6.5 Gallon Tank

[dalethewhale]

I was just looking for a little guidance here, i've never had a tropical aquarium before but some of my brother's zebra danio recently bred and so he gave me 7 zebra danio fry. I quickly set up a tank from an old one i used as a gecko vivarium and i now have 7 small zebra danio (about 1cm long) and i've introduced 4 red cherry shrimps. I've read zebra danio need alot of space as they are fast moving, is my tank overstocked as it is? i was wanting to add a few neon tetra but i'm worried this would then be overstocked and i would need a larger tank, especially as they grow bigger. Any advice would be great

(i have two live plants and a moss ball, i feed the fish twice a day with crushed flakes and sometimes brine shrimp)

 

[KittyKat]

Adult zebra danios need a 3+ ft tank, young ones should be fine in a 2ft until they are about 2-2.5 cm long.

 

[dalethewhale]

Adult zebra danios need a 3+ ft tank, young ones should be fine in a 2ft until they are about 2-2.5 cm long.

Ok thanks, i can just fit a 3ft tank in the space i have, is that big enough for 7 zebra danio?

 

[micko]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Danios are fast moving and go around the vast majority of any tank quite quickly. Are you wanting to get another tank once the danios are bigger or not? Personally I'd wouldn't be adding anymore to your tank.

 

[dalethewhale]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Danios are fast moving and go around the vast majority of any tank quite quickly. Are you wanting to get another tank once the danios are bigger or not? Personally I'd wouldn't be adding anymore to your tank.

I didn't want to get a larger tank, but i will if it's best for the fish! thanks, i definately wont add any more!

 

[KittyKat]

Adult zebra danios need a 3+ ft tank, young ones should be fine in a 2ft until they are about 2-2.5 cm long.

Ok thanks, i can just fit a 3ft tank in the space i have, is that big enough for 7 zebra danio?

Yes, a 36+ * 12-15 * 12-15 inch aquarium would be fine for 7 zebra danios and would in fact easily take 10-15+ adults, so if you can get hold of any more babies soon, they would fit well. You could also keep some other fish in there too.

Be careful with young fish and filters.

 

[nurglespuss]

Although i always agree a bigger tank is better, In the tank I set up in work (fully planted/well filtered 24x12x12) we've had 5 adult zebras in there for over a year with no problems (in fact they keep spawning). They are always zipping around, and have great colour, shape and appetite, lovely fish. I thinks sometimes its also the decor in the tank that can 'create space' and not just the size of the tank. We also have 5 glow light danios and a pearl gourami in there, the gourami is 'my' fish, he's a male and boy are his colours splended!

 

[KittyKat]

Although i always agree a bigger tank is better, In the tank I set up in work (fully planted/well filtered 24x12x12) we've had 5 adult zebras in there for over a year with no problems (in fact they keep spawning). They are always zipping around, and have great colour, shape and appetite, lovely fish. I thinks sometimes its also the decor in the tank that can 'create space' and not just the size of the tank. We also have 5 glow light danios and a pearl gourami in there, the gourami is 'my' fish, he's a male and boy are his colours splended!

What you do is not something I could never bring myself to do to the fish you have.. but it would be interesting to know what size the fish were when you bought them, how old they are and what size are they now?

 

[nurglespuss]

[/quote]
What you do is not something I could never bring myself to do to the fish you have.. but it would be interesting to know what size the fish were when you bought them, how old they are and what size are they now?
[/quote]

They were 1cm when we bought them and are now between 2-2.5 cm, as there have been no negative effects (they 'have' to be healthy to be breeding/irridescent/feeding so well etc.) I honestly see nothing wrong with it. this 3 foot tank for danios is something that has sprung out fairly recently, they used to be a classic 24 inch tank fish.

So, to close, fish happy/healthy/active, no defects, not a single illness since the tank has been running, good mainatainance schedule is key I think.

 

[KittyKat]

What you do is not something I could never bring myself to do to the fish you have.. but it would be interesting to know what size the fish were when you bought them, how old they are and what size are they now?

They were 1cm when we bought them and are now between 2-2.5 cm, as there have been no negative effects (they 'have' to be healthy to be breeding/irridescent/feeding so well etc.) I honestly see nothing wrong with it. this 3 foot tank for danios is something that has sprung out fairly recently, they used to be a classic 24 inch tank fish.

So, to close, fish happy/healthy/active, no defects, not a single illness since the tank has been running, good mainatainance schedule is key I think.

..they should have been close to 5cm by now. If any problems will arise, it will happen in 3-5+ years.

So, you have caused your fish to not have enough growing space and you see nothing wrong with it? This is reminding me of the lotus foot phenomenon.

 

[nurglespuss]

Hmmm... I was giving the fish length (i.e. head to caudal peduncle) so they are about right for their age...

The fish have got enough growing space, its a myth that having less space directlys cuases deformities, if well filtered/cared for in a good environment with plenty of stimulation, there should be no problems (and thats from both a scientific and behavioural perspective).

Fish grow according to food supply, temperature, breeding etc. - reminds me of the myth of 'fish only growing to their enviornment'.

Overcrowding can cause issues, especially with fry growth.

Basically the fiosh are fine, healthy and of the right size. takes about 2.5-3 years for them to reach maximum 5 cm size. Plus, seeing as they come from anything from rice paddies through to stagnent puddles, I think they are doing fine (also, if you run a quick search, I've already forund 5 reputable sites that say 24 inch aquarium - just as a BTW).

 

[dalethewhale]

Hmmm... I was giving the fish length (i.e. head to caudal peduncle) so they are about right for their age...

The fish have got enough growing space, its a myth that having less space directlys cuases deformities, if well filtered/cared for in a good environment with plenty of stimulation, there should be no problems (and thats from both a scientific and behavioural perspective).

Fish grow according to food supply, temperature, breeding etc. - reminds me of the myth of 'fish only growing to their enviornment'.

Overcrowding can cause issues, especially with fry growth.

Basically the fiosh are fine, healthy and of the right size. takes about 2.5-3 years for them to reach maximum 5 cm size. Plus, seeing as they come from anything from rice paddies through to stagnent puddles, I think they are doing fine (also, if you run a quick search, I've already forund 5 reputable sites that say 24 inch aquarium - just as a BTW).

Thanks for all the help, I think i'm going to keep with the tank for now, once they reach 2.5cm i'll use my own judgement and if they look unhappy or there doesn't seem to be enough space etc. I'll buy a larger tank.... for now this tank seems more than enough. thank you