Maximum Number Of Fish I Can Keep In A 12 Gallon?

[jorge4903]

Hey. I really want to get some neon tetras, zebra danios, and some glofish. I was told to keep them in groups so I was thinking maybe 4 of each or should I go less with 3 of each for my 12 gallon tank. Also, could I keep maybe a pair of african dwarf frogs in there with them? Thank you for any feedback.

 

[sunpirate2u]

Neon tetra's are awesome ! You have to keep them in bigger groups or they will be stressed out. How About 5-6? Zebra danios need to have at least 4? I never had danios before.

1 inch per gallon is the rule but not everyone believes in that. It's ok if you over stock 1 inch. I wouldn't though.

Good luck with the tank! I'm sure it will be great.

Have you cycled your tank yet?

 

[Matty P]

Hey. I really want to get some neon tetras, zebra danios, and some glofish. I was told to keep them in groups so I was thinking maybe 4 of each or should I go less with 3 of each for my 12 gallon tank. Also, could I keep maybe a pair of african dwarf frogs in there with them? Thank you for any feedback.

Well, you can't have any fish at all with gold fish. Why is that they make way to much ammonia in your water . All of your fish would die. If you want gold fish you need to get a different tank for them. Neon tetra's are awesome ! You have to keep them in bigger groups or they will be stressed out. How About 5-6? Zebra danios need to have at least 4? I never had danios before.

1 inch per gallon is the rule but not everyone believes in that. It's ok if you over stock 1 inch. I wouldn't though.

Good luck with the tank! I'm sure it will be great.

Have you cycled your tank yet?

He said GLOFISH not goldfish. And it is not ok to overstock your tank unless it his very well overfiltered but this is only advised for experienced fish keepers.

 

[rdd1952]

You could most likely put 12 neons in a 12 gallon tank without any problems. I don't think danios are a good idea though as they are extremely actie fish and IMO need more room tha a 12 gallon tank offers.

The general rule of thumb as mentioned, is 1" of adult fish per gallon of water but that is just a guide to help beginners get into the hobby with the least amount of stress and problems. With a good maintenance schedule and proper filtration, that can easily be exceeded without problems. For filtration, you need a filter that processes the water at least 5 times an hour. The more times you are processing the water, the higher the bio-load you can have without problems.

I mentioned bio-load and that is really the key. Some fish are messier than others and therefore create more waste. Usually,, the bigger the fish the more waste as you might imagine. That is why the 1" per gallon guide really only applies to smallish fish of about 3 or 4 inches or less.

One other key aspect to stocking a tank is whether it is "cycled" or not. Cycling is the process of developing a colony of nitrifying bacteria that will process ammonia (emitted through the fish's gills and from waste) and nitrite (the second step in the nitrogen cycle and a result of ammonia being processed). Both are toxic and will kill your fish. You can do a fishless cycle or you can cycle with fish. Cycling with fish naturally has the risk of losing fish and requires more work on your part. When cycling with fish, you have to go very slowly with only 2 or 3 fish at the start so the ammonia and nitrite levels don't get too high too quickly.

 

[mark.w.jones]

ADFs really should be kept as a single species. 12 gallons is relatively limited in terms of stocking as you are after small fish 1 - 2" which are not too active as your tank won't be very long.

Platies
Guppies
Neons
Endlers (hard to find)
Harlequin rasboras
Cherry Barbs
Otos
Dwarf Cories
Dwarf gourami

Are all good options. Most tetras are a no as they are too active

 

[vinylman]

The only snag with Neons is that they're not very good as first fish in a tank. They also need a fair bit of swimming space (for their size) as they are very active. I'd go for some Danios at first (after checking the LFS would let you swap them for something else once the tank has matured enough to put the Neons in).

 

[rdd1952]

The only snag with Neons is that they're not very good as first fish in a tank. They also need a fair bit of swimming space (for their size) as they are very active. I'd go for some Danios at first (after checking the LFS would let you swap them for something else once the tank has matured enough to put the Neons in).

Danios need way more swimming room than neons so, IMO, they are definitely not a good option for a 12 gallon.

 

[vinylman]

The only snag with Neons is that they're not very good as first fish in a tank. They also need a fair bit of swimming space (for their size) as they are very active. I'd go for some Danios at first (after checking the LFS would let you swap them for something else once the tank has matured enough to put the Neons in).

Danios need way more swimming room than neons so, IMO, they are definitely not a good option for a 12 gallon.

I meant just while the tank matures enough after cycling to add the Neons, rdd.

 

[-germ-]

No otos (sensitivity), barbs (activity) or Dwarf Gourami/Colisa lalia (difficulty) IMO either.

 

[mark.w.jones]

You're all picking my list to bits. There won't be much left on it soon. I must admit that I also just thought of fish suitable for a small tank not for a brand new small tank.

Sparkling gourami maybe instead of dwarf.

 

[-germ-]

Sorry,
Maybe Honeys? I've heard sparklers are a bit sensitive as well.......

 

[Dark Wolf]

If you haven't read this yet: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=116208

It's a pretty decent topic, and should give you a few ideas