How badly overstocked is my 55 gallon?

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C

Carefree_Dude

Piranha
MFK Member
Feb 4, 2011
1,226
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Portland, OR
I know its overstocked... most of these guys are moving into a bigger tank here in a couple weeks. I just am curious as to how badly overstocked it is. Here it goes:

Shubunkin goldfish 9in
Blood parrot x2 7in each
blood parrot 3 in
Moonlight gourami 5in
common pleco 6 in
bristlnose pleco 5in
austrailian rainbow x3 (3 to 4 in each)
bosemani rainbow x2 (3 to 4 in each)
wanam rainbow (4 in)
pictus catfish (4 in)
bumblebee catfish (1.5 in)
spotted raphael (4 in)
rosey barb x2 (3 in each)


Yes, its bad, i know. but how bad? Most of these guys are going into my 210 gallon once its finished cycling. This tank also previously had some bala sharks, a black skirt tetra, a peacock eel, a gold gourami, a blue gourami, and a mono sabae, but those are now in other tanks or rehomed. Thankfully, theres enough bacteria in the tank to keep the water clean.
 
the correct answer would be:

pretty damn bad


lol, with the blood parrots alone i'd say you've found your limit. Not just in physical size, but in the fact of how messy all these fish, especially parrots, can be when they eat.

I won't harp on your or anyone for keeping an overstocked tank. That's your perogative, just understand to keep all the fish healthy it will take more work in filtering and water changes.

Enjoy your new tank!
 
You have ALOT of bottom dwellers for that size tank.
Ixney on the goldfish - come on, cold water dirty fish in with tropicals.

You might want to plan out your next livestock moves very carefully as there seems to be no strategy to this one.

You say there is enough bacteria to keep it clean, what were your last water tests showing?
 
WOW!!! does it just like snow poop in your tank???
Click to expand...
I was wondering the same!

Yeah, man. At least ditch the goldfish. Even one seven-inch goldfish can overload a 55 gallon tank. And the common pleco will also poop you silly in awhile. If it can grow.

How do you keep your nitrates so low? 50% a week is not enough IMO to be seeing nitrates anywhere the 20 ppm mark. I mean, good job getting it there! But is this tank heavily planted or something? Deep sand?

*edit:
Don't feel too bad, most of your fish are young (if not stunted, that is) so you have time to correct things. My 55g is overstocked as well. All young, growing fish to be moved into the 125g later.
 
Agreed with the others. At least get rid of the goldfish and common pleco. Goldfish is a cold water fish. It can be susceptible to diseases and stuff if it's not kept right and then that can transfer to the rest of your fish. The common pleco can grow close to 2 feet and a 55 is just not good for it. Both the goldfish and plecos are notorious waste producers. If you want an easier job cleaning the tank, no matter how big you get then get rid of those two fish.

And since you asked you are way overstocked even without those two fish. Maybe keep the gourami, barbs and BN pleco in the 55 and move rest into the 210. Maybe add another one or two of the barbs, same type because arent they schooling fish?
 
funny story with the goldfish. Before these fish, I had a redtail catfish. Before getting rid of him, I gave him one last "goodbye" meal with feeder goldfish. he ate all of them, except for this one who got stuck behind the heater. i used that one as a test fish for when I redid the aquarium. and, now he's a monster.

I plan on getting rid of the common pleco. it was given to me, and I don't really want it.

the gouramis (minus the moonlight) are all going to stay in the 55 gallon. the goldfish who i've grown sadly attached to i'm going to keep for now. The barbs i'm going to get rid of, as well as my black skirt tetra. all the rainbowfish are going to go into the big tank. the bumblebee and the raphael are going to stay in the 55. the bristlenose is going into the big tank. the parrots are also going into the big tank. the pictus is going into the big tank as well.

I also have an electric blue jack dempsey that will go into the big tank when he gets bigger.
 
With just that goldfish and those plecos....

I need to see the test strips - useless without pics :)
 
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