Stocking - How Many Fish Can I Have?

[Benunited]

Hi folks

Wonder if anyone can advise or point me in the direction of a responsible website that can advise on stocking numbers.

I've a 260 juwel tank - so plenty of room for lots of fish. It's been fully cycled and over the past six months I've slowly been increasing how many fish I have.

So far I have:

15 cardinal tetras
6 fancy guppies
5 tiny versions of guppies
3 juli corys
2 pepper corys
1 plec
2 dwarf frogs
1 snail

So, 32 fish overall plus the frogs and snail.

Obviously I need to remember the fish will grow and depending on whether any fry born aren't eaten the potential of babies arriving.

The guppies are all males - or certainly should be - but I'm assuming the others could breed.

I don't want to add too many more but would plan on increasing the cardinals to around 25 to make a really nice sized shoal.

I also have 5 glowlight tetras waiting to be moved from the isolation tank to the main tank. Plus I'd like around 8 rummy nose tertras as well. That would take me to around 55 fish.

Looking at the types above, would anyone say this would be too many? Or point me in the direction of a website which would advise?

I've of course read a few books and sites etc but none have stood out as providing great advice. For example, some advice is add the lengths of your fish together and ensure the measurement isn't longer than your tank - but that's not taking into account depth etc.

Some also say how many fish per cubic litre - but that's not taking into account fish size.

Whatever I add, I'll always add them slowly, continue to test the water etc and only add fish once I'm sure I have space, the fish are happy and that newcomers spend a couple of weeks in the isolation tank.

Thanks!

Ben

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Top of your shopping list should be three more Julli Cories and four more Peppered Cories, they really do much better in 6+ groups of their own species...

Continuing the mainly Americas theme you have going on, some Hatchetfish for the surface could be nice in a 6+ group, ideally 10+ if you can.

The Rummynose would also do better in a 10+ group, not to mention they will look awsome.

Either a group of "Giant Otos" (Hypoptopoma inexspectatum) or some Otos (I'm considering the lovely Zebra/cocoma) could be a lovely addition.

Stocking wise, its hard for any of us to say without more details about your setup...

• What filter(s) do you run on what is presumeable a 260l tank?
• Is it "planted?" If so, are they plants fast/medium rate growers, which often come hand-in-hand with fertilisers; high intensity lighting; a carbon source; under-substrate nutrients?

At least its in your favour that I don't see any aggressive fish in your setup, that will fight for territory, with the exception of possibly your plec.

 

[Benunited]

Thanks - re filter, comes built in with the 260 litre juwel, so I just use that... if that makes sense?

As for plants, I opted for plastic rather than real...

Definitely don't want any aggressive ones in there. Plec occasionally throws his weight around a little, but nothing serious I don't think

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Having just quickly looked at the "Seapets" website, you should have the 1000 pump (it will be written on pump's label). My Rio240 would normally have the same setup, except after installing the Eheim 2078 external filter, I put the 1000 pump in my Korrall60 to boost the Juwel Compact filter's filtration capacity and installed the Korrall's bottle-necking 280 pump in the Rio240's Bio 8 chamber (so that a small bacterial colony can supplement the Eheim).

Real plants will help control both the ammonia and ntrate levels if they are relatively speedy growers, however I believe the nitrites (second most toxic chemical typically found in a fish tank) will still have to be processed by the bacterial colony in your filter. Consequently, they help keep a safe environenment for the fish as the stocking approaches "bursting point." I'm no "green-fingered" guru or anything close, but my planted tank is thriving, so much so I had to move excess plant growth to the Korrall60 (which my Indian Red Tail Squirrel Loaches and Pearl Danio fry love).

The most obvious gap waiting to be filled is just below the water surface. Perhaps add the Glowlight Tetras; boost the Cory numbers of both species to six; add 6-10 top-dwellers and then see how things look for a while before maybe adding some Rummynose if you think there looks room?

 

[Biulu]

Try this website: http/##143###.com/

I found it to be quite reliable.

Apparently it doesn't allow me to mention this site. Just look for Aq advisor in google and you'll find it.