Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Am I overstocked?

1K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  flight50 
#1 · (Edited)
I feel like I am or really really pushing it. 55g heavily planted with fluval C4 HOB 264gph
If not could I add a few more to the school of tetras and barbs.
5x mollys
7x bloodfin tetras
7x cherry barbs
9x bronze cories
 
#2 ·
Not so much a matter of overstocking, but my concern would be the compatibility issue (from a water parameter standpoint) of the mollys and the other fish. Also, what sex are the mollys? If you have any mixture of male and female you will see a population shift as they breed (even if they are all females you may have females that have bred prior to arriving in your tank as they can hold sperm packets for some time after being with males).
 
#3 ·
In using the fish profiles to make a comparison, the low end of the Molly PH range would be in the upper 25% of the other fish's PH range. As has been mentioned on the site in the past, it is best to avoid extremes when combining fish that have overlapping requirements for them all to be at their best. In this instance, I'm really not sure how severe the differences are insofar as the actual health of all the fish is concerned. Just pointing out the differences I saw.
 
#5 ·
My PH runs about 8.2-8.4 . I use to be really concerned about that when I started up the aquarium a year and a half ago but found out a lot of fish can adjust to it as long as its stable. I also try to get fish that can tolerate wide ranges of PH to make it easier. Most of the fish in the tank have been in there for over a year. Weird thing is I had a horrible time keeping platies alive in my tank. They never lasted more than 4 months so I eventually stopped getting them. My water conditions seemed perfect for them so I chalked it up as something else.
 
#6 ·
That's a high ph. More suitable for cichlids though. It is true that fish can adapt to water parameters but forcing them outside of their range usually doesn't end well. It's like sticking a human out in 32 F weather without winter protection. We will survive for awhile but eventually the cold will win out.

There are lots of times when we think a fish is doing fine or they are perfect when really if they could talk they would tell us a thing or two. If water parameters are not meet for fish and plants for that matter, we can not assume they fair well with the setup. Profiles are in place to inform us on the requirements and should be taken lightly. Compatibility is a whole other topic in itself and should also be thoroughly considered .
 
#7 ·
Well the ph I have is the hand I've been dealt with and I know it's best to just leave it be than to try and adjust. I don't like cichlids so that wasn't an option. The only fish I worry about long term with the Ph I have are the albino cories. I know it's a little out of their range. The Cory profile on here says up to 7.5 but I've seen on numerous sites that it can withstand ranges up to 8.0. So going off the 8.0, with my ph they may be able to withstand long term. Guess I'll see
 
#8 ·
The ph scale is fairly interesting in relation to the values on the chart. A few points here and there may not seem like a lot to us but there is a huge difference for sure. For example a ph of 8.0 is 10x more alkaline than 7.0. A ph of 6.0 is 10x more acidic than a ph of 7.0, and a ph of 6.0 is 100x more acidic than a ph of 8.0. Just food for thought.

Keep an eye on the fish. Note the life span expectancies of the fish in your tank. If they don't fair well, the water may be up for consideration for change. I agree about the ciclids, lol. I don't care much for them either anymore. A bit too aggressive for my liking.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top