Is My Tank Over Stocked?

[ferco]

Hi there, i just wanted to check, as you can see in my sig; i have a 10 Gal tank, and am moving my 8 neon Tetras and the Dwarf Gourami into it, after a few suggestions, i am also moving the phantoms into it as well... is this overstocked, or do i still have room for a few shrimp? i was looking at mabye 5 cherry shrimp...? thanks in advance

 

[ArcticLancer]

If I recall correctly, black phantoms are (Like near every other tetra) schooling fish. Should you really be keeping only 2?
Otherwise, in a 10 gallon, I probably wouldn't put anything more in. Personally, I'd think it was overstocked, even if only just, so keeping up on water changes should balance it out.

Other note - I'm not entirely sure of this, but is there a chance that a dwarf gourami would attack shrimp under the right circumstances? Just throwing that out there for the sake of it.

 

[wendywc]

You are a little overstocked. I would return the black phantom tetras back to the LFS. I agree with ArcticLancer, 2 isn't a proper school for them and you don't have room for a school of them anyway.

I haven't kept shrimp, so I can't say. But 5 cherry shrimps is a lot for a 10 gallon with 10+ fish already -- even if people don't count shrimp in the inch-per-gallon rule.

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Black phantoms are deep bodied tetras and so should be left alone by the angels, you could leave them in the 180 and get more to create a shoal. Cherry shrimp are surprisingly small so i'd go for one of the bigger shrimp if you plan to keep the gourami with them.

Emma

 

[ferco]

right, i understand what your all saying, i was going to get more black phantoms when they were staying in the rio 180, but then i was told i should move them away from angels, i can't remember if it was becasue they may get eaten or because they may nip at the angels???... anway, if it is ok to keep them in with angels.... then i will buy them some friends... then the tanks should be balanced...? also if anyone thinks that black phantoms should not got with angels please say! lol, thanks everyone.

 

[Ian M]

My black phantoms were fin nippers and they were kept in an understocked tank with Angels. I eventually had to return them to the LFS. I found they were fine at first but started nipping fins as they got older.

Ian

 

[ferco]

ok.... thats a bit of a blow... i am either going to return the phantoms, or if anyone here is intersted... or more likely as i hate getting rid of fish, i will buy another smalish tank... and put 6 of them in there... yes that is what i might do... criky fish keeping is expensive... lol

 

[ajbettle]

shrimps have a very low waste load so u cud quite a few shrimps and only contribute a small waste load