Overstocking?

[woodstock]

Well I've seen lots of different cases of overstocking whether it's severe or not so severe. Note, this is completely out of curiousity and I don't intend on doing it. But would overstocking actually be okay in some cases?
Like the (in)famous "Betta in a 5 gallon and tankmates." Let's say it's cycled. Filtered. Frequent water changes. Possibly even a good amount of live plants. Would it be okay with overstocking with, lets say, a school of corys? Like 5-7? Sure it's overstocking, but if you managed to keep the water pristine (no matter how laborous), wouldn't it be okay? Now, this is ONLY out of curiousity, tell me wrong in a heartbeat, I just want to see perspectives.

Also, I'm not going so far as "10 goldfish in a 7 gallon." Just talking about a couple extra (or even pushing...) over recommended amount.

 

[Julia1904]

I have a 30 gallon, with a 50 gallon filter, live plants and vaccum the gravel twice a week with water change, I probably have close to 60 inches of full grown fish, well when theyre full grow, it will be over 60 inches. but they are all happy and healthy, and breeding. By the way of the is a male betta. I love my tank and my fish, And I dont see a problem with my stocking arrangements.

 

[woodstock]

Has anyone yelled at you for overstocking?

To be honest, I don't even remember the main issues of overstocking. Ammonia issues, filter issues, poop issues, waste issues... Growth issues shouldn't be included. If it stunts a fish's growth, they shouldn't even be considered.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I tried overstocking and the problem ended up being the ammonia. Once additional fish were added, the levels went up. That wasn't a betta tank, but a guppy & pygmy cory one. The fish were fine for a few months, but then they suddenly developed fin fungus and I lost five of the seven fish. Well, actually, one died and I immediately culled the other four who had symptoms rather than trying to treat them. The other two didn't have symptoms so the tank was medicated and they both survived. I'd NEVER consider overstocking a tank again! Now the tank just still has the two guppies.

 

[Truck]

I heavily over stock my tanks in some peoples opinion, but in my eyes, they're just fine, at one stage in a 60 litre I had a Pair of bolivian rams, 20 neon tetras and 6 Corydoras sterbai, You can tell me I'm overstocked all you want, but my ammonia and nitrite never strayed above 0, It was a planted tank and everything lived in harmony.

The trick is to add stock slowly, that way the Bacteria can easily catch up with no problems.

With regards to the betta question, I wouldn't be scared to put a Betta and 6 Corydoras pygmeaus, hastatus or habrosus in a tank that size.

 

[Lacuna]

In an overstocked tank you could have problems with nitrates rising a lot, but you could keep on top of that with extra water changes. And enough oxygen and surface area might also be a problem. Every tank is different, if you add slowly and check all your stats then you'll know if you have room for more or not.

 

[Honeythorn]

It would generally depend on your filter capacity and water change regime. The betta + 5-7 cories would work with a good enough filter and twice weekly , reasonably large water changes.

If you used for exapmle, the sort of 5 gal that came with a smallish built in filter in the hood, something like that then no you couldn't do it using just that . You'd have to add a second filter , say a meduim sized sponge filter or a small internal cannister. Then you could along with the aforementioned water changes.

Personally my 30 gal may seem a little overstocked with one opaline gourami, 5 gold barbs, 4 female bettas, 3 silvertip tetras (my brother was going to flush them and I don't want anymore, plus they're too old and decrepit to give to a fish store) and 4 peppered cories ( also don't want any more )


But it's run with an Eheim 2215 external filter and I do 50% water changes every week. I'm letting the stock live out their lives in there until there are no more and then I'll keep it as a planted tank ( as it is now )with just one single fish or one school of a single species ( I may get a really nice expensive male betta for it at that stage ) .