Just wanted to see everyone's opinion on overstocking American cichlids, I see tanks with multiple 10+ inch fish on this site all time but I don't see why someone would want to use a 180+ gallon tank and put 10 or more huge fish in it, I've always been a fan of understocked natural looking tanks but maybe there's something I'm missing
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Ever seen vids of collection points of fish in the wild? Fish stick together in big groups all of the time, you'll seldom see isolated individuals and fish are far more comfortable living in groups like that. You'll actually see more natural behavior in a tank that mirrors this with a few apex predatory cichlids and some smaller species mixed in. Plus, people are borrowing a page from the African Cichlid school of overcrowding to spread out aggression and minimize casualties. Or, some people just think that big tanks with only a few fish are boring to look at and so they keep adding more and try to push the limits.
I dont overstock or understock im in between i like to have more then 3 fish in a tank depending on the tank size and fish growth. My 55g is overstocked.. green terror 5", Dovii 4" Red devil "5" and a Jack Dempsey 5". They are doing fine jd and rd all they do is hide in the caves, so i only see my dovii and green terror out. But its all what you thinking of overstocking, my feriend had a 35g with 2 Oscars and a 9" Pacu thats crowded.
I understock my tanks...usually just one pair per tank regardless of tank size. I would think the reason for having a large number in one tank would be to spread out aggression.
I think under stocked tanks are cool looking, but I can't really afford to buy a 180 gallon tank for some tetras and java fern. Anyways, I agree that in nature the fish will all gravitate to the same spot anyway, it the reason I can cast my hook in the same spot and pull 8 different fish.
It's natural to buy more 2 to 3 inch fish that look uncrowded at the beginning that later turn into crowded 10 to 15 inch fish. Frequent water change schedule and powerful filtration allow over crowding without compromising the water quality, but a busy tank is unnatural, unattrative, and can be stressful to the occupants and the viewers.
One solution is to buy more tanks to accommodate the ever growing size and population of the fish. Another solution is to thin out the population by selling off the surplus fish. I do not want to be a hoarder to fill up my house with tanks and prefer prunning. I am amazed how much better and more tranquil my tanks look each time I get rid of a few fish. I am comparing the art of aquarium to the art of bonsai. You enhance the beauty by removing, not adding.
It is all very subjectivw. Depends on a lot of things. Full tanks are not necessarily overstocked. Taking for granted that you have the conditions in place ( filtration, compatibility, wc schedule. ) it ends up being a quetion of taste.
Idk, some people may think my tank is too crowded. I have 6 Severums an Oscar, 2 Bala sharks,a fla gar, n 4 Geophagus Brasiliensis, in my 220. I think it works fine. Everyone gets along, they have good water quality, and all eat like pigs. Everyone has their space to swim around and my tank always has a lot of activity for
The most part. But, sometimes the only ones out you can see is the Gar and the Oscar and the rest are behind the driftwood and the tank looks empty. Mine may work better because my fish are more " peaceful" out of the CA/SA. The only things I don't see how they work are these people with every different type in a 180 together and they have 10-15 10"+ fish, just sounds like trouble.
