How Heavily Stocked Is My Tank?

[Mola Mola]

Hi,
I currently have an 80 litre tank, which has 5 black mollies and 8 platies.

I am just wondering how heavily stocked I am. The guy in my lsf suggested that, with those fish, it is about 50% stocked. Is that about right?

I intend to add more fish quite slowly (perhaps only 1 a week), but it would be helpful to know how stocked the tank is now.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Tizer]

I would say you are pretty close to the limit, if its 80 litres, you gotta take away the substrate, the filter, the heater, the decorations the plants and you will probably be on 70 litres, perhaps less.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I am just wondering how heavily stocked I am. The guy in my lsf suggested that, with those fish, it is about 50% stocked. Is that about right?

....it's about right for him as he can sell you more fish.

As Tizer states, you're about full right now.

 

[Mola Mola]

I would say you are pretty close to the limit, if its 80 litres, you gotta take away the substrate, the filter, the heater, the decorations the plants and you will probably be on 70 litres, perhaps less.

Thanks Tizer, that's disappointing.

When I was initially looking at the platies and mollies and speaking to the guy in the shop, he suggested that I start off with just 7-8 fish. I said that I wanted to 50% the tank, but he said that 50% would be too much to start with because, even though I'd done a fishless cycle, there wouldn't be enough bacteria.

So, he suggested that I look to stock it to 25%, and that 7-8 platies/mollies would do that (suggesting that the load from a platy is about the same as that from a molly). Having read these forums I said that I was happy to stock about 50%, which is why I ended up with the 6 mollies and 8 platies.

I had hoped to add a few different fish, maybe a dalmation molly and a few tetras when the tank is a bit more mature, and maybe a few others.

If the tank is nearly 100% stocked I guess I will have to drop those ideas.

Thanks again.

....it's about right for him as he can sell you more fish.

As Tizer states, you're about full right now.

Thanks Zoddy.

I think that I did have a feeling that the 50% figure was not quite right, which I guess is why I asked in the first place.

Shame

 

[micko]

Do you also have the crab in this tank?

 

[Tizer]

Trouble with tetras is that they are schooling fish, to be fair on them you would need to get 6 minimum. You could perhaps look at a small school (6-8) of Corydoras Habrosus but i would only recommend those if you have a sand substrate. (I cant remember what you have). They will stay on the substrate of the aquarium 99% of the time and fill that empty space.

 

[Mola Mola]

Do you also have the crab in this tank?

Yes, I do. Although I plan to get rid of it. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[Tizer]

Do you also have the crab in this tank?

Yes, I so. Although I plan to get rid of it. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Dont put any corys in with that crab there then. It will chop them in half if they get close. I assumed it had been returned.

 

[Mola Mola]

Trouble with tetras is that they are schooling fish, to be fair on them you would need to get 6 minimum. You could perhaps look at a small school (6-8) of Corydoras Habrosus but i would only recommend those if you have a sand substrate. (I cant remember what you have). They will stay on the substrate of the aquarium 99% of the time and fill that empty space.

I have gravel substrate at the moment. I'm probably moving house in about 5 months or so. I suppose that I could change the substrate when I have to re-locate the tank.

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely have a look at those fish, and maybe consider it when I move.

Much appreciated.

 

[Mola Mola]

Dont put any corys in with that crab there then. It will chop them in half if they get close. I assumed it had been returned.

OK, thanks. I didn't mention it, just because I plan to return it.

It does seem to be living peacefully with the current fish but, as you guys have previously advised, it doesn't seem to be a good idea to have it.

I have trouble feeding it anyway. I think they are night time scavengers, and it hardly moves during the day. If I drop in crab pellets, the other fish won't leave them alone. They can't swallow them initially, but probably can when they start to breakdown.

I have resorted to putting the crab pellets in at night, in the hope that the crab will have a better chance of getting them.

BTW, the second crab was dead when I returned from my two day trip.

 

[HayzH]

I have a 71L tank and the lovely sales person at PAH said i could have up to 15 mollie sized fish??

 

[fluttermoth]

I think people are massively underestimating the size of an adult molly; they don't grow to a similar size as a platy; they get to around four inches in length, as opposed to 2, 2 1/2 for a platy.

 

[Tizer]

I have a 71L tank and the lovely sales person at PAH said i could have up to 15 mollie sized fish??

Well, i've never owned them but i believe they can grow up to 5 inches and females even bigger so i would say you have been misinformed.

 

[HayzH]

I have a 71L tank and the lovely sales person at PAH said i could have up to 15 mollie sized fish??

Well, i've never owned them but i believe they can grow up to 5 inches and females even bigger so i would say you have been misinformed.

yes so do i...
i was thinking of platties, maybe 4, 6 neon tetra and a bottom feeder...does that sound right? How big to fighting fish grow?

 

[Louiseness]

yes so do i...
i was thinking of platties, maybe 4, 6 neon tetra and a bottom feeder...does that sound right? How big to fighting fish grow?

Sounds good as long as your 'bottom feeder' (I take it you mean some sort of plec) is an appropriate sized species.

Bettas get to about 2 inches adult size, ish. Although there are 'giant' bettas too.