Why Overstocked?

[walker001]

I firmly suggest that you get 2 of these. They will straighten out all your stocking problems and put your mind at ease.

They will only grow to the size of your tank also.

 

[andywg]

Here is is in a nushell:

Some of your fish need a bigger tank:

balas get to 14 inches.
birchir gets to 18-24 inches
common plecs get to between 1 and 2 feet depending on which one.

Some of your fish need live plants while others will dig up life plants.

Some of your fish are timid and some agressive

Some will eat anything smaller than them in the tank.

etc. ect


Do your own research

Which of the fish listed above actually REQUIRE live plants?

 

[JCA]

Here is is in a nushell:

Some of your fish need a bigger tank:

balas get to 14 inches.
birchir gets to 18-24 inches
common plecs get to between 1 and 2 feet depending on which one.

Some of your fish need live plants while others will dig up life plants.

Some of your fish are timid and some agressive

Some will eat anything smaller than them in the tank.

etc. ect


Do your own research

ok you want my research?

bala shark hmm, 75 gallons...way to big for my tank

ornate bichir another 75 gallon fish, way too big for my tank once again.

the profiles on this forum dont say anything about a common pleco so im not going to quote from somewhere else and get the whole lecture on how you shouldnt trust what you read on the internet.

also which fish will eat "anything" smaller than themselves?

there it is, all in a nut shell for you

anyway, while i have the option to get rid of some fish what do i want to get rid of?

i was thinking of keeping

1 gold saum
1 severum
1 ornate bichir
3 clown loaches
all the smaller fish like cories and odessa barbs
2 bala sharks
2 pictus cats

will this be better? i know you all wont like me keeping the bala sharks but its either just 1 or both, and wouldnt it at least be better if i have a second if i dont have room for more?

 

[andywg]

the bala profile says nothing less than a 75 gallon tank.

If you actually care about the fish you will have something much larger. Mine are now a little over half grown and I wonder whether the 6x2x2 (180 US gallon) tank is really suitable for their needs.

The problem with common plecs is actually identifying them. The common plec commonly hybridises in the wild with sailfins and Rreticulated plecs, meaning no-one ever really knows what they are getting nor how large it gets until too late. there is every possibility that plec could get past 2 feet.

And as stated, balas need far more than two to be happy. I now would say no less than 5, though this is just on how the personalities developed as I gradually added more. If you don't have room for the 5, you don't really have the room for one. You could get some, and they should be ok for some time, but in a few years they will need a bigger tank.

Pictus grow to 6" and you run the very high risk they will eat anything less than 3". Also, the bichir will have a fairly good sized mouth that (if it ever decides to move) could devour a fair sized fish.