Do Invertebrates Count As Fish?

[Fishkeeper4567]

Hi there. I have recently read that invertebrates do not count as fish. So you can have around five in the biube and 12 fish (The maximum fish stock level) or more in any other tank without adding any more to your stock level. Is this true? I know they do not take up swimming space but they still produce waste. Thanks.

 

[Donya]

Depends on the invertebrate. For example, apple snails can be horribly messy and have a big impact on the tank's bioload. Small freshwater shrimp, not so much. At any rate, the idea of stocking based on a fish count is a bad one and not really useful unless you're talking about a specific species. A tank with 12 neons is going to be pretty different waste and space-wise from a tank with 12 goldfish. If you have any doubts about your tank's stocking, go slow and keep an eye on the nitrate levels before each weekly water change.

 

[Fishkeeper4567]

Thanks