Stocking discussion

[seangee]

Over the last 15 years some of my ideas on fishkeeping have changed dramatically. In 2016 I bought my first nano tank - a Flex 15G. At the time it was intended as a shrimp tank because in my opinion (at the time) it was inhumane to keep fish in such a small body of water. Over the years I have had a number of tanks of various sizes and stock levels. I am pretty good at my 50-75% weekly water changes. Not saying that's what you have to do but it works for me so no plans to mess with it . I recently got rid of some tanks because I'm getting older, life seems to get busier and I was struggling to maintain the water changes (especially as I had a shattered shoulder - which has now recovered.)

I have also moved towards keeping fewer species in tanks. My 200L community tanks today contains only 3 species and a bristlenose. I happen to think its quite sensibly stocked but sites like Aqadvisor assure me that it is hideously overstocked. (There are around 60 fish in there)

My Flex currently has a single species of tetra (embers).
Earlier this year I decided to replenish my nannostomus marginatus. So I put a dozen of them into a 27L QT. I liked them in there so much I left them there as another species tank, where they are living happily ever after. But as everyone knows this tank is way too small. Most weeks it gets a 50% water change which only takes a couple of minutes. Occasionally I do an 80% change. Yes I still have the fake grass in there but the plants are real. I am also still relatively confident that they will spawn for me once they reach maturity.

Now Christmas is coming and I rather hope Santa is eyeing out another Flex 15 for me. I rather fancy a little group of lemon tetra. I know boring tetras aren't everyone's cup of tea - but I know what I like. Most on-line sites suggest you need a 20G for a group of 6. The thing is I would never buy a group of 6 social fish. My own experience tells me that 12 is much better than 6 and 18 is better than 12 (and 24 is probably too many )

And if Santa happened to spring for a pair of 15s I would seriously consider re-creating my Thai Wonder, probably 8-10 sids and a dozen or so microdevario kubotai. I really miss those little monkeys - but don't fancy another large tank.
Am I just being silly or do either of those options seem realistic?

Those that know me and my tanks know that I am definitely not about seeing how many fish I can cram in.

For the sake of completeness here is the existing Flex

 

[GaryE]

There's no such thing as boring tetras, but there is such a thing as a tetra not worth watching. It's in the numbers. 12 tetras of one species will be interesting. 2 or 3? Not likely. That's boring.
I'll buy them in sixes, but only if they are high end species I intend to try to breed. If they are in my price range, I'm with you on wanting good sized groups.
That can be a problem.
You run beautiful tanks. You can see the effort and focus in the photos you post. I go with larger tanks (not huge ones) that sometimes look like the edge of town where the car repair and weed shops are. Yours are well laid out and complex. That give you some leeway.
So far, you seem to have gone for skinny tetras and pencils. I think a lot of stocking sites pay too much attention to length and not enough to bulk. There's that old calculation of how many cardinals could fit in the body size and weight of a full grown lemon tetra. I tend to look at tall bodied tetras as counting for more than one fish. It's simply something to consider.
I have a recently set up (with an older filter), heavily planted, tannin tinted 20 gallon/75 litre with 10 Nannostomus marginatus pencils, and nothing else. If one of my Cory group fish spawns, I've reserved space there for some young to grow out. Beside it, I have a 25g/9l with similar decor, housing 10 strigata/marble hatchets and 6 Hoplisoma. These are tanks I feel are decently stocked, close to the max.
Am I right? Possibly not, but there's a comfort level involved and an eye test to be passed. If you're going with regular water changes you can make yourself more space for fish in a tank. I'm into light stocking, and have tanks of 20g/75l with two small Aphyosemion killies in them.
There is your shoulder experience to consider. I may be a pessimist, but I see the hobby as being different for older aquarists than for young ones. Yes, we can get get into it more, and may have more time in the run of a day for our enjoyments once we retire. But I also like to keep a plan B in mind, because my body is the temple of a declining sect. You have to give yourself, and your fish, a little room for if you are injured, or if you or those around you get sick. That would be my concern with overstocking if someone is like you, a diligent aquarist.
If for whatever reason you can't keep up the maintenance regime, things can go south very quickly.

 

[seangee]

Am I right? Possibly not, but there's a comfort level involved and an eye test to be passed. If you're going with regular water changes you can make yourself more space for fish in a tank. I'm into light stocking, and have tanks of 20g/75l with two small Aphyosemion killies in them.
There is your shoulder experience to consider. I may be a pessimist, but I see the hobby as being different for older aquarists than for young ones. Yes, we can get get into it more, and may have more time in the run of a day for our enjoyments once we retire. But I also like to keep a plan B in mind, because my body is the temple of a declining sect. You have to give yourself, and your fish, a little room for if you are injured, or if you or those around you get sick. That would be my concern with overstocking if someone is like you, a diligent aquarist.
If for whatever reason you can't keep up the maintenance regime, things can go south very quickly.

And hence the downsizing. I use RO water and my process is quite manual which I can't really change. Its pretty streamlined. For the big tank I stick a hose with a filter on it into the tank and run the water out of the window onto a flower bed. Then I refill from 25l jerry cans (they contain more like 28l. I have marks on the tank so I know how far to drain for 1, 2, (etc) jerry cans and the full change takes 5 of them. But it means I have to lift 5 x 30kg tubs above the tank to refill. Fortunately I can still do this but wouldn't want to do more than one tank like that (in a week!). Then I have to refill the cans in another part of the house and lug them back ready for next week. For the smaller tanks I just syphon out a few buckets and use 10l jerry cans. The design of the flex in particular makes this a trivial task. The rear filter compartment means I don't have to worry about sucking up fish and I can chuck in new water as fast as I like without disturbing the substrate or fish. I do have a pump and hose but for now bucket and siphon is still easier and quicker.
Doing a 30-40l change in the flex takes no longer than feeding the dog - OK I usually sit with him while he eats and he is a slow feeder
This is from many years ago, before I realised the value of lots of plants, but my method of getting water into the tanks hasn't changed

 

[anewbie]

Here is my boring tetra of the day:

 

[GaryE]

Here is my boring tetra of the day:

Which one of those dullards is that?

As for the water change system, I know life has spoiled me as an aquarist, because I have such an easy set up with soft tap cardinals will breed in. That isn't uncommon in my corner of North America, but I appreciate it.

 

[anewbie]

Which one of those dullards is that?

As for the water change system, I know life has spoiled me as an aquarist, because I have such an easy set up with soft tap cardinals will breed in. That isn't uncommon in my corner of North America, but I appreciate it.

It is officially known as - Hemigrammus sp. Morse Code.

 

[GaryE]

Morse Codes - I've seen them stressed in bare tanks at importers', but not with that nice yellow.