Overstocking

[Tropserenity87]

Just a curious question... What would you define as overstocking?

 

[minnnt]

More than your tank/filter can cater for...

 

[Frazzledazzle]

Asda buying in more goods than they need? Ohhhhhhh!

Well, as stated, more than your filter can handle. I have two filters running (ones going into my new tank soon) to take on the load of 7 cardinals, 3 corys and 10 adult guppy but around 40 older fry in a 60 litre.

 

[the_lock_man]

Simplisticly, yes, it's more fish than the filter can handle. But then there's other factors as well. You wouldn't have two common plecs in a 100l, just because you've got a filter rated for a 500l tank. OK, that's an extreme example, but you can have physically too many fish, in spite of what your filter can process, and that can be stressful for fish.

 

[Tolak]

Just a curious question... What would you define as overstocking?

When it starts to look like more fish than water it's time to split stock between two tanks.

 

[mike455555]

more than your filter can take...

quick question... if u have 2 filters running in the same tank could you stock more fish e.g neons?

 

[Geoff-]

overstocking is more fish than your tank OR filter can handle, whichever is lower.

if you put too many territorial fish in a small area they will be continually fighting and stressed, and be vulnerable to diseases. if you mix peaceful species in a community tank then you can fit more in. so just because they physically fit and the filter will handle it doesn't mean you should do it.

Incidentally, a filter will usually handle quite a big fish load however your nitrates will skyrocket because you have to feed more. Every bit of food you put in the tank ends up as nitrates so the more fish you have the more food you need and the more regular and significant your water changes need to be to manage it. Overstock a tank and you could be doing 40% weekly changes just to keep nitrates manageable, because your filter won't process nitrates any further.

 

[thisguyek]

quite a few variables when asking about overstocking. depends on cleaning schedule, live plants vs fake, species of fish... etc


If you keep up on your water changes, you can usually stock more that what your filter is rated for. keep testing the water to make sure your parameters are in order.

your nitrates will undoubtedly skyrocket as geoff stated. If your tank contains a lot of live plants, it will help control those nitrates as they use them as a food source. they will not however control all of them, so water changes are still required

depending on species of fish, you obviously cant keep many territorial fish in a tank as geoff said again. best bet for overstock... which is not really recommended anyway... is to keep it to one or two peaceful species. maybe a good shoaling community fish

hope it helped