How overstocked is your planted tank?

[AshleyXavier]

Okie, I know it sounds crazy, I have a grossly overstocked tank based on the 1inch per gallon rule. It came from buying young fishes and overstocking b4 I knew about stocking guidelines.

Well, since the fishes seems to be healty and thriving, and I do not have the space to get a bigger tank, I'm just leaving them as it is until there's a need to make changes.

I'm just wondering how overstock are your tanks and how you are maintaining them.

My 15G tank (2ftX1ftX1.5ft) with 1 55W PC & 1 18W Normal lighting,
1 external Jebo 3 compartment canister filter

Fishes:
8 Cherry Barbs
10 Guppies + 3 newly born babies
3 Hi-fin Mickymouse Platies
14 Neon Tetras
5 Cardinal Tetras
10 Rummy-nose Tetras
10 Bumblebee Gobies
4 Otocinclus Affinis
3 SAEs
1 long slim Loach (not sure the exact species)

Others:
18 Amano Shrimps (Yamato Shrimps)
7 Cherry Shrimps
2 Red Ramshorn Snails
2 tiny snails (looks like bumble bee)
3 normal size snails (looks like pond snail)

Plants:
Water Cress (or japanese cress)
Riccia Fuitians
Glossostigma
Cryptocornye Parva
Vaillisneria (2 types, the tall long ones & the short twisted var)
Ceratopteris Thalietroides (Water Sprite)
1 more plant I'm not too sure the species

The plants are doing very well as I also pump CO2 for approx 8-12 hrs. Only need to trim it once a week or 2. At nite I use air pump to maintain enough O2 for the fishes and plants. Both lights and air pump are on separate timers.

My Canister filter is rated for 60G tank or something, I put in Ceramic rings for cultivating bacteria, 2 different types filter media, Zeolite & Peat

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

In short, way overstocked, at last count I am somewhere around 100+ inches in a 75Gal. one of which being a 13" Pleco.

I just made my second filter, but the first filter is a Fluval 304 (rated for 70Gal).. When the rest of my filter is installed, it will have a rating for about 300Gal biological..

 

[fishygurl]

That looks like the fish for a 55 gallon! Are you sure everyting is alright??

 

[AshleyXavier]

Yeah, they're fine. I have them for quite a while already. The young have grown bigger. I think they are at the full adult size now, if they can manage to grow and more bigger, I might be having some rare species..

They have plenty of plants to hide, clear space to swim too. Healthy fishes and plants. Good enough to get pearling from the riccia, water sprite and water cress.

I'm planning to set up another tank sometime later this year, then I will migrate some of the fishes over.

 

[Glenc]

Ashley, you have alot of fish! I have a ten gallon with DIYCO2 and lots of plants. For fish I have
12 neon tetras
5 harlequin rasboras
2 2" SAE
1 otto
3 bumble bee shrimp
1 amano shrimp.
filter is one AC mini with 2 sponges, no carbon. With this bioload I still have dose NO3 to keep my nitrates up! I change 25% of my water once a week, rinse the sponges in the tank water. All is well with the fish.

 

[Guest]

you should have less fish in a planted - not more. the plants and extra substrate take up a lot of room.

 

[travis simonson]

Actually the plants in a planted tank do a bit for NO3 uptake, but not a significant amount. Please people, think of the fish first. Just because you live in NYC doesn't mean you have to (my apologies to Cat, Sherry, and other so unfortunate to have to suck said pollutants) make your fish live like they do. I know you guys treat your fish and plants better than you do yourselves. Consider moving to the midwest where fishtank owners can feel as free and healthy to breath the air as their pets

 

[kaz]

am I understanding that all of the above is in 15g tank, holy moly thats worse than china, in fact thats a herd.

 

[Billsgate]

That is way overstocked, as has been stated.
What I take as a standard rule is to stock the tank so that each inhabitant has enough room to feel secure and have the opportunity to breed.
Maybe that's overdoing it a bit, but I really don't like the idea of cramming a whole bunch of fish into one tank... I just know that if the fish breed, they are happy! (guppies and other livebearers don't count )

Anyway, I hope you do the right thing! (return not some, but allot of fish to your lfs...)

It may look like your fish are fine, but trust me, they are not. Making sure you provide your fish with a proper enviroment to their needs is part of being a good aquarist.

 

[crazycat]

no offense taken TRAVIS--considering that my fish and plants are THRIVING in my sucky polluted city . actually--it's a documented fact that ny state has one of the best water qualities in the nation--top three. now, the air we breathe...that's another matter altogether, mountain boy! but we also don't have to drive 50 miles to a supermarket, hahahahahahahahahahahaha (JUST KIDDING!)

 

[sherry]

Travis... I don't quite know what to say.. but Travis..

well if you saw my apartment you'd say I overstocked that too it is cramped

 

[Simpte]

you should have less fish in a planted - not more. the plants and extra substrate take up a lot of room.

Why do you say that? While I don't advocate overstocking planted tanks, it is much easier to do so. Plants are the best biological filters (who can argue with mother nature right?) The added substrate is minimal in terms of water volume. They make fish feel safer thus less stressed.
It is the "natural" way to go.

Back to the topic of the thread.

I'm not overstocked at all. I have in my 75 gallon planted tank (pics somewhere on the site).
6 Koi angels
20 Bloodfin tetras
10 otocinclus
9 Amano shrimp
soon to be 12 cherry shrimp
5 A. Viejita

*Plants No3 uptake is 2-4ppm per 24 hrs in a high light tank* I would call that significant.

 

[LindaC]

Wow, that's all I can say, I'm just wondering how all those fish have the room to move around. I too hope that you do the right thing and either return some fish to your LFS or purchase another tank and move them in to that one. Your fish can't tell you that they are unhappy! It sounds like your doing a great job with this tank but I'm sure the fish will be much happier once they have a little more space.

 

[AshleyXavier]

Hahaa, a few factors I guess. I only keep small fishes, most of them don't grow longer than 1.5 inches, so they still have space to swim around. And also all the fishes are compatible to each other, they don't look stress or anything. In fact the Neon and Cardinals tetras seems to school together, sometimes they also mix with the rummy-nose. Feeding time is simply amazing, they'r a whirlwind of colors

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I do know I am over-stocked and already taking plans to fix up another tank to transfer them in. A few are in my QT for the moment to reduce the load.

 

[kaz]

[quote="m.

I'm not overstocked at all. I have in my 75 gallon planted tank (pics somewhere on the site).
*Plants No3 uptake is 2-4ppm per 24 hrs in a high light tank* I would call that significant.[/quote]

what good is saying somewhere on the site? you do the searching

 

[kaz]

Hahaa, a few factors I guess. I only keep small fishes, most of them don't grow longer than 1.5 inches, so they still have space to swim around.

HOW DID YOU COME TO THIS CONCLUSION IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 20LIVING IN A 15G TANK, WITH YOUR POINT IT YOU SHOULD JUST HOLD UP TO 15 OF THEM NOT OVER BIG TIME 20.

And also all the fishes are compatible to each other,

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT, EXAMPLE PLACE YOURSELF IN A 3 BEDROOM HOUSE WITH 75 PEOPLE.

they don't look stress or anything. In fact the Neon and Cardinals tetras seems to school together, sometimes they also mix with the rummy-nose. Feeding time is simply amazing, they'r a whirlwind of colors

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I do know I am over-stocked and already taking plans to fix up another tank to transfer them in. A few are in my QT for the moment to reduce the load.

THANK GOD

 

[pwrflpills]

I thought I might be overstocked until I saw this thread. (see below)

Anyway, I must agree, your stock is pretty ridiculous. I'm pretty sure you know the rest....... 71 fish, 25 shrimp, 7 snails, plus what sounds like a lot of plants...in a 15 gallon!!!! I just don't get how that's possible. Were you typing quickly and instead of 1 you typed 10? Even then you're, to use your words, grossly overstocked. Eventhough they "seem" happy, just be nice and give them MUCH more space. Try to consider Kaz's point about the 3BR house.

Post some pics PLEASE. I've got to see this tank!

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

hmm, by taht qualification, I'm no where near overstocked..I didn't do the math, and 71 fish would look nuts in a 15 gal.