10 Gallon Overstocked

[Noahsfish]

Hey guys, I have 10, 20, and 30 gallon aquariums. The 20 and 30 are fully stocked, same with the 10. The 10 has 6 harlequin rasboras, and 1 betta. I know most people are like that's perfectly stocked or some might even say overstocked, but I really want to add a few more fish. Would it be possible to add maybe 3 otocinclus? I know they like schools and need room but would it work with regular maintenance and what not. I have driftwood and real plants in the aquarium but I have gravel. Would that also be a problem? I have sand in the 20, and would they coexsist fine with corycats? I'm just worried it'd be a fight for food because my fat opaline gourami always steals the wafers...

 

[JenJ]

Could you move your harlequins into one of the other tanks? I would say a betta and 6 (I think this is the recommended minimum group size) oto in the 10 gallon would be ok.


Oh, not sure on the gravel, sorry. I'll let someone who knows stuff come along and answer you!

 

[Noahsfish]

Thanks jenj, I couldnt help but notice your picture of that fish. Is that by any chance a zebra loach? If so where do you buy them from?

 

[JenJ]

Close, it's a polka dot loach. I got them from my local Maidenhead Aquatics but I'm in the UK.
 
There are a couple of people in the US that have been discussing them on the thread called 'Boita Compatibility' (sp!), maybe ask them where they sourced theirs from?


http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/413709-boita-compatibility/

 

[McCool]

Thanks jenj, I couldnt help but notice your picture of that fish. Is that by any chance a zebra loach? If so where do you buy them from?

Petsmart also sells them, I have 4 from there! They are great loaches.

 

[TekFish]

It's hard to tell, but I would say your 10 gallon is fully stocked. However you may get away with 3, definitely not six, because they inhabit different areas of the tank. You'll have to wait for someone with more experience than me I'm afraid.
 
Tek oot.

 

[sadguppy]

If your tank is stable, and you do regular water changes i would say go for it, as TekFish has said, they use different areas of the tank. Stocking 'rules' are merely a guide and you can get away with a lot if you stock cleverly and keep up regular maintenance.

 

[Noahsfish]

Thanks again guys, I think in a few week I'll be adding the otos, after I buy a few more hardy plants to help keep the tank clean.

Thanks jenj, I couldnt help but notice your picture of that fish. Is that by any chance a zebra loach? If so where do you buy them from?

Petsmart also sells them, I have 4 from there! They are great loaches.

Lucky, I've been looking for loaches for soooo long now, I don't really like any of the others that look so wormy, id prefer to have clown, zebra, or polka dot. Problem is clowns get so big, but are practically sold anywhere.. It seems strange that zebra and polka dot are so much more interesting looking and they can actually fit in a 30g, that their harder to find...I live near SF and I can't find them in any of the 5-6 fish stores I've been too. They also said they weren't on their order lists..

 

[This Old Spouse]

Your LFS should be able to order any kind of fish if you ask them.
 
Otos don't spend much time on the substrate, preferring to forage on plant leaves and larger rocks. I have one in my 20g and the only time he spends on the substrate (sand) is when he's resting, and that's only occasionally.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Close, it's a polka dot loach. I got them from my local Maidenhead Aquatics but I'm in the UK.

Which is your local MA? I'd be interested to have a few of them. How much were they?

 

[JenJ]

I got them at the Guildford branch about 3 months ago but they currently (or did last week) have some in the Ashtead branch.

 

[Noahsfish]

Your LFS should be able to order any kind of fish if you ask them.
 
Otos don't spend much time on the substrate, preferring to forage on plant leaves and larger rocks. I have one in my 20g and the only time he spends on the substrate (sand) is when he's resting, and that's only occasionally.

That's true, I never really asked them to order them, I just kind of casually asked if there would be any in the next shipment. I'll see what they can do, I'd really like some for my 30g..

 

[sadguppy]

Your LFS should be able to order any kind of fish if you ask them.
 
Otos don't spend much time on the substrate, preferring to forage on plant leaves and larger rocks. I have one in my 20g and the only time he spends on the substrate (sand) is when he's resting, and that's only occasionally.

That's true, I never really asked them to order them, I just kind of casually asked if there would be any in the next shipment. I'll see what they can do, I'd really like some for my 30g..

They get too big and boisterous for a 30gallon tank to be honest, I have six in a 63 gallon and they whiz around all over the place, and they're not even fully grown yet!

Edit: ignore me! Thought you were talking about loaches. Otos on the other hand will be fine!

 

[JenJ]

They get too big and boisterous for a 30gallon tank to be honest, I have six in a 63 gallon and they whiz around all over the place, and they're not even fully grown yet!

Edit: ignore me! Thought you were talking about loaches. Otos on the other hand will be fine!

I think he was...
 
I agree, unless you have a very shallow 30G with a large footprint, I wouldn't advise the loaches. They should be in a group of minimum 6, and I can't see that a 30G would be big enough. 
 
For example mine is a 240l (about 65G?) and the bottom measures 4 ft x 18 inches
 
Simple answer is...you'll just have to get (another) bigger tank

 

[meggofishy]

My oto loves to chill on the gravel and munch on the algae and things growing on it. It doesn't bother him one bit. like others have said they usually chill on the plants and ornaments.