Tank Stocking Level?

[mark4785]

I have a 120 litre aquarium, although due to space taken up by ornaments etc I'd say the aquarium only contains around 100 litres of water.

It contains the following fish:
1. 1 German Blue Ram
2. 1 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
3. 5 Black Neon Tetra
4. 2 Otocinclus

It is a planted aquarium.

What is my stocking level and could I afford to add 2-3 more Otocinclus?

I'm not the sort of person that bends the rules in relation to stocking so I'd appreciate sensible, honest feedback.

Thanks,

Mark.

 

[Carlovel1]

IMO, you could do this:
2 German Blue Ram (a pair)
5 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
5 Black Neon Tetra
5 Otocinclus
May be a bit of a squeeze but you should be OK

 

[Wills]

Hi! I understand what you are saying about not pushing the stocking and thats fine but if you are using the inch per gallon etc rules they were not built around the concept of water displacement. So I would still stock accordingly to 120 liters at the end of the day its 5 gallons extra which could be used to keep the schooling and gregarious fish you have in the correct numbers.

Even if stocking it as 100 liters I would add 4 more Dwarf Neon Rainbows and 3 more Ottos - I understand the desire of a light stocking but that should not be done at the sacrifice of keeping shoaling fish singularly or in small groups.

Wills

 

[mark4785]

Hi! I understand what you are saying about not pushing the stocking and thats fine but if you are using the inch per gallon etc rules they were not built around the concept of water displacement. So I would still stock accordingly to 120 liters at the end of the day its 5 gallons extra which could be used to keep the schooling and gregarious fish you have in the correct numbers.

Even if stocking it as 100 liters I would add 4 more Dwarf Neon Rainbows and 3 more Ottos - I understand the desire of a light stocking but that should not be done at the sacrifice of keeping shoaling fish singularly or in small groups.

Wills

Well I originally had a pair of GBR's and 5 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish but 1 GBR died and 4 DNR died from gill flukes. The LFS sold me infected fish which also happened to be in bad shape so it was a frustrating no win situation for me in trying to stop them from passing.

The sole DNR seems extremely happy on her own.

IMO, you could do this:
2 German Blue Ram (a pair)
5 Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
5 Black Neon Tetra
5 Otocinclus
May be a bit of a squeeze but you should be OK

Hi,

Would 2 GBR, 1 DNR, 5 BNT and 5 Otto's be a good configuration?

I do not want to risk inducing an ammonia spike. The possibility of ammonia spike is the thing that stresses me out most.

 

[Wills]

Rainbow fish are a shoaling fish in nature - the single fish may seem fine but when or if it feels threatened its natural reflex to cope with this which is to school tightly then it becomes stressed. For me schooling fish in low numbers is a greater issue than ammonia spikes - ammonia spikes are an issue for a few days and easy to control with water changes where as low schooling numbers is a long term issue and an easy to address problem in a tank.

With regards adding fish and getting ammonia spikes - adding 4 rainbows then 2 weeks later 3 ottos then 2 weeks late 1 gbr (or any way around of those three additions) you wont get ammonia spikes - ammonia spikes only happen when massive amounts of fish to a tank or adding fish to an uncycled tank. I really would not worry about it.

Wills