The "1 Inch Per Gallon" Rule

[groovitudedude]

I would suggest either one betta or like 1 or 2 SUPER tiny fish. I really am against tanks smaller than 10Gs because they are too unstable. Do you have a filter, heater, and thermometer for it?

 

[5teady_2012]

Very Funny. I'm trying to answer palgrave's Q and you are trying to answer my statement with a noobie Q. Ha ha.

Jokes go over some people heads i guess

 

[rdd1952]

Wait, in the first paragraph, you said not to disregard the "rule" (which you said wasn't even a rule), and then in the third paragraph, you said that the rule made no sense?

I'm not certain I follow you. There is no where that I can see that I said that it didn't make sense. What I said was that is didn't matter what you call it, rule or guide (and referred to it as rule/guide at every reference and never just rule) and that your telling people in the topic title to "totally disregard it" made no sense. In the 3rd paragraph, I said that I didn't buy your cubic inch guide/rule. I will continue to tell beginners that 1" per gallon is the way to go in setting up and starting their tanks.

Okay. Well, yes, you are right about the neons and angels, which is why we need to ditch this rule!!!! It is completely bogus and only applies to about 10 species of fish. And a beginner can use the internet to help them find the rough estimated size of a full grown fish. However, the inch/gallon guideline is far too vague to let them do that, so that's why there's forums like this one.

What I was talking about with the angels and neons was your guide/rule from your original post (below). It is definitely not accurate in the least and probably wouldn't work on even 10 species of fish.

However, if you do choose to follow this rule, here are the (un)official guidelines:

1 CUBIC inch of FULL GROWN freshwater fish per 1 US Gallon of water in the aqarium.

And BTW, you'll find that at least 2 out of every three new people will just make an impulse buy w/o doing any research. That's exactly why I got my two Tinfoil Barbs for my 20G a year or two ago. Because I was new, had no experience, didn't do any research, and, well, you get the idea.

I totally agree that most people don't research and end up with fish they don't need. But even those usually don't have their tank fully stocked as they go by the "fill the tank up with water and let it run a few day before adding a few fish" process so they can still be helped to stock properly.

So, as a newbie...

I went to what I thought was a reputable pet store...(not a chain, knowledgeable staff, clean, unpopulated tanks) and came home with FOUR neons for a 2.5g tank. Too much. Can I have ANYTHING in a tank so small?? I am thinking of just getting a betta, but is 2.5g even big enough? If you read my other posts, I have multiple probs, but would love to get this tank going. I was told I could get 2 zebra danios and a snail, but after doing research, I am thinking not. I worked at a vet office for 3 years and must say fish-keeping is WAY more difficult than I expected. Getting a puppy would have been easier.

I think the issue is, even if 1" per g was a rule/guideline, the "experts" at pet stores are clueless anyway, so unless you do a TON of research on your own, it won't work, eh?

You pretty much hit the nail on the head about the people at the pet stores. I read something a while back that said more fish had probably died as a result of bad advice from the fish store than any other reason and I would tend to agree with that.

Your tank would be great for a single betta. Danios aren't suitable for a tank that small as they are very active swimmers and need plenty of swimming room. The main problem with other fish like neons is that most all community fish are schooling fish and prefer to be in numbers of 5 or more which is difficult to do in a 2.5 gallon tank. Once it's cycled, you could probably keep 5 neons in it but they aren't the hardiest fish and may not make it through the cycling process if you didn't do a fishless cycle. They too really need more swimming room than that tank gives them.

 

[furtaco]

I'm fed up with all these topics about the one inch per gallon rule, if it's US or UK gallons, etc. This rule is total junk and should be disregarded. However, if you do choose to follow this rule, here are the (un)official guidelines:

1 CUBIC inch of FULL GROWN freshwater fish per 1 US Gallon of water in the aqarium.

However, this "rule" totally disregards most larger fish, including bichirs, puffers, eels, dither fish, rays, and other fish, and is highly contaversial. Sure, it is good for beginners, but let's be real. It is okay to use this "rule" for say, cories, tetras, and (non-giant) danios, but come on! Get it right, people!

I am tired of it as well my friend!! You should place two water mellons at the bottom of your tank and then fill it up. When it gets to the top, remove the mellons and then fill the rest of the void with marbles made from whale teeth.

 

[Seed]

I am tired of it as well my friend!! You should place two water mellons at the bottom of your tank and then fill it up. When it gets to the top, remove the mellons and then fill the rest of the void with marbles made from whale teeth.

I laughed

 

[groovitudedude]

Telling people to "totally disregard" the rule/guide is not exactly the best advise.

I just don't buy the cubic inch guide.

That's what I meant.

In the 3rd paragraph, I said that I didn't buy your cubic inch guide/rule. I will continue to tell beginners that 1" per gallon is the way to go in setting up and starting their tanks.

How many times will I need to repeat myself? A 20 inch aro will not fit in a 20G, and a 1 inch danio will not fit in a 1G! I thought that we already went over this! The one inch per gallon rule/guide/guideline/whatever FAILS!!!!

 

[rdd1952]

It is the only guide we have to help beginners. What do you suggest we tell them when they ask how many fish they can have? Should we just say "beats me"? Of course not. We ask some questions, find out what size tank they have and what fish they want to keep (or have already bought) and go from there. But if they are planning a community tank, which the majority of beginners are, then the 1" per gallon guide works great. If they say they have a 2.5 or 5 gallon tank, we tell them that it's really only suitable for a betta or maybe some shrimp. And if they say their tank is 100 gallon and they want to keep africans, we send them to that forum for better advice. Basically, when they start a thread about the 1" per gallon rule/guide, they are asking because they need help with stocking their tank because they don't know how many fish they can have.

I know you said you started this thead because you were tired of seeing the threads about it. Personally, I have no problem answering that question or any others that a beginner asks, even if I just answered it on another thread that's 3 below the new one someone just started. I enjoy helping others and after all, they are here for help just like most all of us were in the beginning.

My whole point is that beginners need some type guide and simply saying "totally ignore it" leaves them nothing at all. I agree that it mainly applies to community fish (3 or 4 inches or less) but people that keep those probably make up over half the people in the hobby. For every CFC (with a 900 gallon tank of rays and other fish) on this forum there is probaly 20 or 30 people that have nothing but smaller tanks of community fish or bettas. There will never be any stocking guide that applies across the board to all fish. What works for a tetra or danio, won't work for a pleco, arrowana or irredescent shark. And that will never change.

 

[groovitudedude]

Alright. It just bugged me that people thought that this was a universal rule meant for every fish known to man, and that I see a thread on it like every 3 posts. Maybe I should have just suggested making a sticky on it insted of going on a rant. So, each time a new person comes up, you could refer them to that thread. I guess it just got annoying to see redundant threads about the same thing over and over again.

 

[Seed]

I acutally the guideline and an explanation of it should be stickied on this forum. Even if you look through the thread that has links for all kinds of useful topics for beginners, this guideline is absent.

 

[Tolak]

Groovitudedude; For as sick as you are of this "rule" I am of people quoting it incorrectly. The entire "guideline", as I feel there really are no hard & fast rules in aquatics, goes like this;

"One inch of slim bodied fish that grow to no larger than 3 inches, per gallon of water"

This is merely a guideline, a good starting point for the beginning aquarist. It starts them on safe ground while they have a chance to get a handle on a multitude of other aspects of aquatics. Once they get a little more knowledge and experience, they are free to go beyond this, as many others do.

It reminds me of this little ditty that is often taught to kids, as a way to keep them safe;

"Look to the left, look to the right, cross at the corner, walk with the light"

For younger kids this is a pretty good way to prevent them from getting run over. Being an adult, with plenty of street crossing experience, I have crossed in the middle of streets, against the light, but generally do look for traffic before crossing.

You are the first person I have ever heard this "cubic inch" guideline from, and I have dealt with many aquarists over many years. It's near impossible for a beginner to figure the cubic inches of fish, you are lucky to get a guesstimate on length. You might want to go back to the drawing board on that idea, I would think the weight of the fish would be a good starting point. This is what fish farms go by for stocking, feeding, and administration of medication.

 

[andywg]

Seriously, lighten up. As mentioned, the inch per gallon guide gives a lot of leeway for people who are just starting out and may not have the keeping of fish down to a fine art yet.

Once they are better versed at monitoring a tank and can see how it works, the advice of Colin T comes in to just keep an eye on the parameters and you will know when the tank is overstocked or not.

I personally think way too much emphasis is given on this board to whether someone is overstocked or not (and the implications thereof), but that is for another day

 

[OohFeeshy]

I personally think way too much emphasis is given on this board to whether someone is overstocked or not (and the implications thereof), but that is for another day

Ah, mayhap Andy, but remember that most of the people who have stocking quoted at them are very new, having tank problems because they have no idea what they're doing or have silly fish. Or all of the above.

 

[newfishy]

I just wanted to add my two cents about fish keeping vrs a puppy.

one full grown and one young horse (younger is more work more trouble) is easier to take care of then fish...hahahaha

 

[Thomas 2507]

I prefer to say around 1cm of fish per litre.

 

[Tolak]

Seriously, lighten up. As mentioned, the inch per gallon guide gives a lot of leeway for people who are just starting out and may not have the keeping of fish down to a fine art yet.

Once they are better versed at monitoring a tank and can see how it works, the advice of Colin T comes in to just keep an eye on the parameters and you will know when the tank is overstocked or not.

I personally think way too much emphasis is given on this board to whether someone is overstocked or not (and the implications thereof), but that is for another day

Folks would have a coronary if they saw some of my stocking. Time for a bypass if they saw how many gallons of water I go through monthly. I certainly wouldn't advise a newby to stock that way, the same as I wouldn't advise someone drive the expressway during rush hour for their first driving lesson. In both situations, once you get some experience, go to town with stocking or driving!

I just wanted to add my two cents about fish keeping vrs a puppy.

one full grown and one young horse (younger is more work more trouble) is easier to take care of then fish...hahahaha

Having a 9 month old dog, taking care of all the tanks is easier than raising a pup properly.