Have I overstocked?

[Sam1060]

Hello everyone, I’m new to the forum. I have had my tank for about 1 year, it’s a fluval flex 57 ltr (12.5 gal).

Currently I have 1 large drift wood and 2 other bits of wood(spider wood I think. It looks like roots) it is planted with a lot of Java moss on the wood, a small amount of star grass and a small amount of lobelia cardinalis (tall median leaf plant) Planted in the substrate
The fish I have are
2 female platy’s
1 male guppie
3 danios (2 zebra 1 leopard)
1 dwarf gourami
1 angel
5 amano shrimp

Is this overstocked? Could I add more shrimp, possibly 2 guppies and 1 platy

I know the angel is going to be too big very soon but I seems happy at the moment. I’m currently moving house. When I have moved I’ll be looking at getting a larger tank 230ltr or bigger what ever the wife will allow. PH is 7.0-7.2, ammonia and nitrite is 0 nitrate is 20-40ppm. Tested last night and a 50% WC after test. I also have softer water but all fish have been in the tank for a while.
Thanks for taking the time to read. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[On_a_dishy]

I'm too new to offer advice, but I have 2 x 34l Fluval tanks, and I love them! So easy to cycle, and the media all hidden away. Good luck with your house move!

 

[Naughts]

Hello and welcome
I would say that the tank is fully stocked regarding the size of the fish/ tank.
In terms of the species of the fish it is overstocked. As you know, the angel needs a much bigger tank. Also danios are very active fish that need a tank 90cm long minimum and a shoal of at least 6. Once you have the bigger tank I recommend that you prioritise increasing the danio numbers.
With soft water it is not recommended to add any more hard water fish like platies or guppies as the lack of minerals puts a strain on the fish, weakening them and shortening their lives.
I am crossing fingers that you can get the bigger tank!

 

[Sam1060]

Ok thanks, I didn’t think danios was my mine priority tbh I thought it would have been the angel. Daughter got a small 10 ltr tank for Christmas last year as a present from her uncle with 2X danios and a platy. I felt super uncomfortable with them in such a small tank so went out and got this one in January. I certainly will be getting a bigger tank I’m obsessed with watching them, daughter not so much.
Is there anything I could do with the hardness of the water to make platys and guppy happier or should I leave as they have been fine so far?

 

[Naughts]

If you increased the hardness for the guppies and platies (some people recommend Rift lake cichlid minerals- I haven't used them though), the soft water fish could suffer. Soft water fish in hard water get a detrimental build up of excess minerals on their internal organs. There really is no happy medium and it is best to stock fish that match the water. Do you know the GH of your water in numbers? The information may feature on your water suppliers website.

 

[Sam1060]

If you increased the hardness for the guppies and platies (some people recommend Rift lake cichlid minerals- I haven't used them though), the soft water fish could suffer. Soft water fish in hard water get a detrimental build up of excess minerals on their internal organs. There really is no happy medium and it is best to stock fish that match the water. Do you know the GH of your water in numbers? The information may feature on your water suppliers website.

The water suppliers website says

Typical water hardness is soft
Hardness Clarke is 2.31.

other information is about where it is from and other stuff. Above makes no sense to me tbh. Does it make any difference that the fish in my tank a all from my LFS that’s about 2 miles away so tap waters should be very similar. I understand what you mean about the other fish I have.

 

[Naughts]

'..makes no sense...'
@essjay is brilliant at explaining water chemistry.

I think 2.31 Clarke (English degrees) converts to the units used in fish keeping of 1.8 dH (German degrees) or 32ppm which is indeed very soft. You can use Seriously Fish to look up species requirements.

Seriously Fish — Feeling fishy?

seriouslyfish.com

'... LFS water very similar...'
The evolution of the fish species over thousands of years is what is relevant to their tolerance of water parameters, not the conditions that fish has had during their lifetime. This is despite anything the LFS tell you to the contrary!

 

[Sam1060]

Oh ok thanks for all you advice. I shall add more danios when I have a larger tank and I’ll ensure to only add soft water fish using seriously fish thanks for the link.

 

[Essjay]

If you intend keeping the 57 litre running alongside a bigger tank, you could use Rift Lake salts to make the water in the 57 litre harder and keep the platies and guppy in there. Move just the soft water fish to the bigger tank.


Re the danios, the leopard is actually the same species as the zebras. It was once thought to be a different species but is now recognised as a spontaneous mutation of striped zebra. This means you can mix the two to create a shoal should you wish.

 

[Sam1060]

If you intend keeping the 57 litre running alongside a bigger tank, you could use Rift Lake salts to make the water in the 57 litre harder and keep the platies and guppy in there. Move just the soft water fish to the bigger tank.


Re the danios, the leopard is actually the same species as the zebras. It was once thought to be a different species but is now recognised as a spontaneous mutation of striped zebra. This means you can mix the two to create a shoal should you wish.

I think I would have to keep it running just for those fish. I was always thinking to just use it for a quarantine tank but know I now about the different hardness fish like I will have todo for the fish’s well-being. Thanks.