overstocking: lets be honest here...

[yemista]

I personally think overstocked tanks irresponsible. I find it much more entertaining to let the fish have room to stretch out and make the tank their home. But that's just my opinion.

I bet your fish that you had in your 90 were glad you had to get rid of them. How did you keep nitrates down? 90% water changes daily?

I fed them every few days anddid water changes about 1-2x a week, depending on the nitrate levels. I monitored nitrates every day. I dont think they were glad at all. When I gave away the red devils and RTC, the oscars seemed really sad and wernt the same. People may say those fish shouldnt have been together in the first place, but they grew up together and learned to live together. Even though they fought sometimes that kept them entertained. How would you like it if someone gave away your brother, and all of a sudden you had a huge house to live in, but you lived in it all alone?

 

[andres]

Report back to us in a year or two when the RTC is the entire length of the tank and just sits there eating and crapping. Then lock yourself in a coffin, eat and crap for a week and let us know how that feels too.

A 90G is a better home than a lot of RTCs get. LFS's around me readily sell cheap RTCs/TSN/RTCxTSNs.

People can easily take care of overstocked tanks, and I think its way over hyped how dangerous it is.

Having a 12" Oscar in a 10g with a 10gph filter is bad, yes- but there are some "overstocked" cases that are much less harmful. I don't think its all black and white. My roommate has a tank that you would probably freak out about as well, his fish are doing great and it is a very interesting tank. You can't control what people do, and I think if people are being educated and using a degree of responsibility (questionable, yes) then why even post something like that?

If you read his post, he said that he got rid of all the fish because he did not have the space for it. I'm assuming he did not plan to keep a 3' RTC in a 4' tank.

 

[jwarriner]

Overstocking has less to do with aggression/interaction (in fact the more fish you have the less focused any aggression will be) and more to do with nitrate buildup. If you're willing to do the work, fine. But if you're one of those folks who's way overstocked and never tested nitrates, and does a 25% water change every other month then I think you should be drowned.

Additionally, some species need physical swim space because they're large. A 24" Pacu in a 48x18 tank is unacceptable, no matter how many water changes you do. And I'd also have to recommend immediate drowning of the keeper.

 

[Druu]

A 90G is a better home than a lot of RTCs get. LFS's around me readily sell cheap RTCs/TSN/RTCxTSNs.

People can easily take care of overstocked tanks, and I think its way over hyped how dangerous it is.

Having a 12" Oscar in a 10g with a 10gph filter is bad, yes- but there are some "overstocked" cases that are much less harmful. I don't think its all black and white. My roommate has a tank that you would probably freak out about as well, his fish are doing great and it is a very interesting tank. You can't control what people do, and I think if people are being educated and using a degree of responsibility (questionable, yes) then why even post something like that?

If you read his post, he said that he got rid of all the fish because he did not have the space for it. I'm assuming he did not plan to keep a 3' RTC in a 4' tank.

I missed that part on the first read, but I'm glad that he couldn't move the tank with him. Hopefully a more suitable owner has it now.

 

[Bud8Fan]

and I think its way over hyped how dangerous it is.

Dangerous? No, not always.

But are the fish happy in an over stocked tank? I'm not a fish but I seriously doubt it.

Can three German Sheppards live in a 10' x 10' kennel? Yes.
Would the same three dogs be happier in a fenced in half acre yard or larger? You bet!

Would you like to share a 12' x 12' bedroom with 6 other people or would you like your own bedroom?

The analogies go on and on.

Be responsible and give the fish some room. We are already taking them out of huge lakes, rivers and oceans.

Stuffing them into an over stocked tank is selfish and irresponsible.

In my opinion.

 

[Marius]

I fed them every few days anddid water changes about 1-2x a week, depending on the nitrate levels. I monitored nitrates every day. I dont think they were glad at all. When I gave away the red devils and RTC, the oscars seemed really sad and wernt the same. People may say those fish shouldnt have been together in the first place, but they grew up together and learned to live together. Even though they fought sometimes that kept them entertained. How would you like it if someone gave away your brother, and all of a sudden you had a huge house to live in, but you lived in it all alone?

Still, 90 gal is a little too small. It's all about footprint with most BIG FISH tanks. 90gal would be perfect for a decently packed Mbuna tank for example, but for big New world Cichlids and Catfish?!? ...I wouldn't go under 200+ gal to try a community.

Sorry, but I agree with it's immature and irresponsible what you're doing. Upgrade the tank, they will look better, feel better and love you more for the space you give them.

 

[Miguel]

Please give your opinion on the theme, this ever recurring theme, but please refrain on the "agressive criticism" guys.

 

[yemista]

Please give your opinion on the theme, this ever recurring theme, but please refrain on the "agressive criticism" guys.

its not really a problem to me. the RTC i was planning to give away eventually anyways, because I knew i couldnt keep it in the 90g forever.

it may be true that we are taking these fish out of huge lakes and rivers, but they are also getting a better home and food. and lets face it, their fish. i think the oscars with their red devil tank mates were much happier because they always had other fish to interact with and make their lives interesting, then the two oscars would be together in a 250g. plus i always liked watching the way they formed gangs. sometimes the two red devils and my albino would gang up on my red oscar and push him in the corner, but then the teams would switch and the albino would help him out, and sometimes the devils fought the oscars, and the larger red devil almost always chased around the smaller one, unless they were ganging up on another fish. it was really a fascinating tank to watch. and the best part was, every night when the fish would sleep, regardless of what happened during the day, they all huddled together and slept right next to one another

 

[fishman646]

I dont think im over stocked I have a 250 acrylic with 2 tigar oscars, 1 red tailed cat, 1 clown knife, 1 pleco, 1 flowerhorn, 1 texas, 1 red tailed Tiger shovelnose hybrid, and 2 jag chichlids........a 90 with 2 riticulated stingrays 3 peacock bass and 2 ropefish, another 90 with 20 various african chichlids, a 180 with a lima shovel nose a tiger shovelnose, a giant gourami, a marble gar, 2 pacus, and 4 baby channel cats, a 2000 gallon shark aquarium, another 90 reef tank, a 55 feeder tank, a 30 with 6 green spotted puffers 2 kissing groumis and 2 green terrors, and last but not least a 20 gallon guppy tank......any input?!

 

[Miguel]

its not really a problem to me. the RTC i was planning to give away eventually anyways, because I knew i couldnt keep it in the 90g forever.

it may be true that we are taking these fish out of huge lakes and rivers, but they are also getting a better home and food. and lets face it, their fish. i think the oscars with their red devil tank mates were much happier because they always had other fish to interact with and make their lives interesting, then the two oscars would be together in a 250g. plus i always liked watching the way they formed gangs. sometimes the two red devils and my albino would gang up on my red oscar and push him in the corner, but then the teams would switch and the albino would help him out, and sometimes the devils fought the oscars, and the larger red devil almost always chased around the smaller one, unless they were ganging up on another fish. it was really a fascinating tank to watch. and the best part was, every night when the fish would sleep, regardless of what happened during the day, they all huddled together and slept right next to one another

Seems to me you tend to "humanize" your fish, Yemista...

They're not human, nor do they guide their behaviour in accordance with human feelings / reactions.