Fully Stocked?

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
šŸ¶ POTM Poll is Open! šŸ¦Ž Click here to Vote! šŸ°

Guppylover3x

Fish Addict
Tank of the Month šŸ†
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
717
Reaction score
141
Location
UK
According to aqua advisor my tanks fully stocked.

In fact, itā€™s 101% stocked Iā€™m curious if other members would agree with this or not.

My tanks 10g and itā€™s got 5 male guppies in it at the moment.

If this is true Iā€™d rather not add anymore in during the future.

Thank you!
 
There's no hard and fast rule about stocking levels. It comes down to the fish being kept, water changes, feeding schedules and tank size. All of these factors have an impact on how many fish can live in a tank.

If you have a well filtered tank that is 2 foot long x 2 foot wide x 6 inches high, it holds about 50 litres and you could keep 30-40 male guppies in it if you do regular water changes. Change the shape of the tank to 2 foot long x 1ft wide x 1 ft high and you get the same volume of water but you would only keep 10-15 male guppies in it, with regular water changes.

-------------
If you have lots of hiding places (plants for guppies) and there are no females to fight over, then you can hold more fish compared to tanks with fewer hiding places.

If you have males and females in the tank, then they need a bit more space due to territorial disputes over prospective partners.

If the fish are peaceful schooling fish, then you can keep more together. If the fish are highly territorial species, then you have fewer fish in the tank. The schooling fish don't mind having lots of tank mates around them but territorial species will not tolerate having others getting in their face all the time.

-------------
If you feed the fish 5 times a day and do a 20% water change once a week, you would reduce the number of fish in the tank. If you feed the fish less often (1-2 times per day) and do a 75% water change once a week, then you can have a few more fish in the tank. If you feed the fish 5 times a day and did a 75% water change every day you could hold lots of fish in the tank.

More food going in means more nutrients and waste products, and you have to do more water changes and gravel cleans to compensate.

-------------
I'm not sure on your tank's dimensions, but if it's 18-24 inches long x 10-12 inches wide/ high, and you have 5 male guppies and are feeding them a couple of times a day, and you do a 50-75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week, and the tank is well filtered and has some plants in, then it's probably not overstocked and you could add some other fish. However, if you have a group of 5 male guppies and they coexist happily, do not add any more guppies to the tank because you will upset the pecking order. If you want more things in the tank, add snails, shrimp or some bottom dwelling fish that won't compete for space with the guppies.

Make sure you quarantine any new fish for at least 2 weeks before adding them to the tank.
 
There's no hard and fast rule about stocking levels. It comes down to the fish being kept, water changes, feeding schedules and tank size. All of these factors have an impact on how many fish can live in a tank.

If you have a well filtered tank that is 2 foot long x 2 foot wide x 6 inches high, it holds about 50 litres and you could keep 30-40 male guppies in it if you do regular water changes. Change the shape of the tank to 2 foot long x 1ft wide x 1 ft high and you get the same volume of water but you would only keep 10-15 male guppies in it, with regular water changes.

-------------
If you have lots of hiding places (plants for guppies) and there are no females to fight over, then you can hold more fish compared to tanks with fewer hiding places.

If you have males and females in the tank, then they need a bit more space due to territorial disputes over prospective partners.

If the fish are peaceful schooling fish, then you can keep more together. If the fish are highly territorial species, then you have fewer fish in the tank. The schooling fish don't mind having lots of tank mates around them but territorial species will not tolerate having others getting in their face all the time.

-------------
If you feed the fish 5 times a day and do a 20% water change once a week, you would reduce the number of fish in the tank. If you feed the fish less often (1-2 times per day) and do a 75% water change once a week, then you can have a few more fish in the tank. If you feed the fish 5 times a day and did a 75% water change every day you could hold lots of fish in the tank.

More food going in means more nutrients and waste products, and you have to do more water changes and gravel cleans to compensate.

-------------
I'm not sure on your tank's dimensions, but if it's 18-24 inches long x 10-12 inches wide/ high, and you have 5 male guppies and are feeding them a couple of times a day, and you do a 50-75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week, and the tank is well filtered and has some plants in, then it's probably not overstocked and you could add some other fish. However, if you have a group of 5 male guppies and they coexist happily, do not add any more guppies to the tank because you will upset the pecking order. If you want more things in the tank, add snails, shrimp or some bottom dwelling fish that won't compete for space with the guppies.

Make sure you quarantine any new fish for at least 2 weeks before adding them to the tank.
Thank you for the information Colin. This makes perfect sense.

My tank dimensions are - 51.3 x 26 x 32.8cm (L x W x H)

Dimensions in inches are - 20 x 10 x 12.5ā€ (L x W x H)

The fish get fed no more than once a day, and I carry out 50/75% weekly water changes. Sometimes Iā€™ll add in an extra water change if my nitrates creep anything above 10.

I use a Fluval U1 filter, Iā€™m not sure how it would rated in terms of being good or not buts itā€™s powerful.

Thanks for the help.
 
Last edited:
The fish get fed no more than once a day, and I carry out 50/75% weekly water changes. Sometimes Iā€™ll add in an extra water change if my nitrites creep anything above 10.
I assume you meant if your nitrates creep up. :)

-----------------------
If the filter does not clog up during the course of a month, then it is big enough for the fish and tank. If the filter blocks up in a week, then you need a bigger filter.

If the filter keeps ammonia and nitrite levels at 0, then it is doing its job and is fine for the number of fish and feeding regime, assuming it isn't clogging up all the time.
 
I assume you meant if your nitrates creep up. :)

-----------------------
If the filter does not clog up during the course of a month, then it is big enough for the fish and tank. If the filter blocks up in a week, then you need a bigger filter.

If the filter keeps ammonia and nitrite levels at 0, then it is doing its job and is fine for the number of fish and feeding regime, assuming it isn't clogging up all the time.
You are correct, I have edited my last post. Itā€™s past my bedtime I think!

It doesnā€™t seem to clog up at all from what Iā€™ve seen. Nitrites and ammonia always stay at 0 too.
 
Following on from your previous post, my male guppies are always chasing each other,

Iā€™m not sure they have a pecking order or not, or if they just like to wind each other up.
 
Your filter sounds suitable for your set up :)

The guppies do form a pecking order and chasing is how the bigger ones put the smaller ones in their place. They basically bully them into submission.
 
A wise old aquarist told me to look at your tank. If there is an area with no fish in it then you have room for more. Of course that is with adequate filtration. Good luck!
 
Thanks guys! I may squeeze in an extra one in the future at some point.

There seems to be empty spaces sometimes, more so when all my fish bunch together.

Your help is appreciated :)
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Back
Top