Am I Over Stocked?

[Kellie]

Hi there! Im just curious to what other people think,...I personally think my tank has recieved the capicaty but my friend thinks I could do 4x my amount and be fine. Comments are apperciated!!

20 Gallon:
2 Mollies
5 Mollie Fry (4 of them are about an inch) <--planning to give for adoption soon
2 corys
2 mickeymouse platys
3 danios
3 rasboras
1 pleco

Thanks so much!!

 

[stang1]

Danios and Rasboras prefer to be kept in groups of at least 5+. Cories prefer to be kept in groups of at least 3.
Also, what sort of Pleco have you got?
I'm not very clued up on Mollies and Platys so don't know what their adult size will be.
I would say that you have pretty much reached your stocking limit though. Even though they all probably look tiny now, once they've grown your tank will start to look a little more filled out.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I agree with Stang that this sounds stocked already (and you may need to think of contingency plans for your pleco, depending on species). Ideally, you should add a couple of rasboras and danios, but not really on top of what you have. I I were you, I would probably see about rehoming the plec and upping the number of danios.

Your friend is probably thinking of the sort of stocking levels you see in shops- point out to him/her that these fish are in transit- it's like seeing a pony in a horse-box or a market compound, compared to the stabling and pasture facilities you will have to provide when you buy it and take it home. Also that shops have massive filtration systems and you don't. Also that most fish in the shop are juveniles and will need more space as they grow up in your tank. Also that you want to see natural behaviour, which you won't if you cram them in too tightly together.

 

[roseykat5]

i agree .. you are fully stocked and will be over stocked if u dont have a extra tank to put them frys in as the mollys and platy tend to have babies alot mthly from what i heard and some will say the mollys like to be in brackish water so that too into considerations and the 2 groups u have of 3 should be more than 6 or so but u dont have room for more and if u have common plec u need to bring him back or re home him as they do quicky grow but will be stunted which is cruel to do just casue u cant get a bigger tank ... which is why i started with a 90 gal tank as i started with 10 gal and felt bad so i use the 10 for quartine and keep the tetras in there to keep it cycled and i also got 2 fry and also for breeding tank as well

 

[cheesy feet]

The pleco is what is taking up the stocking space .Take it out, it is probably to big already.The you can raise the numbers in your shoals

 

[Kellie]

Thank you so much for your comments! Well my pleco right now is only 2 inches. Im getting a much bigger tank (150gallon) in a few months when I move so thats why Im not to worried about him. Thanks so much for you comments! My current fry (5 of them) im finding a new home for them just waiting till they get tad but bigger Thanks guys

 

[kniesh]

If the fry are going and you are, as you say ddefinately getting a bigger tank in a few months I would add about 5 Rsboras and about 3 Corries. This should be fine until you get the bigger tank. You should always count your stock as adult size when accounting for stocking levels, however if it is just a holding tank for a few months I think it's feesable to use 'current size' for the count. The others are correct about it being fully stocked if you plan on keeping them in there but there are options if they are being moved to the larger tank.

 

[Amunet]

i agree .. you are fully stocked and will be over stocked if u dont have a extra tank to put them frys in as the mollys and platy tend to have babies alot mthly from what i heard and some will say the mollys like to be in brackish water so that too into considerations and the 2 groups u have of 3 should be more than 6 or so but u dont have room for more and if u have common plec u need to bring him back or re home him as they do quicky grow but will be stunted which is cruel to do just casue u cant get a bigger tank ... which is why i started with a 90 gal tank as i started with 10 gal and felt bad so i use the 10 for quartine and keep the tetras in there to keep it cycled and i also got 2 fry and also for breeding tank as well

Offtopic...

Longest runon sentence EVER! hehe

I heard mollies can get pretty large, from anywhere to 3-5 inches. I've never owned any, but I'm pretty sure I have read that heh.
I would actually wait to get more fish until you get your large tank.I've had 3 danios for a while now (1 died) and they were totally fine with eachother until we got some more.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup your right, some mollies can get really quite big. like the sailfin's may get up to 5" but something like the balloon mollies will stay much smaller around 2/3" so it depends what sort they are as much as anything.