Inch/gallon Guideline

[modernhamlet]

I'm just curious how often people follow the 1" per gallon guideline and how that relates to their experience level. Please answer honestly.

 

[rdd1952]

I fudged and said I am an intermediate fishkeeper although I have been in the hobby for less than a year. I am under 1" per gallon on my 75 gallon and slightly over on the 29 gallon. I think following the guideline makes things a lot easier and would prevent a lot of the problems people have.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Mind you, it is a bit difficult to calculate inches in the fry tank... But I am fairly sure I am not overstocked...yet.
To me, the 1 inch rule is useful as one of a long series of rules, the first to be ticked off on the list as it were rather than THE one and only. I am particularly careful these days as I feel uncomfortable at the thought of how ignorantly my first tanks were set up. I would have been grateful then for any rule; it was all very haphazard.

 

[Annastasia]

I guess I would be advanced...I've been keeping fish for 7+ years, so I don't know if that's intermediate or advanced in your opinion. Or if time even matters...

All my tanks are currently understocked, mostly because I am having trouble finding decent fish right now. So I voted under 1", since that's where I currently am. If I had the choice of healthier fish, I would probably go slightly over the inch per gallon rule. I believe you can bend the inch per gallon rule, depending on the fish, your filtration, your water change schedule, etc.

One thing that bugs me about the inch per gallon rule, is you are basically saying you could put a 5" fish in a 5 gallon tank. Obviously that fish is not going to be too thrilled about that. I think it's a good guideline for Beginners (Or other fish keepers) though. It shouldn't be the ONE hard and fast rule you stock your tank on, as you need to take other things in to consideration. But it's a good guideline.

Edit: Nevermind, I guess I'm intermediate.

 

[modernhamlet]

To me, the 1 inch rule is useful as one of a long series of rules, the first to be ticked off on the list as it were rather than THE one and only. I am particularly careful these days as I feel uncomfortable at the thought of how ignorantly my first tanks were set up. I would have been grateful then for any rule; it was all very haphazard.

Oh definitely. I'm not making any judgement on the guideline itself. But since it is the most commonly seen suggestion given to beginners for stocking, I'm curious how many beginners are following it and what stocking levels more experienced fishkeepers consider safe for themselves.

I guess I would be advanced...I've been keeping fish for 7+ years, so I don't know if that's intermediate or advanced in your opinion.

It's a personal decision of course, but I think it's a more than safe bet to call you advanced for the purposes of this poll! You're one of the most respected members here at TFF. Thanks for all the good advice you give...

 

[Fella]

I have a US 15 gallon tank and if I round up the numbers, I still only have 9" of fish.

 

[Bloo]

I have to say that I don't think keeping fish for x number of years makes one an "advanced aquarist".
A friend of mine had a goldfish bowl for about 10 years, but by no means would I qualify her as an advanced aquarist

I've kept fish for 22 odd years but I'm not sure I qualify as "advanced" either. I only really know about the variety of fish I've kept myself. And of course what I've read over the years
I'd be tempted to reserve that title for people who have not only kept fish for 5+ years, but also perhaps worked in that field and have vast depth of experience.

Personally I'm not quite convinced about the 1" per gallon rule - and as some other's have mentioned, you can't keep a 5" fish in a 5 gallon tank (type ting). You also can't compare a 6" Kuhli loach with a 6" Bristlenose catfish ( in terms of waste produce). So I guess from that point of view I feel I have enough experience to judge what would and what wouldn't work in my own tank.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I put myself at beginner and over an inch per gallon. Umm, 15g works out about *calculates* with 4 khulis and 3 swordtails about 21'' all together? And in the 20, with 5 normal khulis, one black khuli, 2 cories and 8 danios, I'm waaay over. But since I need to get at least one more cory and two or so more black khulis, I'm probably putting two or so normal khulis in the 15. But if I manage to get another tank, obviously I'll spread out fish more.

 

[Jules H-T]

Are we talking fully grown fish inches, or current? I'm well under currently, but will end up with somewhere between 1 and 1.5 inches of fish in a few years.

Went with fully grown size, since that's what the one is generally supposed to consider. It might be worth mentioning that, particularly for a beginner who might be quite happy clicking under 1" when they have a stack of balas, clown loaches and BGKs in a 30G.

I optimistically awarded myself intermediate status, on the basis that I've not been here long enough for people to know any better...

 

[Bloo]

Are we talking fully grown fish inches, or current?

The inch per gallon rule (or guideline rather) is based on adult fully grown sized fish - not the current size of fish.

 

[modernhamlet]

Are we talking fully grown fish inches, or current?

The inch per gallon rule (or guideline rather) is based on adult fully grown sized fish - not the current size of fish.

Which is why the question reads: "What is the adult inch/gallon ratio of your main tank?"

 

[paulthegreat]

I put intermidiate and under. Right now I am way under on my 125gal and a good bit under on the 30gal but my growout tank is over by quite a bit. Before I got the 125 my 30 was closer to 2" per gallon ) , but I knew that I would be getting a bigger tank for the pleco, tetras and the loaches so I just did a bit more cleaning and water changes than I really wanted to(it was a good way to convince the Wife I needed the bigger tank ).

 

[Jules H-T]

Which is why the question reads: "What is the adult inch/gallon ratio of your main tank?"

Apologies, totally missed that bit!

 

[modernhamlet]

Apologies, totally missed that bit!

No problems at all!

The initial results are interesting and actually somewhat expected. The more experience people get, the more comfortable they are with denser stocking schemes...

 

[@ombomb]

Well mine are under at the moment, but some are full grown and others will take years to get to their full size. 1 - 1.5 in theory although I can't see my Killifish around in the 5 years or so it'll take the Gold Nugget to reach full size