When is "Enough", enough?

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Talvari

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Sep 7, 2011
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For most of my life, when it comes to the amount of fish you can have in a tank, I have always heard about an inch of fish per gallon for tropicals, and about an inch of fish for two gallons for goldfish and cichlids. I know, its stupid to think that a 10" fish can live in a 10 gallon tank... But its only a general rule and common sense should apply, right?

I was just curious how every one knows when they have enough fish in their tank if they dont use that rule?

For example, my 55 gallon has 5 tiger barbs, a gold gourami, 4 rainbowfish, an african brown knife, and a hi-fin pleco. Is that enough? Too much? Or could I add more?

Or, for for another example... I had a customer who had 5 guppies, four zebra danios, a dwarf gourami, a few snails, and two oto's in a 10 gallon tank. He said that they've been there for at least a year already and everyone seemed to be in good health. If I did my math right, thats around 20 inches in a 10 gallon.
 
Well, someone has pointed it out before, just because a fish *can* live in a certain condition, doesnt mean it should, or that they are actually healthy. Just because you *can* overcrowd the tank... doesn't mean you should.

I was just wondering what a more reliable way was.
 
First things first, don't EVER go by that "inch per gallon" so-called rule. It's just plain dumb that someone came up with that in the first place. People will argue that it might apply to fish like neon tetras, but it's still a rule you want to forget you ever heard.

I go by bioload, species size, temperament, school, compatibility and space requirements. You need to figure out:

1) bioload - for example, your pleco has a large bioload, so do goldfish, but kuhli loaches have a small bioload.... overall, the plecos and goldfish require more tank space because they dirty the tank more quickly

2) size - as you mentioned, you shouldn't put a 10-inch fish in a 10 gallon tank, however, you can put ten 1-inch fish in a 10 gallon tank

3) temperament - low aggression fish can equal more fish in a tank, high aggression fish may require more open space to call their own

4) school - tetras should be kept in a school of 6 minimum, but 8 is better, even more is better still.... you want to have the proper size school in the appropriate size tank

5) compatibility - you must be sure that the species you choose for a tank are compatible..... size matters, too.... you wouldn't want to put neon tetras with jack dempseys

6) space - a rainbow shark requires lots of open space on the floor of the tank to cruise.... so although it may reach 6 inches, you should afford it tank size based on the space it needs and not its size

Now, research your species and see what you come up with for tank requirements. This is your homework assignment for the day. (y)
 
For most of my life, when it comes to the amount of fish you can have in a tank, I have always heard about an inch of fish per gallon for tropicals, and about an inch of fish for two gallons for goldfish and cichlids. I know, its stupid to think that a 10" fish can live in a 10 gallon tank... But its only a general rule and common sense should apply, right?

I was just curious how every one knows when they have enough fish in their tank if they dont use that rule?

For example, my 55 gallon has 5 tiger barbs, a gold gourami, 4 rainbowfish, an african brown knife, and a hi-fin pleco. Is that enough? Too much? Or could I add more?

Or, for for another example... I had a customer who had 5 guppies, four zebra danios, a dwarf gourami, a few snails, and two oto's in a 10 gallon tank. He said that they've been there for at least a year already and everyone seemed to be in good health. If I did my math right, thats around 20 inches in a 10 gallon.

This is really about overstocking compared to overcrowding.

Overstocking comes down to proper tank maintenance and adequate filtration to handle the bio-load of the fish to maintain pristine water.

Overcrowding is having too many fish or too large a fish in too small a volume for the fishes mature size. You could theoretically keep a 12 inch oscar in 10 gal tank with adequate filtration and PWC's, but I'd doubt the oscar would be happy. This is how you get stunted growth.

Your customer's 10gal tank could be stocked ok ... except zebra danio are too active for a 10gal.

IMO .. experience will be the best teacher.
 
The problem with that so called research is everyone and their brother has a different opinion on what is right and what is wrong. Examples?

People who think putting bettas in anything over a gallon is cruel because they are 'not used to space'....

People who say putting a betta in anything less than 3 gallons/5 gallons is cruel..

People who say keeping a betta wish other fish is cruel... People who say keeping a betta by itself is cruel.

From things I've read on my species? You know how it is. Opinions are like buttholes, everyone has one. Here are the things Ive read:

Tiger Barbs: Minimum 10 gallons. Minimum 20 gallons. How many? At least 3. At least 5. At least 8.

Gourami: Minimum 20 gallons. How many? Only one in any tank. Two males at most. You can keep a small group together fine.

Australian Rainbowfish: Minimum 20 gallons. Minimum 40 gallons. At least 3. At least 5.

African Brown Knife: 50 gallon Minimum. Only one in a tank. Do not mix with other knife fish. You can mix with other knife fish.
 
This is really about overstocking compared to overcrowding.

Overstocking comes down to proper tank maintenance and adequate filtration to handle the bio-load of the fish to maintain pristine water.

Overcrowding is having too many fish or too large a fish in too small a volume for the fishes mature size. You could theoretically keep a 12 inch oscar in 10 gal tank with adequate filtration and PWC's, but I'd doubt the oscar would be happy. This is how you get stunted growth.

Your customer's 10gal tank could be stocked ok ... except zebra danio are too active for a 10gal.

IMO .. experience will be the best teacher.


Thats a better answer than somethings I've been told. In a debate with a customer, I asked how they knew. Answer? When fish start dying and water specs started going to heck. I told him that seemed a little counter productive. He told me to shut up.

I really keep wanting to fill out my tiger barbs... I used to have 6 but the smallest of the school never really seemed to be the healthiest and died after a few months. I was thinking about doing three more tiger barbs, and maybe two more rainbow-fish.
 
People who think putting bettas in anything over a gallon is cruel because they are 'not used to space'....

People who say putting a betta in anything less than 3 gallons/5 gallons is cruel..

People who say keeping a betta wish other fish is cruel... People who say keeping a betta by itself is cruel.

The above are just examples of personal opinion, quite likely not based on experience. I have to say I pay those little regard.

When I initially was doing research on my species, I found the same thing you did, some would say 10 gallons, some would say 20. I would visit multiple sites that seemed to have responsible information and base my decision on that.

As far as how many, if it's a schooling fish, the more the merrier. If it's an aggressive schooling fish, like barbs, more will help distribute the aggression more evenly, so you want more.

A lot of fishkeeping is just plain common sense.
 
Personally, I have found that over-researching is key and finding someone credible that has previously kept the fish.

Everything you see, you must take as a grain of salt (I think that's how the saying goes). Everyone has a different idea of what makes the fish happy and healthy. This does not necessarily mean that it is what is best. Just have to compile everything and make yur own choice.

I prefer to look up sites that are about the fish naturally, then look up sites where they are pets, then look up YouTube.com videos of them in aquariums. Somewhere in their I ask people I know (most of the time my boyfriend) about their experiences. This all together will make you prepared to figure it out on your own.


For example- some people who keep/breed flowerhorns claim that as a showtank, they should be in 150g. But, then you will find pet sites saying they need at least a 55g. That's almost 100g difference! There is no natural sites, of course and the personal stories of FH-keepers are so drastically different that you get completely lost. Here, I just had to go with my gut instinct and since I am willing to upgrade whenever need be, I am starting with a 55g.
 
I really keep wanting to fill out my tiger barbs... I used to have 6 but the smallest of the school never really seemed to be the healthiest and died after a few months. I was thinking about doing three more tiger barbs, and maybe two more rainbow-fish.

Assuming you have adequate filtration and your on the ball with PWC's, I think you could add another 3 TB's ... certainly 2. Not sure about rainbows as I don't have them and don't know much about them.
 
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