Stocking question

[agentunkind]

I currently have a 20gal tank that has been going for about 7 months now. It has a gravel substrate and Hagen Aquaclear 30 HOB. Its planted with fake plants and this was my fist aqaurium and I didn't want to get in over my head.
The current stock in is is

1 Bloodfin tetra (rescued from a friend)
4 Harlequin Rasabora's
1 Dwarf Gourami
2 Platy's
2 Oto's


Im wondering if my tank is over stocked or if I can add 2 more Harlequin's or would that be pushing it?

Alex

 

[Snailguy101]

Leave it at that

 

[houndour]

i reckon you could add 2 more harlequins. However I am guessing at their full grown sizes....i reckon you have 20" of fish there. I wouldnt have thought 24" would hurt.

I can just tell Im going to have someone shout at me for saying that now

 

[eudielynn]

You are pretty close to being fully stocked now. However, before I added anything else, I would add 2 more otos. They should really be kept in groups of 4 or more. JMHO

 

[sylvia]

The otos should be ok, as should the harlequins (even though their groups are still slightly smaller than ideal), but I think you should do something about the lone tetra. Getting a couple more is one option but it may be best to re-home it or give it to your LFS and replace it with a couple of harlequins or an oto. As your tank is now, a couple more harlequins should be ok. The one inch guideline isn't fixed. provided you are doing weekly water changes of around 25%/gravel vacs., not over-feeding and your tank is filtered adequately, there should be no problems. Check your nitrAtes also to be certain; they should be under 20-40pp. If they are and your fish are all healthy, a few more additions won't hurt.

 

[Morrgan]

In my opinion, give away the lone tetra and get a couple more harlequins instead. Also, if it were my tank, I'd give away the platies as well (they really should be kept in hard, alkaline water, unlike the rest of your fish) and get a couple more ottos instead of them. As eudielynn said, they do prefer groups, even if they're not strictly schooling fish.