Hello. Been in the hobby off and on for a while. A general question... The tanks in fish stores hold many more fish than most think of as adequate for a home tank. I have a 47 Bowfront with probably 10 platties/mollies, 8 neons/cardinals/black neons, 2 dwarf frogs, 2 cory cats, one big pleco, 3 dayglo tetras, 3 dayglo zebras, 3 rasbora and maybe 3-6 other small tetra. They all seem happy and healthy and it makes for a colorful active tank. Some have said too crowded. ( i should admit that i saw some German Blue rams and other blue rams that I've wanted for a long time and rarely see and put them in the same tank ((6 of them)), they all died within a cpl weeks. After doing some research i think they died bec the water was too cold (79) and not to over crowding but not sure). Any thoughts ??
Overcrowding
- Thread starter Mike Z
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If you are happy with your water parameters, happy with the amount of maintenance you have to do to keep them there, and your fish are generally happy and healthy then you are good.
I dont personally think you are overstocked, but it really depends on how big that pleco is. I have heavier stocking than you (minus a big pleco though).
Fish stores can overstock because they are only keeping fish short term until they are sold. They may also be turning over large amounts of water, much more than you can see front of house.
As for your rams, yes 79f is on the lower end of where they are comfortable. 83f would be better but 79f would be doable. Bolivian rams would be a better choice at your temperature. Trying to keep 6 rams in a 42g would cause territory issues though. A pair would be better, you could probably get away with 2 pairs.
I dont personally think you are overstocked, but it really depends on how big that pleco is. I have heavier stocking than you (minus a big pleco though).
Fish stores can overstock because they are only keeping fish short term until they are sold. They may also be turning over large amounts of water, much more than you can see front of house.
As for your rams, yes 79f is on the lower end of where they are comfortable. 83f would be better but 79f would be doable. Bolivian rams would be a better choice at your temperature. Trying to keep 6 rams in a 42g would cause territory issues though. A pair would be better, you could probably get away with 2 pairs.
You definitely can’t compare stocking levels to a fish store. Like mentioned they turn over ALOT of water compared to most home aquariums. Not to mention they are only keeping them as juveniles for a short period of time, they have no intention of growing them out, they want to move them out any buy more juveniles.
If it was just the blue rams that died on you, it’s got nothing to do with stock levels. I’d say more so what you’re thinking, either water temperature or water parameters they didn’t like. No other signs of illness with them when you got them? maybe just dud fish?
Sometimes you just get dud fish, possibly mishandled at the fish store or whatever. Gotta say at least our petsmart is honest, when i bought my first batch of tiger barbs the girl told me straight out that they had accidentally dumped a bunch of them on the floor earlier that day and their could be issues. Sure enough within a couple weeks I had lost a few of them and none of the others.
If it was just the blue rams that died on you, it’s got nothing to do with stock levels. I’d say more so what you’re thinking, either water temperature or water parameters they didn’t like. No other signs of illness with them when you got them? maybe just dud fish?
Sometimes you just get dud fish, possibly mishandled at the fish store or whatever. Gotta say at least our petsmart is honest, when i bought my first batch of tiger barbs the girl told me straight out that they had accidentally dumped a bunch of them on the floor earlier that day and their could be issues. Sure enough within a couple weeks I had lost a few of them and none of the others.
