Seems Overcrowded...

[wingedjumper517]

Hey guys, I'm a newbie here, and thought I'd start out with this seemingly silly question...

I was over a family friend's house last weekend, when their beautiful 55gal (semi-aggressive) caught my eye. It had fake plastic plants and those treasure chests and pots and was a really nice layout, but...

I saw fish everywhere! Usually, when I look at tanks, I like to be able to look around to see what's hiding in there, to see if I can spot the fish. But in this tank, it was quite the opposite, where fish were swimming in every direction and I didn't know where to focus my eyes!

Here is what I could see and took note of...
2 tinfoil barbs (still only about 5" cuz I know they get to be about 13")
7 albino tiger barbs
1 columbian catfish (about 6")
1 pangasius catfish (about 6")
2 clown loaches
1 synodontis eupterus
1 turquoise rainbow
2 gouramis (not sure what kind, but I'm pretty sure they're community while the rest of the tank was semi-aggressive)
1 bala shark (still only about 3")
1 bumble bee catfish (about 4")
1 rainbow shark
1 cory catfish
1 chinese algae eater
-----------------------
22 fish total

Now according to her, she wants to add a couple more loaches, some tiger barbs, and a catfish or two to what already seems to me like an overcrowded tank...

Now, did the tank just seem crowded to me b/c they were all out at once and none of them had their own specific "territory," or has her "collection" of fish outgrown her 55gal tank? I think it may have been less crowded if for example the barbs and loaches were schooling, but every single fish in the tank was pretty much roaming every section of the tank in both directions, up and down. It was just a big mixed up jumble of fish, but they all seemed very happy and active, and she said all of her readings (nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, pH) were normal...

I'd appreciate some feedback. Thanks!

 

[Soaup]

The tank right now sounds over crowded.. She is gonna need to get an even larger tank soo to take care of the bala and the tinfoils and anything else that gets large.. Right now sounds over crowded and i dont think the adding of more fish is a good idea.

 

[dwarfgourami]

The tank right now sounds over crowded.. She is gonna need to get an even larger tank soo to take care of the bala and the tinfoils and anything else that gets large

wasn't there something about a pangasius catfish, too?

Has your friend got a contingency plan, wingedjumper, for when that grows bigger than she is?

I agree with you; I dont like these tanks that look like a crowded shopping mall on a Saturday afternoon. And I'm sure the fish don't like them either. Fishkeepers like that seem more interested in collecting more different species than in the habitat/natural behaviour thing.

Of course there are fish you could happily keep 22 of in that tank- 22 neons would look fine and be perfectly happy- but this mix does sound a bit overwhelming.

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. I thought i was getting towards the limit in my 55 with the small amount of fish that i have. I would say that tank of your friends is terribly overstocked. I wouldn't think it would be the best situation for the fish, and i could see the water stats going sour quickly if maintenance wasn't carefully monitored. I think that if people want to have that many fish, and fish of many different varieties, then they should get more than one tank.

 

[PeterM]

Wow... there are few things more irritating than people treating fish like theyre decorative ornaments that you can squeeze together as tight as possible because they look nice. Theyre alive just like everyone else and should be respected as such.

I really wish people would research what their fish need to survive. Its all very well for inconsiderate fishkeepers to simple shrugh off the rapid death of their fish with a replacement fish... but its not so good for the fish. I really hope the tank owner realises this sooner rather than later.

That tank is heavily overstocked as it is.

Poor Corydora

 

[gadazobe]

I have to agree with all the above, the tank is extremely overstocked now and a lot of her fish are going to get much to big for that sized tank. Please tell her to read up on the basics of fish keeping because it seems that she has no idea what she's doing.