Maybe a silly question but why does the inch per gallon rule not apply to the fish shops? Following this rule it makes every fish shop i've been have hugely overstocked tanks. I know there filtration is far superior to anything the average home tank would have but the rule is not just there for water quality but for oxygen levels as well.
1" per gallon rule
- Thread starter andyM
- Start date
DevilsAdvocate
Fish Addict
fish shops are not peremanent residence for the fish...they merely put as many into a tank as they can fit so they can sell them and get the next lot fo fish in, the conditions are far from ideal, and the 1" of fish per gallon rules is complete crap IMO.
Jae1525
Fishaholic
You cant just say "its crap in your opinion" without giving a reason.
That just makes you look ignorant (no offence intended).
That just makes you look ignorant (no offence intended).
DevilsAdvocate
Fish Addict
why do i need a reason? its my opinion its what i think, im not trying to persuade anyone to think what i do..so i need to give no reason.
The-Wolf
Ex-LFS manager/ keeper of over 30 danio species
there is a metric rule
0.9cm of fish per liter for small fish, 0.74cm of fish per liter for medium fish and 0.58cm of fish per liter for large fish.
which IMHO is more acurate but it is still a rule of thumb and not set in stone
0.9cm of fish per liter for small fish, 0.74cm of fish per liter for medium fish and 0.58cm of fish per liter for large fish.
which IMHO is more acurate but it is still a rule of thumb and not set in stone
ajhainey
Fish Fanatic
How can 0.58 be a rule of thumb 
I thought the point of rules of thumb was that they were simplified, approximate and easy to remember!
aj xx
I thought the point of rules of thumb was that they were simplified, approximate and easy to remember!aj xx
Dwarfs
Fish Connoisseur
If you ever look at the water's surface in the stores, they usually and should have much more surface agitation in the tank, that way there is more air for the fish. And of course it is not perminent. As for the one inch per gallon, That only works with fish 4 inches or under, and even though dwarf puffers are on inch, they should be counted as two or three because of their mass and messy eating. Just an example 
Phantom Thief
Population Control Volunteer
Also, i think that the filter is a huge sump system which hides away hundreds of gallons in the back, which we cant see.
P.T.
P.T.
pandapops001
Fish Crazy
Okay, so i understand what you are all saying, but i've always been curious of this too.
IMO - no matter how temporary the fish at the lfs are they are still under the stress, my lfs uses small fluvals in their tanks (which are not much smaller than mine), and i have a fluval 4.
They usually have the fish for well over a week, so isnt this making the fish more prone to disease, especially when they have the amounts that they do in the tanks, my lfs had lots of male guppies in a tank with a siamese(they told me japanese) fighter fish - which i heard on here that it is bad because they fin nip the guppies. plus they had male swordtails together, with no females as well.
Not only this but they also keep the sexes together so newbies go out and buy say 3 fish they like and then all of a sudden they have babies which more than likely has overstocked their tank. I dont understand it...
Okay rant over sorry, but my black molly died of velvet, and at the lfs today i saw another black molly in the tank and was going to get it, until it turned in the tank, and the other side had velvet patches, i blamed myself so much for him dying, and he was probably sick at the shop.
IMO - no matter how temporary the fish at the lfs are they are still under the stress, my lfs uses small fluvals in their tanks (which are not much smaller than mine), and i have a fluval 4.
They usually have the fish for well over a week, so isnt this making the fish more prone to disease, especially when they have the amounts that they do in the tanks, my lfs had lots of male guppies in a tank with a siamese(they told me japanese) fighter fish - which i heard on here that it is bad because they fin nip the guppies. plus they had male swordtails together, with no females as well.
Not only this but they also keep the sexes together so newbies go out and buy say 3 fish they like and then all of a sudden they have babies which more than likely has overstocked their tank. I dont understand it...
Okay rant over sorry, but my black molly died of velvet, and at the lfs today i saw another black molly in the tank and was going to get it, until it turned in the tank, and the other side had velvet patches, i blamed myself so much for him dying, and he was probably sick at the shop.
Nauplii
Fish Herder
I agree with you DA i dont go by the 1 inch per gallon rule.... i can tell wat is ova crowded n not.....
i mean if i went by that in my 10gal tank id have 2 sailfins and a phantom....
wat silly rule
i mean if i went by that in my 10gal tank id have 2 sailfins and a phantom....
wat silly rule
Phantom Thief
Population Control Volunteer
Its really a RULE OF THUMB. It isnt the rule of the universe or something. It is a superb rule to make sure that newbies dont overstock. Its not perfect, but hey, what is?
P.T.
P.T.
Aquascaper
Fish Aficionado
IMO it varies depending on your filtration, tank setup, parameters, etc..
No two tanks are the same so someone running an external filter system could (IMO) stock more fish in the same space as someone running a small internal filter system, etc., etc..
I generally stick to the rule that if the fish are happy, healthy and the water parameters can be kept under control then the tank is not overstocked.
Spot on Phantom
No two tanks are the same so someone running an external filter system could (IMO) stock more fish in the same space as someone running a small internal filter system, etc., etc..
I generally stick to the rule that if the fish are happy, healthy and the water parameters can be kept under control then the tank is not overstocked.
Spot on Phantom
smithrc
My names Russell.... ....and I'm a
i watched our newest lfs being setup and the size of the water system is HUGE!
They are running 5 seperate systems for the different types of fish and each is massive (not sure of amounts) but they are big.
all of the tanks are connected making one very large (well 5 rather large) masses of very well filtered / oxygenated water.
They are running 5 seperate systems for the different types of fish and each is massive (not sure of amounts) but they are big.
all of the tanks are connected making one very large (well 5 rather large) masses of very well filtered / oxygenated water.
noelberg
Fishaholic
the main thing is that lfs' have to make a profit, and some fish are bound to die after transportation. having 5 tetras in a tank doesn't look very good to customers. and finally if a shop carries dyed fish, then of course they're not going to worry too much if their tanks are a bit overstocked. (plus all the other good points that have already been mentioned)
Is there some sort of guide that goes by bioload? This would be handy for community tanks.
Example: Would 2 of my glass cats (skinny, don't each much, and never have dingleberries) equal 1 of my swordtails in bioload, even though they are close in length?
Is there some sort of guide that goes by bioload? This would be handy for community tanks.
Example: Would 2 of my glass cats (skinny, don't each much, and never have dingleberries) equal 1 of my swordtails in bioload, even though they are close in length?
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