Am i overstocked

Hi guys and girls,

I am a little confused. I have checked some online calculators and it seems i might be over stocked however my tank visually looks good and fish seem to be happy enough all have their own areas and none are really fighting or overtly aggressive towards any of the other tank mates.

My tank is 252litres 60cm tall 40cm wide and 105cm length. The filter is an external fluval 307. Water changes are done approximately every 2 weeks water parameters never change soft water with ph about 6.5-7.5max and 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and less than 20 nitrate. Water temp around the 25degC mark. No live plants only artificial deco.

Current stock has been same for the last 6 months +/-
1x Angelfish
1x 3 spot Gourami
3x Polka Dot Loaches
2x Bristlenose Plec (both are still young 6month and both female)
1x Red Tailed Shark
4x Scissor Tailed Tetra
1x Balloon Mollie
6x Snake Skin Barbs
3x Tiger barbs
2x Green Tiger barbs
6x Odessa Barbs (3 male 3 female)

In my opinion, absolutely yes. But I always go with a low bioload for various reasons such as water parameters 'cushion,' growth of fish etc. Some of those fish will get big.

Post a picture showing the entire tank.

How often do you feed the fish and what do you feed them?

How much water do you change every 2 weeks?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?

How often and how do you clean the filter?
What filter materials/ media are in the filter?

I feed them once every other day sometimes once a day if planning to be away for couple of days. Herons food Multi Granules, Tropical Flakes, Algae Wafers, Freeze-dried Daphnia, Freeze Dried Bloodworm also give them the odd piece of cucumber from time to time. Food is eaten completely in about 15mins.​

A 50% water change which lowers tank almost to the filter suction level. I do a heavy gravel vacuum once every month and only a gentle vacuum in between. During heavy vacuum most of deco is removed and hand cleaned too.

Filter is cleaned using tank water from cleaning and is done about every 2 months I am still experimenting but 2 months I think is fine. Filter medium is just the standard that comes with filter. Nothing special.
I treat with seachem prime and stability when complete.

This will sound odd, but it's been my online experience that if someone asks if they are overstocked, they are. The question is usually the answer. We have a gut feeling, and we look for a friendly voice to say "No, it's fine."

If we're confident in our stocking, we don't ask that question.

So, what to do?

I'd proceed with an increase in water changes, to weekly. I would expect a little trouble down the line, as the red tailed shark ages and as the barbs grow. Things may not go well for the angelfish. Tiger barbs get much bigger than rhomboocellatus (I used to breed that fish but this is the first time I've seen snakeskin as a marketing name), and in small numbers (just 5) they may get nippy. Because of the size difference, they won't run together as an all barb social group.

That's down the line, but be prepared. Treat the tank as overstocked, and enjoy.

GaryE said:

This will sound odd, but it's been my online experience that if someone asks if they are overstocked, they are. The question is usually the answer. We have a gut feeling, and we look for a friendly voice to say "No, it's fine."

If we're confident in our stocking, we don't ask that question.

So, what to do?

I'd proceed with an increase in water changes, to weekly. I would expect a little trouble down the line, as the red tailed shark ages and as the barbs grow. Things may not go well for the angelfish. Tiger barbs get much bigger than rhomboocellatus (I used to breed that fish but this is the first time I've seen snakeskin as a marketing name), and in small numbers (just 5) they may get nippy. Because of the size difference, they won't run together as an all barb social group.

That's down the line, but be prepared. Treat the tank as overstocked, and enjoy.

Click to expand...

Hi Gary,
Yeah i think you are 100% right. I will keep a watchful eye on them and enjoy as much as possible. Thanks.

I'm a loach nut & I'll say you need 5-6 of the same species at a minimum, more is better. The shark will fight with both the loaches & plecos. Have a lot of hiding places for them all. The shark may chase everyone, not just bottom feeders. Think hard! Pretty as they are...they can be a PITA

I agree an angel & gouramis may be trouble as they grow.

I would skip the tetras (too few) & go with more barbs of both species. I haven't kept rhombos or Odessas (yet) but like them more than tigers that I have had. I think Odessa's are much smaller than rhombos & may get picked on. But I might be wrong...

The molly is odd fish out. Can you give it away if it doesn't fit in? I don't keep livebearers after a few guppies & platys in the way back.

fishorama said:

I'm a loach nut & I'll say you need 5-6 of the same species at a minimum, more is better. The shark will fight with both the loaches & plecos. Have a lot of hiding places for them all. The shark may chase everyone, not just bottom feeders. Think hard! Pretty as they are...they can be a PITA

I agree an angel & gouramis may be trouble as they grow.

I would skip the tetras (too few) & go with more barbs of both species. I haven't kept rhombos or Odessas (yet) but like them more than tigers that I have had. I think Odessa's are much smaller than rhombos & may get picked on. But I might be wrong...

The molly is odd fish out. Can you give it away if it doesn't fit in? I don't keep livebearers after a few guppies & platys in the way back.

Click to expand...

Thanks Fishorama you gave me lots of infos there too,

Yes my tank set up is a little odd and the socialisation is kind of weird too.
I will try to explain some

About a year ago i had a tragedy and lost a bunch of fish. The molly and angelfish were survivors from that and both are now probably about 2-3 years old. They both lost friends back then. Hence the oddity they were in bigger groups. My confidence was also shattered and feared that it might have been me that was the problem and so thought best not to have same stock and repeat.

The gourami was "pretty" and i wanted something to sit in the upper water levels and did not want to get more angels after losing the ones i previously had. I had also lost 2 tigers and 3 green tigers. I feared getting additional tigers as i thought the older of the group would harass or even kill off the younger if i got them. So since i liked the barbs i decided to get the rhombos and Odessas.

I had actually planned six polka dot loaches but just wasn't sure at the time that i wanted to go that much especially considering the stock level i had already go to and they were a big unknown to me at the time although i had researched them a little. They are the ones i do like watching now however. The 3 i have i need to keep a close eye on they split 2-1 very seldom the three are together. One of them is quite a bit bigger than the other two.

The Red Tail is a replacement for the one i lost it and the 2 bristlenose plecos are the only ones that i dared to replace like for like.

The Angel holds her/his own against the tiger barbs.
The Redtail likes to chase the tiger barbs
The loaches and plecos don't bother anybody. I also see them often so they are not running scared.
The rhombos stay tight and keep to themselves.
The Odessas i think might become a problem but hopefully there is enough distraction and hiding spots in tank to cover that. i think but not sure if most of their chasing is within their own group.
The Molly is the funniest of the lot, he thinks he is a tiger barb and hangs out with them all the time.
The Scissor Tetras (originally 5) now 4 were bought to be different and to have something in the mid waters. They seem to be in a world of their own.