Inch/gallon Guideline

[moeldner]

I consider myself an advanced beginner. I've learnt a lot in the last few months, all of which I put into practice.

Anyway, on the inch/gallon thing. Currently I'm stocked well under at 31 inches in a 57 G, but my stocking plans will put me at about 1-1.5 inches/gallon (which is what i selected).

I have taken into account though the prefered area of the tank for the fish, and bent the rules a bit for the smaller fish like my cardinals. In the end, counting all my "future stock", i'll be very close to 1.5 inches / Gallon.

 

[*Sonic*]

when you say gallons, do you mean uk gallons or us gallons

my tank is approx 40 UK Gallons, and I currently have around 18 inches of fish in there, possibly 20 inches max, with the fish at their current size

I dont plan on adding any more for a long time, if at all, in that tank anyway, except maybe my two Polka Dot loaches from my other tank

I thought one of the key indicators for fish stocking, was not just the 1" per gallon rule, but the actual surface area of the tank

a 50G tank that is only 12" wide, or deep wont house big fish

I am a beginner, although I have kept a Blue Channel Catfish for 13 years (sadly died recently, I assume of old age) and a Pond with some Shubunkins, Koi & Golden Orfe for the last 3 years

My dad however has been keeping fish for probably around 40 years, mostly marine, and he sort of knows his stuff, although has lost interest these days (I think mainly since the last of his marine fish died)

and he currently has a 90 UK Gallon tank with a 2 rosy barbs and 2 red eye tetras, and sadly doesnt even have any interest anymore to get any additonal fish

edited to add that although I am a beginner in the tropical sense, I have learned a lot from this forum over the last few weeks

Steve

 

[Inchworm]

Before I answer the question, I want to compliment you on making such a well thought out poll, modernhamlet. Perhaps we will learn something from it.

I actually had to look at the two 55 gallon cory communities that I consider my "main" tanks and count noses. To my surprise, one of them might have a little less than and inch of fish per gallon and the other goes a bit over that because it also houses a few gouramis.

Normally I would stock heavier, but I have been having an ongoing struggle against nitrates lately, and since my tap water has more than I like to begin with, I have no choice but to keep them lightly stocked and the rest of my fish spread out in smaller tanks.

 

[Durbkat]

I don't use it as a rule but more as a guideline like I just go by how big it gets and how much space I'll have in the tank once it is fully grown.

 

[Synirr]

It depends on which tank we're talking about with me. I've got some that are way over 1" per gallon, and some that are way under
I don't pay attention to the 1" guideline at all when stocking my tanks and just sorta eyeball it, but I think one needs a good deal of experience to be able to do that safely.

 

[Ethos]

I put myself down as an intermediate, and I bet some of you differ. I think i do pretty well, and in my 10G I am under currently, but over when the fish grow, but then again I'm getting rid of some of the 7 fish in that tank (7 1/2-3/4 inch white clouds)
My 55g is pretty well ok, but everything is still in the early juvi stages.

Aproximately in my 10G I have 12 inches, and in my 55G I have about 20 or 30.

Its hard to know where to draw the line between Begginer, intermiediate, and advanced. To some people I'd be advanced, but to to others' I'd be begginer.
Like I said, its hard to place yourself.
I feel like I do decently, although I still buy on impuls no and then....

 

[Griz]

Excellent poll, should be interesting.

I answered Intermediate, between 1" and 1.5". Right now I'm under 1" but will end up just over when the fish are all fully grown.

Even though it seems I'm inadvertently following it ...
I can't stand this "inch per gallon" rule. How can something that is only right half the time be considered a rule. Sure, I think all of us here know this, but think about who this so-called rule is directed towards. The total rookie right? Well these are the people who don't know that the rule isn't a rule. Anytime you mention this rule, you must immediately start putting conditions on it and listing exceptions. Let's just call it the inch per gallon "myth" instead, that way we all know what we are talking about.

 

[qwikimpss]

Well, I voted as intermediate between 1"-1.5". Benn keeping fish for...oh, 15 years, does that make me advanced? I don't think so, I don't keep anything "cool". I will try my hand at discus VERY soon tho.

 

[modernhamlet]

Even though it seems I'm inadvertently following it ...
I can't stand this "inch per gallon" rule. How can something that is only right half the time be considered a rule. Sure, I think all of us here know this, but think about who this so-called rule is directed towards. The total rookie right? Well these are the people who don't know that the rule isn't a rule. Anytime you mention this rule, you must immediately start putting conditions on it and listing exceptions. Let's just call it the inch per gallon "myth" instead, that way we all know what we are talking about.

That's why I like the word "guideline" instead of "rule".

Honestly, if I had my way every newbie to the hobby would be well educated and use more sophisticated means of assessing their stocking plans. Obviously the inch:gallon guideline is just one of many, many factors that people should be taking into account. But the reality is that people want simple and easy. That's what the inch/gallon guideline gives them. The price you pay for that simplicity is that it must be more restrictive than absolutely necessary.

Once you're advanced enough to take into account and integrate other factors into your stocking schemes, such simplified guidelines become progressively less important. This is the reason I think the poll plays out the way it does, with beginners sticking to <1"/gallon, intermediates tending toward 1-1.5" and only advanced keepers going above 1.5" with regularity.

I like the way Synirr put it:

I don't pay attention to the 1" guideline at all when stocking my tanks and just sorta eyeball it, but I think one needs a good deal of experience to be able to do that safely.

THAT, Griz, is why such an inaccurate "rule" can actually be an effective and useful guideline.

 

[Griz]

Guideline is a much better term. I suppose it's the use of the word rule that I have a problem with. This is a good example of how little bit of knowledge can be a dangeraous thing. Knowing the rule and not the exceptions can, and does lead to all sorts of trouble. That said, the explanation of why the rule doesn't work is an excellent opportunity to educate and I'm all for that.

 

[Ethos]

Think of how many exceptions there is to that rule. Like goldfish, for instance.
We live in such a modorn time, we should have a much more acurate way to desipher it.

 

[modernhamlet]

Think of how many exceptions there is to that rule. Like goldfish, for instance.
We live in such a modorn time, we should have a much more acurate way to desipher it.

There are plenty of people with ideas about proper stocking, but in the end it's up to the beginner to find and listen to the plentiful advice that's available to them. As hard as it is to believe, it's completely possible to get into fishkeeping without making all of the newbie mistakes we talk about so much.

For those beginners (or indeed more advanced fishkeepers) interested in a more comprehensive approach to stocking, here's a decent one I found awhile back:

http/tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/beginn...ng_guide_fw.php

It's not perfect either, but with all of the different opinions out there, perfect isn't really what we're going for.

Thanks everyone for contributing your opinions.

 

[andywg]

Well, most of my tanks are between 1 and 1.5, except those with sumps as I feel the added water, filter media and surface area & surface agitation allow a heavier stocking.

 

[houndour]

My tank has over 1.5" per gallon. I was spot on with the inch per gallon guideline for 6 months but now I feel my tank is mature enough and I have a strict regime to handle the extra fish (well actually the regime is for the plants but it works for the fish too ) ) . I went over when I added 9 cardinals, but I'm thinking along the lines of what bloozoo said that one fish cant always be compared with another.

 

[Dwarfs]

I'm an advanced fish keeper and most of my tanks are "overstocked" according to the inch per gallon rule. I have a lot of plants, over filtration, and a good handle on all of my tanks with a lot of fish though, if I didn't know what I was doing I wouldn't have very lively fish