I have a 29 gallon tall freshwater tank and I am wondering if I went about stocking it all wrong. Am I overstocked? Should I change anything? I’ve got lots of higher-end fake plants, fake rubber coral, and a rock with holes in through it for hiding spots (yes, I know that they are freshwater fish, but I like the tropic look of the fake coral). I am also running a Biowheel filter, an additional Top Fin filter (thought it couldn’t hurt to leave it in after I bought the Biowheel), and a long bubble stone under my gravel.
Anyway, here is my stock:
2 Dalmation Lyretail Mollies,
2 Cremecycle Lyretail Mollies,
1 Silver Lyretail Molly,
3 Tiger Barbs,
3 Cherry Barbs,
2 Golden Barbs,
2 Zebra Danios,
1 Black Skirted Tetra,
2 Blueberry Tetras (which I wish I knew were dyed because I wouldn’t have bought them),
1 Khuli Loach,
1 Rainbow Shark,
3 Guppies,
and a Blue Lobster.
What do you think? Many people have told me that the rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. But I have also heard it's a 1/2 inch of fish per gallon. And I've heard that that rule is just no good at all. I'm so confused... Please help if you can. I think I may have gotten out of control.
You should be ok for now if you get rid of the tetras, and get like 3 more zebra danios cuz they don't live well alone. You might not want the loach either, but u should be fine, just know that tetras and danios live best is groups!
I have a few comments also. The one inch per fish per gallon can be used as a guidline only. Obviously you can't house a ten inch fish in a ten gl aquarium.
You have alot of fish in there that are schooling fish but none of them are at the right numbers as far as schooling. The tiger barb is an active schooling fish that is usually kept in groups of five or more. They are often aggressive in numbers less than 5 and are known fin nippers. If you only keep two or three in a tank, they will eventually chase the other fish. When in a large enough groups they tend to spend most of their time chasing each other and leave the other fish alone.
Kuhli loaches are a social fish. They are not schooling fish but enjoy the company of their species and do best when kept in a group. When kept solo they usually will spend most their time hiding.
Maybe you can return some of your fish and then add to the other fish you decide to keep to increase their numbers so they are in *proper* schools?
That's what I was just about to say, some of these fish need bigger schools to feel comfortable in there environment especially w/ all the fish you currently have.
What I would recommend is to either to...
Set up a new fish tank, send some fish back to the store, or give them to someone you know.
In the end, research which fish are "schooling fish", and buy the recommended amount.
W/ the 1" to 1 gallon guideline, I'd say this only works w/ fish up to 3"...if your fish are over 3" it doesn't even apply.
Anyway, here is my stock:
2 Dalmation Lyretail Mollies,
2 Cremecycle Lyretail Mollies,
1 Silver Lyretail Molly,
3 Tiger Barbs,
3 Cherry Barbs,
2 Golden Barbs,
2 Zebra Danios,
1 Black Skirted Tetra,
2 Blueberry Tetras (which I wish I knew were dyed because I wouldn’t have bought them),
1 Khuli Loach,
1 Rainbow Shark,
3 Guppies,
and a Blue Lobster.
What do you think? Many people have told me that the rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. But I have also heard it's a 1/2 inch of fish per gallon. And I've heard that that rule is just no good at all.
Mollies: They'll make a lot more of them selves.
Tiger barbs: There might be aggresion problems in such a small group.
Rainbow shark: Will grow biig and aggresive.
Guppies: Same thing with mollies.
The tank seems okay for now. It makes me uncomfortable to see 20 fish in a 29 gallon. I, personally prefer to stock lightly. There actually is no "rule of thumb". Just use common sense. Many of the species you have like to be in groups. I think that you should reduce the number of species in your tank.
Lobster will make short work of the khuli loach if he can catch it. Mollys will have babies unles they are all males. Rainbow shark will as mentioned get aggressive. I would keep the barbs and add to their numbers while reducing some of the others.
Thank you, everyone, for your input. I removed my guppies and tetras to a 10 gallon tank. Supposedly, all of my guppies are male, but that's only if I trust the pet shop to be correct. I added three more tetras to the tank, so 3 guppies and six tetras in the 10 gallon.
I thought that three tiger barbs was the minimum, but I'll plan to pick up two or three more. As far as the barbs, my LFS said that the cherry barbs and golden barbs would school together, is that not true? So far they keep to their separate colors...
My mom has some zebra danios in her tank, so I'm going to give her my two danios.
So that leaves me with 15 fish and the lobster in my 29 gallon. Maybe I'll add another loach in the future, but this one seems pretty active and luckily he's MUCH faster than my lobster.
Thanks again everyone!
the loach will enjoy company of its species so i would get rid of tetras and gte maybe 2 more loaches and mollies will reproduct and will eventually oercrowd your tank ......just kepp this is mind.............
Ive had a snail catch a hatchet fish... so its entirely possible for a lobster to catch a loach.
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