Whatta ya mean... crowded?

Well, I do read so often remarks about crowded tanks. And people have the highest alert at that moment to warn the owner of that specifc tank. And that for a good reason, of course. But most of my tanks are breeding tanks. Which means, that on a regular bases, I've got overstocked tanks overhere. But no worries... There's a specific serious scene where those overstock will go to. But in the meantime that the tanks are crowded, I don't have any losses. The tanks remain in balance. But I'd like to show that a crowded tank can be handled in a good way without stressing those fish and yourself. Of course, me having multiple tanks, maintenance is just a routine to me. But a lot of people think it's a very time consuming thing. As long as you won't become stressed yourself because others tell you to do this and that so often (so, that you don't know where to begin...), there's really not that much to it. The more you do things in the tank, the faster it will be out of balance.
You just need to know what you're doing.

emeraldking said:

Well, I do read so often remarks about crowded tanks. And people have the highest alert at that moment to warn the owner of that specifc tank. And that for a good reason, of course. But most of my tanks are breeding tanks. Which means, that on a regular bases, I've got overstocked tanks overhere. But no worries... There's a specific serious scene where those overstock will go to. But in the meantime that the tanks are crowded, I don't have any losses. The tanks remain in balance. But I'd like to show that a crowded tank can be handled in a good way without stressing those fish and yourself. Of course, me having multiple tanks, maintenance is just a routine to me. But a lot of people think it's a very time consuming thing. As long as you won't become stressed yourself because others tell you to do this and that so often (so, that you don't know where to begin...), there's really not that much to it. The more you do things in the tank, the faster it will be out of balance.
You just need to know what you're doing.

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Oh my god, there's so many!! What are these? A little hard to tell.

I agree with breeding tanks I mean let’s face it most lfs have cramped tanks but I doubt they do daily maintenance on them

Guyb93 said:

I agree with breeding tanks I mean let’s face it most lfs have cramped tanks but I doubt they do daily maintenance on them

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Seeing my LFS with their tank of red tail sharks always puts me on edge. They look like pool noodles and take up so much of the tank that there might as well be no water left.

We usually tell newbies in the hobby not to overstock their normal tanks because they don’t do enough maintenance on them for the fish to stay healthy and happy.

PlasticGalaxy said:

Seeing my LFS with their tank of red tail sharks always puts me on edge. They look like pool noodles and take up so much of the tank that there might as well be no water left.

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Same as my local stores always makes me think as people say only keep one to a tank but maybe it’s 100 I get confused sometimes ahahah

Guyb93 said:

Same as my local stores always makes me think as people say only keep one to a tank but maybe it’s 100 I get confused sometimes ahahah

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Yep!! Our local one says "one per tank" but the Maidenhead Aquatics nearby has maybe a dozen in there? All longer rather than fatter like most red tails.

PlasticGalaxy said:

Oh my god, there's so many!! What are these? A little hard to tell.

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These are bluetail splitfins (Ataeniobius toweri). These belong to the goodeids. Goodeids are real livebearer unlike ovoviviparous livebearers such as guppies, swordtails, mollies,,platies, etc...
And these are friendly goodeids. A serious number of goodeids are real fin nippers. With the right light, the males can become very blue colored.

Guyb93 said:

I agree with breeding tanks I mean let’s face it most lfs have cramped tanks but I doubt they do daily maintenance on them

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Well, I don't have to do a daily maintenance to keep them wel. But at an average lfs, they just don't take the time to do a proper maintenance during opening hours. And that's pretty ironic, for they are the ones that give advice to the customer how to maintain them. Not all lfs's are willing to do the maintenance after opening hours. They just wanna go home...

PlasticGalaxy said:

Seeing my LFS with their tank of red tail sharks always puts me on edge. They look like pool noodles and take up so much of the tank that there might as well be no water left.

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Yes, that's something I do see quite often at stores. But to a lot of stores, those fish are just meant for selling. It stands for money and nothing more (with some exceptions, of course).

PheonixKingZ said:

We usually tell newbies in the hobby not to overstock their normal tanks because they don’t do enough maintenance on them for the fish to stay healthy and happy.

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That's justified with novice aquarists to keep the number of fish low. It needs more experience to keep a crowded tank well.

emeraldking said:

That's justified with novice aquarists to keep the number of fish low. It needs more experience to keep a crowded tank well.

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I pretty much went in with an overcrowded tank... Not overstocked to the point where it caused fish fatalities, but overstocked by TFF's community standards. Got ordered around by some random guy on here for it. Demanding that I get a 200 gallon tank and rehome both of my plecos right away, haha.

A month later, my obsessive attitude towards maintenance means that I've not hit a single bump in the road yet.

Hello,
I see no soil, no plants, nothing that could remind their biotope. I would say that you are a breeder, who reduces tank maintenance to a minimum since 1) the fishes are not meant to stay at home, 2) they are schooling fishes that need to live together, and 3) these are livebearers hence crowded tanks.
Most breeders do this way as it makes life easier.

Avel1896 said:

Hello,
I see no soil, no plants, nothing that could remind their biotope. I would say that you are a breeder, who reduces tank maintenance to a minimum since 1) the fishes are not meant to stay at home, 2) they are schooling fishes that need to live together, and 3) these are livebearers hence crowded tanks.
Most breeders do this way as it makes life easier.

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Well, most tanks are having substrate or other soil overhere. But some have not. And yes, I'm a breeder...
But the main thing is that they stay healthy and stress free...

No soil/substrate and no plants is typic of a breeder

Just for the heck of it...
Most of us get fish from breeders.

@emeraldking ruffled my feathers for a bit.
Why? I guess we all wish we didn't
think about "commercial" breeding.
But...
He has grow-out tanks. And contributes a lot to the forum.
Doesn't push sales (at least that I have seen), and pretty sure he loves fish.
Livebearers esp.
And, he's kinda cute, ?
I digress
...

I get emotionally ill at Petco/ Petsmart.
Even the so called "good" ones.
I have left bawling my eyes out over a turtle. Literally bawling like a baby left alone.

I have a great LFS. I'm sure they aren't perfect. Their betta are in bowls...little, but not cups. They give me good advice...except for a new guy who forgot to tell me about Dario Dario being carnivores. But, I trust them.
I had 2, lost one, and they helped me rehome one--to an employee.

Without them I may still have a betta...those tiny tiny cups on the way to the cat food aisle just kill me, but not the tanks I have now, humble though they be. I have those because of my LFS.

I guess I really struggle with keeping fish in tanks. I might delete this post.

All apologies if I have interpreted posts on this thread incorrectly. I think we all project our experiences onto others.

Peace

vanalisa said:

Just for the heck of it...
Most of us get fish from breeders.

@emeraldking ruffled my feathers for a bit.
Why? I guess we all wish we didn't
think about "commercial" breeding.
But...
He has grow-out tanks. And contributes a lot to the forum.
Doesn't push sales (at least that I have seen), and pretty sure he loves fish.
Livebearers esp.
And, he's kinda cute, ?
I digress
...

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Oh wow, I'm flattered...

Well, it's not exactly commercial breeding. It's got also to do with research and preserving specific strains. For a number of them are endangered in free nature. I do support a project to release captive bred wild species into their natural habitat.
And yes, I do take care of all of my fish. Thusfar in a good manner, I think...
Most that will buy my fish are serious people who are active within the breeding program of rare livebearers and scientific field. I only sell to an lfs if cumstoners are asking for a specific strain that an average wholesaler won't provide to the lfs. Or if an lfs wants to offer a rare species. But also an overstock of my mutts are easy to sell to an lfs. For they know that I won't sell any rubbish.
I'm very stubborn in one specific thing. And that is that I won't sell (or donate) fish that are sick. Eventhough, one is begging me to sell them because they are rare. I know enough people that will sell them without any thoughts. A sick fish will stay at my place. That's final! I've got a reputation to protect. For my name does not apply to only my country but also abroad.