Am I Overstocked?

[bigdave2009]

12 harlequin rasboras
4 bumblebee gobys
4 panda corys
2 chinese algae eaters
2 khuli loaches
1 powder blue dwarf gourami
1 bristlenose pleco
1 amano shrimp
2 algae eating shrimp
2 crystal red shrimp
1 bumblebee shrimp


and i still want to add more....i do weekly water changes and i have a decent filter which is rated for a 75 gallon i believe.
i still want to add 2 blue rams, 2 more khuli loaches, more shrimp, another pleco and maybe like 6 rummy nose? (Think i can do this)


let me know friends.

dave

 

[LolaLouie]

I think you have to judge for yourself. If you water parameters are all good and your fish have pleanty of room to swim and all fish have their necessary territories then you're fine. You have to see how the tank looks. If it looks over crowded or any fish look like they dont have enough swimming room or you start not being able to control nitrates then you're overstocked!

 

[Mikaila31]

If you are able to keep the water quality good, I don't see why you can't. Most of your fish produce very little waste except for the plecos.

 

[SJ2K]

Incase you didnt know, bumble bee gobies are really a brackish species

 

[bigdave2009]

Incase you didnt know, bumble bee gobies are really a brackish species

i know i read that after i bought them. but i guess there are also like 2 different kinds, one is banded (which is more fresh) and one is striped with black and yellow that intertwine, but over all they do best in brackish. after i read this online, i asked the guy about it at the lfs. he said they will do fine in fw, that is what he sold them in. also, he said they live in a very light brackish water. so what do you think?

 

[rdd1952]

What size tank is it? I see the 55 gallon in your signature but it doesn't look like that is the one as the fish don't match. One potential problem I do see, regardless of tank size is the 2 CAEs. They will eventually be a problem for the gouramis and possibly the corys and kuhlies.

 

[SJ2K]

I think you'll be fine your situation isnt too uncommon and alot of light brackish fish can adapt to water conditions they were raised in, just dont expect it to live quite as long as it could do

 

[bigdave2009]

What size tank is it? I see the 55 gallon in your signature but it doesn't look like that is the one as the fish don't match. One potential problem I do see, regardless of tank size is the 2 CAEs. They will eventually be a problem for the gouramis and possibly the corys and kuhlies.

it is 55 gallons, been a while since i updated my signature. why will the 2 CAEs be a problem for the corys and kuhlies and gouramis later on? have to do with their size?

 

[cheesy feet]

They suck fishes eyes out and eat their slime coating.

 

[rdd1952]

CAEs get very aggressive as they get older and will begin to start attacking fish in an effort to suck the slime coat off them. Slow moving, flat-bodied fish like gouramis are especially at risk. They have also been know to suck the eyes out of corys and would assume the kuhlies could fall victim to that too.

As for the stocking, I'd say the number of fish was fine for 55 gallons as long as you're stats are good and you are doing weekly WCs. The only problem I could see with the other fish you want to add would be with the blue rams. If you get a male/female pair and they spawn, they could get aggressive especially towards the other bottom dwellers that happen near their terrtory.

 

[Mikaila31]

Yep, they get aggressive as they get older.

 

[bigdave2009]

CAEs get very aggressive as they get older and will begin to start attacking fish in an effort to suck the slime coat off them. Slow moving, flat-bodied fish like gouramis are especially at risk. They have also been know to suck the eyes out of corys and would assume the kuhlies could fall victim to that too.

As for the stocking, I'd say the number of fish was fine for 55 gallons as long as you're stats are good and you are doing weekly WCs. The only problem I could see with the other fish you want to add would be with the blue rams. If you get a male/female pair and they spawn, they could get aggressive especially towards the other bottom dwellers that happen near their terrtory.

so what age would be ideal to get rid of the CAEs because my lfs will take them back iam sure. plus, i am not willing to loose 10 fish for 2 SAEs. the only reason i put them in my tank is to clean up some algae!

 

[QuotheRaven]

In my opinion I would get rid of them now, they aren't very proficient algae eaters and only eat algae when young, you would get more algae eaten by the bristlenose each day than by the 2 CAE's

 

[rdd1952]

I agree that you should get rid of them as soon as possible. They can grow to 6" so returning them after they get large may be harder.