Is My Tank Overcrowded?

[scooterchick]

Hi - I started keeping tropical fish about 5 months and have become addicted!! Started out with one 4 foot tank, now have another 4 foot tank and a 2 foot tank. The plan is to get rid of one of the 4 foot tanks and disperse the fish between the remaining 4 and 2 foot tanks. First contents:

Tank 1 (4 foot)
1 Angel fish
1 Pleco approx 7"
4 Golden barbs
6 Mollies
1 pearl gourami
1 golden gourami

Tank 2 (4 foot)
6 neons
6 tetras (not sure what kind)
2 black widows
1 pleco (huge!!! I'd say about 10")
1 rainbow shark
6 guppys (I think, are they the ones with the big fan tails?)
1 other sucker (about 4")
2 loaches (haven't seen them for weeks but assume they're in there)
2 swordtails

I think that's the lot. Tank 2's previous owner died so I moved the tank bringing as much of the water as I could, that was about 4 weeks ago. A little cory died today but there were no obvious signs of a problem and I know no history so it could have been old age. A couple of the guppys (or what I think are guppy's, could be platys) are showing signs of fin rot which I've started treating with mixazin(sp?). I've tested the amonia which is 0 and the PH which is 7.5 and has been consistently since I got the tank. I don't have the kits for testing nitrates etc as the fish shop kept telling me not to bother but after reading these forums I think perhaps I should be??? I think this tank is overcrowded as it is and the plan is to take some of the fish to the fish shop, but I'll have to wait til they're healthy.

Tank 3 - 2 foot

Empty, currently cycling with water taken from Tank 1, has been going for 2 weeks now, when do you think I could add fish?

So the plan is to get all the fish from tank 2 into tank 1, except the mollies which I want to put in the 2 foot tank on their own. So my question is.............can tank 1 cope with more fish? And could tank 2 take more than 6 mollies? My brother in law wants the 2 swordtails and 6 neons which he'll put in a 2 foot tank that he's cycling just now. So that basically means whatever I can't put in tank 1 and tank 3 will be going to the fish shop.

Any suggestions? And thanks for reading such a long post!!!

 

[*Fishkies*]

To me they does not seem overcrowded yet! However tank two is getting close to capcity I belive. By getting rid of the 2 swordtails and the 6 neons in tank two you will be able to put in the mollies. I think everything should fit fine. However the Black Widows like a bigger group to swim with.

Don't listen to the fish shop, you do need a testing kit for nitrites and nitrates. This helps to tell you when your tanks are cycled and how the levels are. Also to help cycle your third tank, mature filter media would help more then the water. Also if you could take some current gravel out of one of your already cycled tanks and add it to the third this too would also help the cycling process go quicker.

Depending on the exact gallon size of your tanks you should be okay. In tank 1 there is about 37inches of fish, and in tank two after everything is switched up and around, there will be about 40inches of fish. That is my guess however some of the fish may be bigger then my guess.
However keep in mind that angelfish can grow quite large. Along with the gouramis that can get anywhere from 2.5inches up to 4.5 and maybe more.

You can estimate if your tanks are overcrowded by taking into consideration how large your fish are when they are fully grown. Take the total inches of each fish when full grown in your tank, and add it together with the other total inches of fish in your tank. If the inches ratio is larger then the gallons in your fish tank, your fishtank is overstocked.

Good Luck!!

Also to the forum!!!

Glad you joined!!

 

[mcdanielnc89]

agreed. not overcrowexded as of yet. if getting rid of some u can put mollies in.

 

[lawrie]

i would get more black widows, i htink they are the best looking fish ever! and they look so much better is schools of 6+.

but the tanks seem fine, although the clown loaches can get large.

 

[scooterchick]

i would get more black widows, i htink they are the best looking fish ever! and they look so much better is schools of 6+.

but the tanks seem fine, although the clown loaches can get large.

Hi

Many thanks for all the answers howeer I don't think I explained myself very well!! My plan is to move the 6 mollies from tank 1 into a breed only 2 foot tank so I can add some salt to the water without affecting the other fish. Are there any other fish from my stock that could cope living with the mollies in a 2 foot tank?

Then getting rid of one of the 4 foot tanks and combining the rest, bearing in mind 2 swordtails and 6 neons are going to a good home, and I'll have to some fish to the fish shop. I'm not sure atm what ones to keep and what to get rid of. After the mollies are in their new tank, here's what I'm left with - to go into a 48x18x12 tank.

2 plecos (1 huge!!!)
1 rainbow shark
4 golden barbs
1 angel fish
1 pearl gourami
1 golden gourami
2 black widows
6 smaller tetras
2 loaches (not clown, snake like things that hide down the bottom)
1 algae eater (not as big as the plecs, pale colour, hardly ever see him)
6 guppies

Now I imagine that amount of fish will be far too much for their new home. Also will the pleco's fight? One is so much bigger and stronger than the other I worry about the smaller one, but I know a 2 foot tank would be too small for him, plus he doesn't seem to like the salt.

Any suggestions from the above stock which I should keep? Bearing in mind the possiblity of room with the 6 mollies in the 2 foot tank.

many thanks

P.S If anyone's in the Glasgow/Scotland area I'll be selling a 4 foot tank soon but would be happy to give some fish away if I knew they were going to a good home. PM for more info.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

wow it's amazing how you guys can tell if she's fully stocked based on them being 2' or 4' tanks

there's a whole world of difference between a 4'x1'x1' and a 4'x2'x2' even, who knows they could be 4' cubes!!

if you give us the length, width and depth of each tank we can calculate the volume of water and then give you an accurate idea of how well stocked the tanks are

 

[scooterchick]

wow it's amazing how you guys can tell if she's fully stocked based on them being 2' or 4' tanks

there's a whole world of difference between a 4'x1'x1' and a 4'x2'x2' even, who knows they could be 4' cubes!!

if you give us the length, width and depth of each tank we can calculate the volume of water and then give you an accurate idea of how well stocked the tanks are

Hi Miss wiggel

The big tank is 48x12x18 37 imperial gallons, 170 litres. That's the one I'm planning on using for most of the fish.

The smaller tank (for the mollies) is 24x12x14 17 imp gals, 66 litres. Thank you!

 

[kniesh]

As miss Wiggle says the full dimensions are needed really. However one thing that stands out to me is yur Guppies with fin rot. This could be a case of the Rainbow shark bullying them. That would be my guess as to why the fins are tattty and ripped. If they are in fact Guppies (not platties) I would probably put them in ur 2 foot with the Mollies. They can handle salt and will probably do a lot better once away from that Shark.

We really need those dimensions though.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ok,

few questions and comments

2 plecos (1 huge!!!) - how big, and what sort of plecs?
1 rainbow shark
4 golden barbs - need to be in groups of 6+
1 angel fish - possible problems with the gourami's
1 pearl gourami - possible problems with the other gourami and angel
1 golden gourami - as above
2 black widows - need to be kept in groups of 6+
6 smaller tetras - species?
2 loaches (not clown, snake like things that hide down the bottom) - khulie loaches?
1 algae eater (not as big as the plecs, pale colour, hardly ever see him) - need an ID, get a picture for us and we'll let you know what he is, i have a sneaking suspicion it's a chinese algae eater which is bad bad news
6 guppies

good thing is you've plenty of space in the big tank, what i would put in there is -

1 plec (assuming species does not grow too big for the tank)
6 golden barbs
1 angel fish
6 black widows tetras
6 smaller tetras
2 khulie loaches

that's about fully stocked IMO

 

[scooterchick]

As miss Wiggle says the full dimensions are needed really. However one thing that stands out to me is yur Guppies with fin rot. This could be a case of the Rainbow shark bullying them. That would be my guess as to why the fins are tattty and ripped. If they are in fact Guppies (not platties) I would probably put them in ur 2 foot with the Mollies. They can handle salt and will probably do a lot better once away from that Shark.

We really need those dimensions though.

Hi,

Thanks for that. I know that rainbow sharks are prone to bullying, although mine hardly ever comes out, I've got a castle thing in the tank and most of time he hides in there only coming out late at night, could he be bullying them through the night when we're in bed? The guppies (?) are tiny, 3 bright ones with big red fan tails and 3 plain coloured ones which I assume are the females? We inherited the full set up so I don't know anything about the age/history of the fish although the rainbow looks quite young, about 4", but that could be because he's been hding in the castle!!

 

[scooterchick]

ok,

few questions and comments

2 plecos (1 huge!!!) - how big, and what sort of plecs? (one is around 7", the other about 10", they look the same dark brown with lighter spots, although the smaller one isn't looking too healthy but I think he's old and not eating well. The poor thing has had more homes than a stray cat and I'm determined not to move him again, so if one has to go it'll be the big one, he's a cracking looking big fish)
1 rainbow shark
4 golden barbs - need to be in groups of 6+
1 angel fish - possible problems with the gourami's (angle and both gourami's have been in the sme tank for a while and seem to get on ok, ignoring each other most of the time. Pearl chased golden for a while but doens't bother now).
1 pearl gourami - possible problems with the other gourami and angel
1 golden gourami - as above
2 black widows - need to be kept in groups of 6+ (not keen on these fish, actually moved one of them cos he kept nipping the Angel)
6 smaller tetras - species? (not sure, look like mini bala sharks but more honey colour, great to watch they love playing in the filter stream)
2 loaches (not clown, snake like things that hide down the bottom) - khulie loaches? (exactly what they are, stripey, again not keen on them)
1 algae eater (not as big as the plecs, pale colour, hardly ever see him) - need an ID, get a picture for us and we'll let you know what he is, i have a sneaking suspicion it's a chinese algae eater which is bad bad news (next time he appears I'll try and get a pic!)
6 guppies

good thing is you've plenty of space in the big tank, what i would put in there is -

1 plec (assuming species does not grow too big for the tank)
6 golden barbs
1 angel fish
6 black widows tetras
6 smaller tetras
2 khulie loaches

that's about fully stocked IMO

Aah!! I don't want to get rid of any of the fish, it's so hard to make a choice!!! However I'm not keen on the khuli loaches and my husband hates the black widows with a passion, only cos one kept nipping at the angel fish but he's been much happier since we moved him into the other tank with the other black widow.

Both these tanks were purchased fully stocked, but we lost a rainbow and a bala shark. Neither were very healthy when we got them, the rainbow hada a visible ulcer and in our inexperience we finshed him off.

Guppies with mollies is a start, swordtails and neons going to good home. Now to sort out the rest! Thank you for your help.xx

Oops, added my comments in your quote!

 

[scooterchick]

ok,

few questions and comments

2 plecos (1 huge!!!) - how big, and what sort of plecs? (one is around 7", the other about 10", they look the same dark brown with lighter spots, although the smaller one isn't looking too healthy but I think he's old and not eating well. The poor thing has had more homes than a stray cat and I'm determined not to move him again, so if one has to go it'll be the big one, he's a cracking looking big fish)
1 rainbow shark
4 golden barbs - need to be in groups of 6+
1 angel fish - possible problems with the gourami's (angle and both gourami's have been in the sme tank for a while and seem to get on ok, ignoring each other most of the time. Pearl chased golden for a while but doens't bother now).
1 pearl gourami - possible problems with the other gourami and angel
1 golden gourami - as above
2 black widows - need to be kept in groups of 6+ (not keen on these fish, actually moved one of them cos he kept nipping the Angel)
6 smaller tetras - species? (not sure, look like mini bala sharks but more honey colour, great to watch they love playing in the filter stream)
2 loaches (not clown, snake like things that hide down the bottom) - khulie loaches? (exactly what they are, stripey, again not keen on them)
1 algae eater (not as big as the plecs, pale colour, hardly ever see him) - need an ID, get a picture for us and we'll let you know what he is, i have a sneaking suspicion it's a chinese algae eater which is bad bad news (next time he appears I'll try and get a pic!)
6 guppies

good thing is you've plenty of space in the big tank, what i would put in there is -

1 plec (assuming species does not grow too big for the tank)
6 golden barbs
1 angel fish
6 black widows tetras
6 smaller tetras
2 khulie loaches

that's about fully stocked IMO

Aah!! I don't want to get rid of any of the fish, it's so hard to make a choice!!! However I'm not keen on the khuli loaches and my husband hates the black widows with a passion, only cos one kept nipping at the angel fish but he's been much happier since we moved him into the other tank with the other black widow.

Both these tanks were purchased fully stocked, but we lost a rainbow and a bala shark. Neither were very healthy when we got them, the rainbow hada a visible ulcer and in our inexperience we finshed him off.

Guppies with mollies is a start, swordtails and neons going to good home. Now to sort out the rest! Thank you for your help.xx

Oops, added my comments in your quote!

Just googled chinese algae eater and I don't think it's that. It almost looks like a small albino pleco, does that sound familiar?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

try albino bristlenose

the black widows will be nippy as they are insecure being in such a small group, you've seen the improvement just from having them in a pair, put them in a group of 6 and it'll be better still.

 

[scooterchick]

Don't think it's that either. Haven't seen it for about a week, think it hides in the castle with the rainbow, next time it comes out I'll post a pic. I don't think buying more barbs or widows is something I really want to do so they may be the ones that go to the shop, although I'll try some ads first cos there's no gurantee they'll be sold in groups of 6. Prob best trying to find someone who has them already and would like somemore.

It's a minefield this fish keeping!! Anyway, today I'm off to buy some nitrite/nitrate testing kits. Amonia in tank 2 is 0, PH is 7.5, although it's only been set up 4 weeks and the guppys have fin rot, could be the stress of being moved or as someone suggested the rainbow bullying them, but I'll def get the water checked. No opportunity to do a fishless cycle as fish came with tank but we brought as much water as we could and it's the same filter that was in the tank before we moved it so hopefully the water shouldn't have been too bad.

When we got tank 1 we didn't have a clue. the poor fish were transported to us, we thoroughly cleaned the tank and gravel ( know now not a great idea, but we thought we were doing good) filled it up with tap water, didn't treat it, didn't do anything, and stuck the fish in. Must have been hell for them. Angel, pleco, gourami and black widow all still surviving, with much better water quality now!! A rainbow died (who had an ulcer when we got him) and a bala shark died from velvet, which perhaps we could have prevented had we been more experienced.

Lost a wee cory yesterday but I think that was old age. Def need the testing kits, the fish shop have me flying blind, they keep telling me to stop feeding them and just leave the tank, don't change any water or anything!!

Anyway, thanks for you help, looking forward to getting to know you all!