Has Hubby Overstocked Our Tank?

[Mummy_Mandy]

Hi all,

This is my first post so please be kind!! Back in February we purchased a Juwel Vision 260 and since then have been having problems with cloudy water. I suspect my husband has overstocked the tank but would appreciate some advice. In the tank we have:
1 big plec (about 14" long)
2 spanner barbs
3 aquatic frogs
4 angel fish
1 small plec
3 catfish
1 small loach
7 cardinal tetras
20ish other tetras
9ish guppies
40ish mollies (some babies and some big ones)

I'm pretty certain upon looking at that list that there are too many fish. The mollies were given to us and just won't stop breeding. We got the angel fish to eat the babies but I am going crazy coz we have a lovely tank that looks awful as it's so cloudy.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mandy

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank.
It looks overstocked to me.

 

[RadaR]

About 57 gallons.
Ouch, overstocked big time. The filter that comes with the tank wont be able to break down all the fish waste that the fish are producing either, it's not big enough to cope. Hence, there must be some ammonia or nitrite readings.
Time to move some fish on I'm afraid.
In my opinion I would move on 30-35 of the Mollies. Remove the large Plec and the Angels.
For now, I would be doing 50% water changes twice a week.

 

[Macko1968]

I'm guessing it's @ 68 gallons, if that's the case, I'd say it's very overstocked.

 

[kizno1]

what are the 3 catfish?

 

[Mummy_Mandy]

About 57 gallons.
Ouch, overstocked big time. The filter that comes with the tank wont be able to break down all the fish waste that the fish are producing either, it's not big enough to cope. Hence, there must be some ammonia or nitrite readings.
Time to move some fish on I'm afraid.
In my opinion I would move on 30-35 of the Mollies. Remove the large Plec and the Angels.
For now, I would be doing 50% water changes twice a week.

Funnily enough, our nitrites and ammonia are zero. Nitrate is about 80 but we've been told that is to be expected in this area because of the water. I wish teh fish shop hadn't let us buy so many fish

 

[england]

hmm seem's very overstocked, would go with what radar suggested
secondly i would not shop again at the fish shop in question

 

[WILDER]

Test your tap water in nitrate.
As no way should tap water in nitrate be 80.

 

[craig855s]

I'd Move 90% of the mollies on and the big plec asap,test ur water for nitrates.if ur tap water is 80 then theres not much u can do but if ur tapwater is low (like mine is 8) then u need more regular water changes.

 

[Mummy_Mandy]

Test your tap water in nitrate.
As no way should tap water in nitrate be 80.

Just tested the water and nitrates are actually about 20. (oops!!) Everything else is fine.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like a test strip card as liquid test kits take about half an hour for an accurate reading.
I would buy some liquid test kits there more accurate.

 

[Truck]

you should be keeping them below 40 then, 50% water changes every 3 days are the way to go

 

[-SPB-]

If your tapwater is 80ppm, then it may be wise to get onto your water company, the legal limit for tap water (iirc) is 50ppm.

 

[OldMan47]

Try to change enough water often enough to get your nitrates under 40 ppm and you will be fine Mandy. If that takes frequent large water changes you are overstocked. If you can maintain good water with a weekly 50% change then you may be heavily stocked but the levels are manageable. Do not add to your stocking until something comes out of the tank first. You certainly don't want to add to that tank. I have a fry growing tank about that size with that many small fish in it but its sole purpose is to get the fish big enough to move them on to someone else. It stays fairly full because I do save some of my fry to be able to pass them along to other people.

 

[Mummy_Mandy]

Try to change enough water often enough to get your nitrates under 40 ppm and you will be fine Mandy. If that takes frequent large water changes you are overstocked. If you can maintain good water with a weekly 50% change then you may be heavily stocked but the levels are manageable. Do not add to your stocking until something comes out of the tank first. You certainly don't want to add to that tank. I have a fry growing tank about that size with that many small fish in it but its sole purpose is to get the fish big enough to move them on to someone else. It stays fairly full because I do save some of my fry to be able to pass them along to other people.

Thank you for your advice. We took as many mollies out as we could (the little ones are very difficult to catch as they keep hiding!!) and will keep taking the mollies out (not all gifts are good gifts!!). Trouble is, hubby loves fish too much. I'd happily lose lots of the smaller ones but he 'likes' them all (quote from him!).

I will take everyones advice and see what I can do...