Stocking-A how to guide

[Fishman1995]

Okay i have been VERY curious lately, how do you guys judge if a fish gets to big for a tank? Because i know guppys are said to be kept in a minumum of 10 gallons and some fancy's 20. Mine seem VERY happy in my 5.5 gallon. I think that you could even keep Males in a 5.5 gallon or anything above that comfortably. Now obviously my CAE is gonna outgrow the 5.5 gallon beeing he;s gonna get ENOURMOUS and VICIOUS. But i don't see how a Molly or swordtail is to big for my tank? They dont get all that big, a pair should be fine?

So i guess my question is, how do you judge if a fish is to big for a certain size tank unless its common sense and you dont go by the internet? I mean someone had to come up with the figures of why or how? Id like everyone possible to give input.

 

[misterking]

Figures don't come into it, it's all judgement.

A fish may technically FIT into a tank but it probably won't be happy. Judging that mollies get to about 3 or 4 inches, a pair would not be happy in a 5 gallon tank. They're boisterous and very active and need a lot of swimming space, which a 5 just doesn't offer them. Same applied to swordtails except add an inch or so onto there (including sword). What you've also got to realise is livebearers breed like rabbits. A small tank ends up overcrowded in no time.

Male guppies would probably do fine in the 5 if you kept numbers very small (I'd say no more than 3). They're quite small fish, their bodies not being any bigger than a small tetra.

Realistically it's just common sense. I wouldn't want to be cramped into a tiny office or tiny bedroom, so I imagine fish to be the same. It's generally better to give them maximum space so they're happiest.

 

[HEADIN]

Well summed up rob. Even working in a large office with 7-10 ppl gets too much and we get to go home at the end of the day.
Fish dont and that is there world so optimum conditions are the aim.

 

[aakaakaak]

Rob wins. End of discussion.

 

[misterking]

Rob wins. End of discussion.

I do try!

Headin had it totally right with that last statement. It's our responsibility to provide them with optimum conditions so that they thrive and live long, healthy, happy lives.

This is why it's better for young people and beginners to have larger tanks because, and no offence intended for you fishman, they want every colourful and interesting-looking fish they want and have a hard time understanding "fish ethics".

 

[Fishman1995]

Thank you Rob. But you have me figured all wrong, i do have an issue when i stock, but its not wanting all the colorful interesting fish but it does still involve needing either a bigger tank or dwarf fish.

My issue is i like an active tank. I cant just be happy with 2 fish in a tank. I belive all fish (with the exception of the mean aggresive ones) Like having friends and there happier and interact more. Which is why next weekend im getting 2 more Tequila sunrise guppys.

Another issue i have is i dont feel fish of the same speices such as cories for example, would be quite as comfortable schooling with a different color or size cory. Such as 2 peppereds and 2 dwarfs. Or even 2 Peppereds and 2 bronze corys. Which is why i wouldnt be happy with 2 Blue cobra guppys with my tequila's.

Also, what size should i move my CAE out of the 5.5 gallon and give him to my friend with a 55 gallon?

 

[ryanoh]

Guppies aren't really "schooling fish" though, so you'd be fine with a different color morph.

 

[misterking]

Well it's not as if the blue and tequila ones are different species. I highly doubt your current guppies would turn racist against the blue ones lol! I used to have countless colour varieties together. They all interbred and I got even more interesting colours and patterns. They're really not fussy. Also, cories will and do shoal with different cory species quite often though it does depend on the fish.

If you want an active tank you need a bigger tank unfortunately. Even nano fish like microrasboras would be better in a 10 than your 5. You're not going to get any particularly active fish in your 5.

Fish don't really need "friends". Some need company, either in a pair, group or shoal depending on the species to help them feel more secure, but some are just happier on their own. Lots of larger cichlid species such as oscars even become quite attached to their owner. For example, a betta isn't going to be "happier" because you've come home and brought him a couple of cory "friends". Most likely thing is he won't even pay attention to them when the novelty of new fish wears off.

Oh and in terms of your algae eater it's hard to say. I wouldn't have put it in there in the first place so it's really a case of judgement.

 

[pateceramics]

Anything we have them living in, is going to be smaller than what similar numbers would live in in the wild, since in the wild they wouldn't have filtration and would run out of oxygen unless in a much larger space. The more space the better. But friends for schoolers are also important. Lots of space, and only one or two species in a tank so that you can have a bigger school for the optimal fish happiness?

 

[Fishman1995]

My issue is i like an active tank. I cant just be happy with 2 fish in a tank. I belive all fish (with the exception of the mean aggresive ones) Like having friends and there happier and interact more. Which is why next weekend im getting 2 more Tequila sunrise guppys.

I said with the exception of the mean and agressive ones, obviously. And i know the guppys wont be racist i just like groups that hang out in my tank look more similar so they flow together Im just one weird fishkeeper LMAO!

 

[misterking]

Lol that's fair enough. As long as you don't think they won't be happy if you mix them!

 

[Fishman1995]

Nope, i dont think that at all im just kinda OCD