O mine are about 4" now, and so far only 2 small cardinals have gone... wont be long i guess

Menagerie - Right so more water changes. I have a fluval 2 plus, on the box it says 400 L/ph my tank is about 70 L thats just less than 6x so im under filtering too unluckily for me i only found out about fish forums after i had done the set up, so when i bought the filter i went by the box which said up to 90L

FawnN - I was aware that the BN & Cats are big waste producers, but not the bolivian, also i have a sand not gravel. I feed a small amount of flake food, always gone within 2 mins, and sinking pellets for the cats also i throw in either some courgette or cucumber every other day for my BN leave it in over night, take it out in the morning. I also feed bloodworms / brine shrimp maybe once a week. i feed one main feed, then another smaller one before lights out.

Should i buy another fluval 2 plus, or is there another filter that you would recommend. would it be worth looking at a canister?

 

[Menagerie]

A small Fluval canister like the 104 would do well. I would fill all the baskets with ceramic media and allow the beneficial bacteria to take over.

Be careful with your catfish--they are opportunistic and will eat whatever fits in their mouth!

You can cut back on the feeding to once a day or even every other day. When fish evolved, they atewhat they could when they could. I feed my fish every other day and everything is fine (and I have a massively overstocked 50 gal ).

 

[chrism]

A BIG thanks to everyone! I'm looking into buying the Fluval 104 right now. and will cut back on feeding