Have i overstocked my tank?

[bigbox]

I have a 10 gallon tank and it holds:
2 zebra danios
4 tiger barbs
2 playts (had 4 originally but 2 died within the 1st week)

if not can i add more fish?

if yes, can i put 1 dwarf gourami?

 

[bigbox]

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bettababe1011]

I have a 10 gallon tank and it holds:
2 zebra danios
4 tiger barbs
2 playts (had 4 originally but 2 died within the 1st week)

if not can i add more fish?

if yes, can i put 1 dwarf gourami?

Okay. First of all, zebra danios need more like a twenty because of their activity level, and should be in a school of six at least.

The tiger barbs are also schooling, and I think need a bigger tank. They are also fin nippers and generally not suited to community life.

The platys are fine.

Did you cycle the tank beforehand? If not, that is what killed your platys, most likely.

I wouldn't put any more fish in there. As your looking at it now, you need to upgrade or rehome fish. Yes, I'd say you are overstocked.

 

[uh.oh...]

test the tanks water, and look at what you're fish are doing. Are they playing much? does any particular fish look like it might be getting nipped pretty badly? The thing about dwarf gouramis is that they have the awesome little feelers and a rather slow swim speed. If the fish in the tank are nippers, like yours, then you can loose the feelers, and although they're grow back the gourami will probably just die from the
stress.

 

[jcolon]

Welcome to AA ... you'll find the members here willing to help. Can you tell us
1. How old is the tank and is it cycled .. (Could be why two fish died?)
2. What type of filter are you running
3. Is the tank heavily decorated, live plants? etc.

I'm assuming all the fish are young and are still growing. I'm inclined to say maybe have room for a Dwarf Gourami. I'll defer to other members if your probably at your limit with a 10 Gallon .. particularly with Barbs that like a good deal of open swimming space.

Good luck

 

[bigbox]

Thanks for the advice!

Yep, i cycled the tank before and ammonia and nitrite are 0

Thats true the zebra danios are really active.

You say that the platys are fine but they are the ones that seem to be less active :/

 

[bigbox]

My tank is fairly new. Although i done ALOT of errors at first, i had to restart couple of times, but now it is cycled! (at last)

I dont have any live plants, only 4 plastic ones. Am not sure about the technical name of the filter, but it is the one that is fully placed in the aquarium (it's not an undergravel filter).

Now that i only have 8 fish in there is it still overstocked?

I also think that i didnt assimilate the platys into the tank properly, but could that have killed them a week later???

 

[Bettababe1011]

Thanks for the advice!

Yep, i cycled the tank before and ammonia and nitrite are 0

Thats true the zebra danios are really active.

You say that the platys are fine but they are the ones that seem to be less active :/

I'm going by what multiple members have told me with the platys. I'm looking for ideas for a ten gallon too, and those were one I was suggested to have.

What is nitrate?

 

[bigbox]

Hmmmmmmmm good question, i actually dont have the test kit for nitrates.

Epiphany!!!

I was doing water changes every second day, once i stopped than the 2 platys died!

Nitrate poisoning??

 

[43Gallons]

I would not think it was nitrate poisoning. You should only have to do a water change weekly or biweekly. What are your water quality stats? Perhaps adding fish caused a mini cycle which posioned your fish with ammonia or nitrite?

 

[Bettababe1011]

I would not think it was nitrate poisoning. You should only have to do a water change weekly or biweekly. What are your water quality stats? Perhaps adding fish caused a mini cycle which posioned your fish with ammonia or nitrite?

But with that many fish in a small space, by the way, I'm not trying to be rude, we all make mistakes, the nitrates can add up fast.

It could have been a mini cycle. Forgive me if you've already answered this question, but what schedule did you use to add your fish?

 

[bigbox]

I added them at weekly intervals.

 

[Bettababe1011]

I added them at weekly intervals.

How many fish at a time?

 

[43Gallons]

But with that many fish in a small space, by the way, I'm not trying to be rude, we all make mistakes, the nitrates can add up fast.

This is true. I still tend to think it was something else. To get to the heart of this question, yes you're overstocked and your fish could use some mates, particularly the danios.

 

[bigbox]

I added them 4 at a time, except the danios obviously.

Alright, can i add 2 more platys if i increase the amount of water changes, and leave my air pump all the time?

 

[bigbox]

on*

 

[Revenantwing]

ive read through out the forums and they said platys need atleast a 30 gallon tank. Tiger barbs need atleast 6 since they are schooling fish and they get big when they are adults so yes you are overstocked. (All info from members of this site)

 

[jetajockey]

platys need a 30g tank? lol nah, 10g is fine for them. Tiger barbs definitely should be kept in schools though, and preferably a larger tank than a 10g.

Zebra danios need more swim room than a 10g also, a 20L or larger is perfect, but that's just my opinion.

 

[bigbox]

THanks for the advice, i'll see if i can move the tiger barbs out, and maybe get more platys.

Thanks everyone

 

[adadkins1]

The only problem with platys and other livebearers is they will overpopulate your tank in a couple months. Do you have males and females?