I f water baby's formula is right I am already way too overstocked. I should remove more than half my fish. I don't see that right. though. I have 96 across and 30 wide+126". 4 of my 14 fish could total that!?
What is considered "too many fish"?
- Thread starter michael
- Start date
A lot of people's tanks are that way, and many times, it poses no problem. I said "typically", because that is a general standard for "thriving space". You don't have to remove your fish if you go over the dimention ratio. if your fish have lived that way for a long time, chances are, they will do fine. However, it doesnt mean they will be absolutly comfortable. But it also doesnt mean they will suffer much either. If you have excellent filtration, airation, and plenty of free swim space and hiding spots, most fish can live peacefully in an "overstock" ratio. I wasn't suggesting you were wrong to have more than that, lol, Just a basic scale to follow. I deal mainly with sharks, as well as all other types of saltwater life. With sharks though, this ratio is extremly important. But don't go removing your little guys if they are used to their buddies, and have enough space of their own to live in. 
To add to Guppy's list: If you have to fold a fish to make it fit.....you have too many.
With certain species, you can vastly "over crowd" a tank. African cichlids (for example) do very well that way. Some reef fish follow that line as well. Of course there are other fish that don't fair to well in that type of environment - for example most freshwater catfish. Look at where they are found in nature. How many others of the same species are right there? How many other various species are found together with them? Then go from there.
With certain species, you can vastly "over crowd" a tank. African cichlids (for example) do very well that way. Some reef fish follow that line as well. Of course there are other fish that don't fair to well in that type of environment - for example most freshwater catfish. Look at where they are found in nature. How many others of the same species are right there? How many other various species are found together with them? Then go from there.
I have never had a tank of that size...I would have a heart attack trying to choose fish for it.
I keep two oscars, a pictus and another pim species in a 75g...to many this is overstocked. I will tell you why it isen't IMO.
Nitrates do not exceed 20-40ppm in a week's span
All the fish get along
The fish can grow to their asult size and still have room to turn, swim, move.
If I had to clean the tank more than once a week it would be IMO overstocked. If the fish didn't get along it would be overstocked...though sometimes overstocking is a good thing as far as aggresion is concerned. If fish cannot meet their adult size and live comfortabley in the tank...it is overstocked.
Personally, I don't like empty looking tanks but I don't like tanks so full that fish bump into eatchother. I try to meet middle ground, a lot of fish for me and not to many for the fish's sake. Both my oscars get along great and I can keep up with the water changes so I don't worry about them, if they didn't or I coulnd't I would remove one.
I keep two oscars, a pictus and another pim species in a 75g...to many this is overstocked. I will tell you why it isen't IMO.
Nitrates do not exceed 20-40ppm in a week's span
All the fish get along
The fish can grow to their asult size and still have room to turn, swim, move.
If I had to clean the tank more than once a week it would be IMO overstocked. If the fish didn't get along it would be overstocked...though sometimes overstocking is a good thing as far as aggresion is concerned. If fish cannot meet their adult size and live comfortabley in the tank...it is overstocked.
Personally, I don't like empty looking tanks but I don't like tanks so full that fish bump into eatchother. I try to meet middle ground, a lot of fish for me and not to many for the fish's sake. Both my oscars get along great and I can keep up with the water changes so I don't worry about them, if they didn't or I coulnd't I would remove one.
If with weekley water changes you can't keep you nitrates under 40ppm you are over stocked. If you need to do twice a week 75% water changes to keep your trates down to 40ppm odds are, you're over stocked.
