Overstocked?

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ahmandi2
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Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Overstocked?

Post by ahmandi2 » Sun May 22, 2011 10:24 pm

I have a 55 gallon with a filter that is rated for a 75 gallon. It's a tall.
And I have:
4 dojos. 2 Coolies (used to have more). 4 cardinals. 2 dwarf guarami. 8 dwarf rainbows. 2 otos. and 4 marble hatchets.
They are all swimming and eating exactly as they should. I know that the coolies are not the best in this tank; but it's the only one I've got.
Is this overstocked. I vacuum 2 times a week; and I do a small (5 - 10 gallon) water change 2/3 times weekly. We have a well planted tank. The substrate is not covered with a ground plant, but about half of the bottom is planted with small, med, and large (long) plants. They're all very healthy as well.
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

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ahmandi2
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Re: Overstocked?

Post by ahmandi2 » Tue May 24, 2011 12:51 pm

Also have a UV sterilizer in there.
*BUMP*
anyone?
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

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Ashleigh
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Re: Overstocked?

Post by Ashleigh » Tue May 24, 2011 1:37 pm

IMO its not overstocked. The best way to suggest over stocking is if you are struggling to keep nitrates below 20ppm with regular water changes say 25% (to 50% say for messy cichlids etc) per week, with normal feeding etc.

Ashleigh

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ahmandi2
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Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Re: Overstocked?

Post by ahmandi2 » Tue May 24, 2011 3:29 pm

Awesome! Thank you for your input. I will check nitrates regularly! Last reading was low, 15 or so? But I have been lax since then (as I've been increasingly attentive to the water changes, and less feeding, than I was prior to the test).
I have no problem getting rid of some of these fish. I would LOVE to find a home for the kuhlis, however, I do not trust Petsmart to give them to anyone who could give them what they need any more than I can; and I'm afraid that even the little group of two that I do have will get split up. Also, the guarami, those are ok to go, if need be. I trust the lfs (ha local it's an hour away :D), enough to sell the guarami quickly enough, and these guys are gorgeous & healthy...so I think they'll go quickly! I would miss their "slap fights", but I don't have as much of an emotional tie to them as say, I do the loaches.
Honestly hard to think about getting rid of ANY of them, they seem to be thriving so splendidly in my tank so far. Hopefully my tests will show that I don't need to worry about it.
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

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Ashleigh
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Location: Newtownards, Northern Ireland

Re: Overstocked?

Post by Ashleigh » Tue May 24, 2011 4:44 pm

To be honest your stocking is a lot lighter than what I have at the moment. In all fairness they are moving to a larger tank in the next month or two, but I have about 40 odd fish in a 240l which is around 50g and I do 70% water changes weekly and I feed heavy so compared to your tank I think your very lightly stocked! Nitrates will be your indicator :)

Ash

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ahmandi2
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Location: Northeast Pennsylvania

Re: Overstocked?

Post by ahmandi2 » Thu May 26, 2011 10:21 pm

:D Thanks
"I'm not *THAT* kind of hunter"

starsplitter7
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Re: Overstocked?

Post by starsplitter7 » Mon May 30, 2011 9:29 am

I agree with Ashleigh and I would actually increase some of the numbers for your schooling fish, especially the Cardinals and Otos. However, when you get a new tank, get a long one, not a tall one, since many of those fish like to swim and it is hard to do in a short tank.

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