Overstocking question

[Freud]

Hi:
I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Freud

[Andy Hill]

Freud > wrote:
>I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
>Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
>the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
>Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
>together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
>larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
>a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
>especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
>
Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at the
biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well past it --
Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"

[Gill Passman]

"Andy Hill" > wrote in message
...
> Freud > wrote:
> >I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
> >Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
> >the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
> >Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
> >together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
> >larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
> >a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
> >especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
> >
> Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at the
> biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well past
it --
> Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"

If you are stocking at the level you are saying I would suggest (IMHO)
putting in some plants - they should help control the balance. Along with
that with a tank that size , I agree with Andy, you are going to need to be
doing frequent water changes....

[Margolis]

In a tank that small I wouldn't add any more.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq



"

[Freud]

In article >,
says...
> Freud > wrote:
> >I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
> >Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
> >the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
> >Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
> >together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
> >larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
> >a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
> >especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
> >
> Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at the
> biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well past it --
> Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"
>
I've been changing a gallon a week, I had figured I was maxed out but
then I read that & got to thinking...
Thanks,
Freud

[Freud]

In article >, "Gill
Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> says...
>
> "Andy Hill" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Freud > wrote:
> > >I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
> > >Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
> > >the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
> > >Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
> > >together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
> > >larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
> > >a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
> > >especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
> > >
> > Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at the
> > biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well past
> it --
> > Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"
>
> If you are stocking at the level you are saying I would suggest (IMHO)
> putting in some plants - they should help control the balance. Along with
> that with a tank that size , I agree with Andy, you are going to need to be
> doing frequent water changes....
>
Thanks for the advice, I'll look into adding a plant and I won't be
getting any more fish.

[Dick]

On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 12:22:13 -0500, Freud > wrote:

>In article >,
says...
>> Freud > wrote:
>> >I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6 Harlequin
>> >Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be about
>> >the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I read
>> >Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can crowd
>> >together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in a
>> >larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could have
>> >a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
>> >especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be appreciated.
>> >
>> Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at the
>> biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well past it --
>> Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"
>>
>I've been changing a gallon a week, I had figured I was maxed out but
>then I read that & got to thinking...
>Thanks,
>Freud

I have 5 tanks of various size and I change 20% twice weekly. I
remember one lady said she changed 20% daily. She had a routine of
doing the change when she came home from work, it was relaxing to her.

A gallon a day might be a good routine for you if your 7 gallon tank.
Healthy water is the best insurance to having healthy fish.

dick

[NetMax]

"Freud" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, "Gill
> Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> says...
>>
>> "Andy Hill" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Freud > wrote:
>> > >I've got a 7 gallon Eclipse Hex tank (my first tank) with 6
>> > >Harlequin
>> > >Rasboras and 2 ghost shrimp, no plants. I figured that would be
>> > >about
>> > >the limit for this tank, going by the 1"/gallon rule, but then I
>> > >read
>> > >Netmax's page on species limiting which mentions that rasboras can
>> > >crowd
>> > >together quite happily. Do you think that they would be happier in
>> > >a
>> > >larger school? I'm content to stick with one species, so if I could
>> > >have
>> > >a few more in there I'd like it. I just don't want to stress them,
>> > >especially since this is a tall tank. Any advice would be
>> > >appreciated.
>> > >
>> > Unless you want to do very frequent water changes, you're already at
>> > the
>> > biological limits of your tank. Heck, I'd say you're already well
>> > past
>> it --
>> > Harlequins max out at 1.5" - 2"
>>
>> If you are stocking at the level you are saying I would suggest (IMHO)
>> putting in some plants - they should help control the balance. Along
>> with
>> that with a tank that size , I agree with Andy, you are going to need
>> to be
>> doing frequent water changes....
>>
> Thanks for the advice, I'll look into adding a plant and I won't be
> getting any more fish.

My server didn't carry the original post, but 6 H.rasboras and a couple
of shrimps sounds about right for a 7g. Using the 1" guideline, you are
at 2"/g, but these are very low consumption creatures.
--
www.NetMax.tk