Busy Tanks

[spongebob69]

Does anyone else here feel like tanks with too many different species can make the viewing experience less desireable because things become too busy or chaotic in some way? Sometimes I feel like people try too hard to squeeze all the fish they like into one tank and do not take into account the need for schooling numbers or the value of simplicity. I would much prefer to see a tank with 3 or 4 interesting species as opposed to a jumble of 6-10 different individuals. Not to mention Im sure many species would be much more comfortable with some buddies to frolic with.

 

[ferret]

I have one big tank full of small fish. Doesn't seem many people attempt this for some reason. Seems most people, if they get over 50 gallons, only buy bigger fish. So I got a big tank and picked a lot of fish that offset each other. Still love the tank. Good deal of activity, and a wide range of colors. Granted the tank is planted which breaks things up too.

Most of my other tanks are less heavily populated.

 

[Menagerie]

I have 6 tanks with different needs. My 50 gal community has no fish over 2-3" right now. The small plecos will one day max out at 4-5", but the rams, apistos, tetras and cories were all bought to be small. None of my fish really zip around and the couple of schooling fish that I have are in groups of 5. However, if I want action, I head over the the 80 gal Mbuna tank 8O

I understand what SB69 is saying. Some people that do not take this hobby as seriously as we do will pack the tank because they never saw that kind of fish and they had to have it!!

 

[grimlock3000]

The only fish I ever bought one of is my Pleco and the Betta. Both of those fish are fine solo so I never worried about those two. All of the other solo fish I have are survivors from previous deaths. I feel really bad for the solo fish, it sucks to watch their behavior after their school or partner dies

My 26g looked really busy this morning with the new Platys I bought last night. It was not busy in a bad way, but I would not want to add any different species at this point.

 

[BrianNY]

What's in the eye of the beholder spongebob? I suppose it's why some people want Oscars and others guppies. I'm partial to fewer species in any tank. I think the environment is simpler to care for and one can get to really understand a particular fish that way.

BTW, my planted 55 has a school of rasboras and 3 black lace angels. My planted 125 has a large school of black neons, a variety of apistos and 7 dwarf bushy nose plecos. It's a very interesting tank to watch.

 

[pkremer]

I think "too busy" is completely in the eye of the beholder, as BrianNY hinted at. Some people enjoy simplicity, and then there are those people that could sit in a building and be fascinated by a huge freeway interchange, watching cars come from every direction, swirling around and ending up in a new direction.

Personally, I DO NOT believe in cramming a tank so full of fish that it is bad for the fish. I think you need to take into consideration the needs of the species you do decide to put in your tank, as in getting schools of schooling fish. But I do like a 'busy' tank. I am trying to accomplish this by 'layering' the fish. I am trying to choose fish that will not only get along, but inhabit every level of water in my tank.

I'm going for kind of a colorful tank, you might see in my sig. I'll have green fish, a bright blue fish, red fish, black and white fish. I still have yet to get the red fish (cherry barbs), but so far I absolutely love to see the yo-yo on the bottom, the green swordtail swimming around in mid-water, and the gourami up above him. It's a flash and variety of color, and it's what I think makes my tank interesting.

Paul

 

[shawmutt]

How about one species? I currently only have Yellow Labs in my tank.

 

[deli_conker]

My African tank has all different fish in it (aside from a pair of yellow labs). I did this for a couple of reasons.

1. I wanted a variety.
2. To keep the same species of african cichlids in such a small space seems to be more stressful on the fish (male/female ratios, species hierarchy, etc).

Africans are busy no matter what.

My 10 gal is going to have guppies and ghost shrimp. Should look nice.
My 30 gal is going to have 2 different schools of tetras, a school of cories, and a couple of dwarf gouramis.

I would love to have a huge community tank. They have one at my lfs, probably around 220 gal (planted). Big ol' schools of cardinal tetras and a few pearl gouramis (along with other fish but I don't know what they are).

I guess it all boils down to personal preference...