Is my tank overcrowded?
- Thread starter Alvintyw
- Start date
IMHO that tank is too small for even 1 lone peacock bass... thats a fish that regularly achieves over 2ft in the wild. too add perspective to that, i have a 7,000g pond that still looks small with a peacock bass in it. and honestly you just listed what i would consider a complete stocking for the aforementioned 7,000 gallon pond.
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just read the rest of the thread, im going to be blunt that tank is 100% to small for any single fish you listed to thrive in. Cut the crap, forget the monster fish, and get yourself something reasonable. nothing wrong with a pair of oscars, other medium sized cichlids.
I would completely agree with fishonfishonfish. There are too many people on this forum that keep fish in inappropriate setups - either give the fish the space it needs or don't keep it, plain and simple. We're talking about living things, and IMO the relationship goes both ways. It's providing you with entertainment, enjoyment, whatever you want to call it - you should strive to do the same.
A few stocking ideas I played around with for you:
A few stocking ideas I played around with for you:
- Oscar pair with a few smaller schooling catfish for the bottom
- Severums and some assorted dwarf plecos
- Planted tank with discus and tetras
- Planted tank with angelfish, rams, and corydoras
- Lake Tanganyika tank
- Barb and loach tank
- Upper jaw bichirs and congo tetras
- Rainbowfish
- Geophagus
- 2 medium-sized fish (max of 8 or 9") - these could be Zebrasoma/Ctenochaetus tangs, Genicanthus angels, a combination of those two, or something else
- 5-7 small fish (max of about 3") - these could be a combination of anything really, ideas might be clownfish, cardinalfish, chromis, and reef-safe wrasses
- 3 bottom dwellers (max of about 3") - fish like gobies, dartfish, blennies, etc
- And then depending on what your lighting system is, you could keep whatever assortment of corals you wanted, plus anemones and/or clams
If someone has to ask if their tank is overcrowded, it usually is.
OP please at least try to move the koi into a pond with someone you know first. The lfs might not take them back (or they could end up even worse off there if they were willing to sell you fish like these) and they probably will be beaten to death by the other fish. Maybe there is a local koi club or a public building or office with a big pond that you can donate or sell them to? Worth a shot there. Lots of people love koi.
I'll give you some benefit of the doubt that the pet shop people just wanted to make some big money off that stock (or legit didn't know or give a crap about their animals) or they were all impulse buys. Kind of nuts to have that many massive fish in a tank that small if you have any experience keeping any fish. That's only 5 gallons more than my 6ft 125 and I can't imagine anything even remotely that big in my tank. You should read up on the effects of stunting. Even if you do dilligent water changes on that thing they are still gunna be harmed healthwise because of that. Max I would do if you want big is one 12-15 inch fish, could get a flowerhorn or maybe a big texas or oscar or something similar that will be really personable. Liek others mentioned a snaller agressive community would work well. Those ones you have now won't even have proper room to turn if the tank is only 24" wide.
I would start to sell everything now except maybe the bichirs if you are attatched to them. If you absolutely positively have to keep them all start searching asap on used item sites for something in the 400+ gallon range. Who knows you may able to find it or even build it cheap (heated basic pond maybe?). You may also be able to find a large 200 or 300 gallon plastic stock tank like they use for horses or cattle and fish farms, or even an above ground kiddie pool, and move some of them in there. You should do what is best for those fish. Sorry if we all seem harsh in this thread but we have the best interests for the fish in mind and lots of the same problems pop up online and there is a ton of resources out there so there really isn't an excuse. You really should listen to more of the advice here even if you don't wanna hear it or you have grown really attatched to your pets.
Just my 2 cents.
Alvin,
I agree with the rest of the folks here that took the time to reply. It is way too over crowded. Please take the next steps to alleviate this issue because you doing more harm than good in any fair keeper. I hope you take the right steps forward.
I agree with the rest of the folks here that took the time to reply. It is way too over crowded. Please take the next steps to alleviate this issue because you doing more harm than good in any fair keeper. I hope you take the right steps forward.
