stocking fish based on tank size

pammy · 03/07/2007, 07:01 AM

Couple Quick question guys and gals.

I've read between 1" of fish per 3 gallons of water and 1" of fish for 5 gallons of water. Which is more widely recommended?

Do I include the amount of water in the sump when figuring how much fish I can place in the tank?

I want a tank in the 50-60 gallon range and I keep asking myself if I'm crazy spending $3k for equipment alone, to house about 5 or 6 small fish!

Can you stock any more fish per gallon in a FOWLR set up or is it the same?

Does something like a coral banded shrimp, count in the amount of fish you can stock?

As much as I love the beauty of coral....fish is the biggest reason I want to start a tank. So, I want as much fish as I can SAFELY put in a 50-60g tank, without overstocking. Wish I could go bigger on the tank size, but for now, that's the limit. And it almost seems like, if you jump to the next size tank, it barely even makes a difference in how much fish you can add. For example...if I jump from a 53g tank to a 75g tank, I can maybe add another two - 2 cubic inches of fish???

I've been reading this forum (and WWM) like crazy, along with a book, getting ready to set up my first tank. Want to get it right the first time. Glad I've been reading, because I know now, that I would have done EVERYTHING completely wrong. Every fish that was on my "must have" list, I realize now that I can't put in a 55 gallon tank.

Thanks all !

Pam

Poniegirl · 03/07/2007, 07:21 AM

Hi Pam,
It's a bit of a broad subject..
Easiest, No, the clean-up crew does not count in stocking. They can be considered a net 0, in terms of bioload.
YES, count the sump gallonage in the equation for total volume, but that won't change the size of the adult fish that a 55 can house.

Fish in a 55 is a tough one. I have had as many as 8, but that was pushing it. And, yes, they need to be relatively small, certainly not above 6 fish who will attain 5 inches or so. The 55's are limiting also because of the depth. At only 12", they can be awkward to 'scape as well as stock.
Before you purchase your first piece of equipment, you should have in your mind what you want your tank to look like. IMHO, the diff. between a 55 and a 75 is insignificant regarding stocking options.
If you have big fish in mind, like tangs, triggers and the like..go no less than 125 gallon.
Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with my 55 at this point (have had it for 4+ years), just sharing the downsides as a point of fore-warning. It sounds like you are covering your bases quite well!
Just noticed you ride, right on. Whatcha got?

pammy · 03/07/2007, 07:32 AM

Thanks for your input Ponie Girl. I have learned from this forum that 55g's are not a wise choice. I'm looking at the Elos 53g System 80....which is appx 30.5"x 19.5x 19.5.

Riding...YES.... I have a Vstar 650 Custom. Just got a brand new custom paint job over the winter. Anxious to get it on the road again, but it's NEGATIVE 8 degrees with the windchill today so we have a while yet in NH !! Do you ride?

Bye
Pam

K9 · 03/07/2007, 07:49 AM

Fish stocking amounts depend greatly on several factors. These include, but are not limited to:

-water quality
-tank size/dimensions
-species of fish desired
-adult length/girth of chosen species
-eating habits of chosen species
-amount of rock/corals in the tank
-how much tank maintenance you're willing to do

SW tanks don't really have an "inches per gallon" rule. For example, you mentioned the popular 1-inch per 5-gallons. Using this rule, you could keep a 10-inch long fish in a 50 or 55-gallon tank. This is obviously not a wise decision. However, in that same 50/55g tank, five 2-inch long fish would be OK. So, the "rule" has many specifics that determine its validity.

I recommend that you find out what species of fish you would like to keep in your tank, post the names here, and everyone can give you recommendations based on your preferences. Hope this helps!

jbittner · 03/07/2007, 08:32 AM

I have a highly stocked 55. My 55 is about 2/3 filled with rocks and corals. The top 1/3 is open swimming space. There are many caves and overhangs giving my fish a wide open swimming space. Being creative in you rock stacking will give plenty of room for you fish to swim.
My current fish list is
Lawnmower blenny 3"
False Clown 2"
Powder Blue Tang 4" (I would not recommend this fish in a small tank, even mine)
Coral Beauty 4"
Midas Blenny 4"
Madarin 2"
Looks like 19" of total fish. guess it's time for that upgrade.
this is my fish list and not a recommendation for how to stock a 55. This just shows it can be done in a small tank. Yougest fish (PBT) has been with me for a year and most have been with me 9 years (CB, Clown, and Midas)

jtreath · 03/07/2007, 10:23 AM

One of the aspects to a Stocking Guide is the dimension of Swimming room as well. Keep in mind that a 55G with lots of LR will inhibit larger fish from moving around a lot. So taking into account the water volume of your sump is fine for Bio-Load.. but it has no impact on available habitat space.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/07/2007, 10:35 AM

plus fish that ignore each other will co-exist with less stress.

For example. A small lionfish, a royal gramma, a kole tang and a heniochus would probably not give each other the time of day. not much in the way of common agendas vs a battletank of angelfish or damsels etc

Scuba_Steve · 03/07/2007, 11:50 AM

Other factors, how much skimming, a bigger skimmer than recommended will allow more fish, or heavier feeding.
As just mentioned, feeding habits.
Fish compatibility is the big one though.
Throw out the # of fish in # of gallon rule, it just doesnt work. Personally, I would keep my selections under 4", maybe 5 depending on what type of a swimmer it is. Those are adult sizes. Maybe 4-5 2" fish, 2-3 3" fish, and 1-2 4" fish would provide alot of action, and wouldnt be to much bioload with a decent amount of skimming, and medium feeding.

03/07/2007, 07:01 AM	#1
pammy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 768	stocking fish based on tank size Couple Quick question guys and gals. I've read between 1" of fish per 3 gallons of water and 1" of fish for 5 gallons of water. Which is more widely recommended? Do I include the amount of water in the sump when figuring how much fish I can place in the tank? I want a tank in the 50-60 gallon range and I keep asking myself if I'm crazy spending $3k for equipment alone, to house about 5 or 6 small fish! Can you stock any more fish per gallon in a FOWLR set up or is it the same? Does something like a coral banded shrimp, count in the amount of fish you can stock? As much as I love the beauty of coral....fish is the biggest reason I want to start a tank. So, I want as much fish as I can SAFELY put in a 50-60g tank, without overstocking. Wish I could go bigger on the tank size, but for now, that's the limit. And it almost seems like, if you jump to the next size tank, it barely even makes a difference in how much fish you can add. For example...if I jump from a 53g tank to a 75g tank, I can maybe add another two - 2 cubic inches of fish??? I've been reading this forum (and WWM) like crazy, along with a book, getting ready to set up my first tank. Want to get it right the first time. Glad I've been reading, because I know now, that I would have done EVERYTHING completely wrong. Every fish that was on my "must have" list, I realize now that I can't put in a 55 gallon tank. Thanks all ! Pam

03/07/2007, 07:21 AM	#2
Poniegirl Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 115	Hi Pam, It's a bit of a broad subject.. Easiest, No, the clean-up crew does not count in stocking. They can be considered a net 0, in terms of bioload. YES, count the sump gallonage in the equation for total volume, but that won't change the size of the adult fish that a 55 can house. Fish in a 55 is a tough one. I have had as many as 8, but that was pushing it. And, yes, they need to be relatively small, certainly not above 6 fish who will attain 5 inches or so. The 55's are limiting also because of the depth. At only 12", they can be awkward to 'scape as well as stock. Before you purchase your first piece of equipment, you should have in your mind what you want your tank to look like. IMHO, the diff. between a 55 and a 75 is insignificant regarding stocking options. If you have big fish in mind, like tangs, triggers and the like..go no less than 125 gallon. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with my 55 at this point (have had it for 4+ years), just sharing the downsides as a point of fore-warning. It sounds like you are covering your bases quite well! Just noticed you ride, right on. Whatcha got? __________________ "I have green eyes, silver hair, and the rest changes without notice" Anne McCaffrey Current Tank Info: 55, 20 long, a 10 ( ! )

03/07/2007, 07:32 AM	#3
pammy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 768	. Thanks for your input Ponie Girl. I have learned from this forum that 55g's are not a wise choice. I'm looking at the Elos 53g System 80....which is appx 30.5"x 19.5x 19.5. Riding...YES.... I have a Vstar 650 Custom. Just got a brand new custom paint job over the winter. Anxious to get it on the road again, but it's NEGATIVE 8 degrees with the windchill today so we have a while yet in NH !! Do you ride? Bye Pam

03/07/2007, 07:49 AM	#4
K9 Go ahead, hop the fence. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,450	Fish stocking amounts depend greatly on several factors. These include, but are not limited to: -water quality -tank size/dimensions -species of fish desired -adult length/girth of chosen species -eating habits of chosen species -amount of rock/corals in the tank -how much tank maintenance you're willing to do SW tanks don't really have an "inches per gallon" rule. For example, you mentioned the popular 1-inch per 5-gallons. Using this rule, you could keep a 10-inch long fish in a 50 or 55-gallon tank. This is obviously not a wise decision. However, in that same 50/55g tank, five 2-inch long fish would be OK. So, the "rule" has many specifics that determine its validity. I recommend that you find out what species of fish you would like to keep in your tank, post the names here, and everyone can give you recommendations based on your preferences. Hope this helps! __________________ Planning a big tank comeback for the year 20xx.

03/07/2007, 10:35 AM	#7
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	plus fish that ignore each other will co-exist with less stress. For example. A small lionfish, a royal gramma, a kole tang and a heniochus would probably not give each other the time of day. not much in the way of common agendas vs a battletank of angelfish or damsels etc __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

03/07/2007, 08:32 AM	#5
jbittner Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Humboldt, NE Posts: 1,014	I have a highly stocked 55. My 55 is about 2/3 filled with rocks and corals. The top 1/3 is open swimming space. There are many caves and overhangs giving my fish a wide open swimming space. Being creative in you rock stacking will give plenty of room for you fish to swim. My current fish list is Lawnmower blenny 3" False Clown 2" Powder Blue Tang 4" (I would not recommend this fish in a small tank, even mine) Coral Beauty 4" Midas Blenny 4" Madarin 2" Looks like 19" of total fish. guess it's time for that upgrade. this is my fish list and not a recommendation for how to stock a 55. This just shows it can be done in a small tank. Yougest fish (PBT) has been with me for a year and most have been with me 9 years (CB, Clown, and Midas)

03/07/2007, 10:23 AM	#6
jtreath Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Moncton, NB Canada Posts: 309	One of the aspects to a Stocking Guide is the dimension of Swimming room as well. Keep in mind that a 55G with lots of LR will inhibit larger fish from moving around a lot. So taking into account the water volume of your sump is fine for Bio-Load.. but it has no impact on available habitat space.

03/07/2007, 11:50 AM	#8
Scuba_Steve Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pooler, Ga Posts: 1,342	Other factors, how much skimming, a bigger skimmer than recommended will allow more fish, or heavier feeding. As just mentioned, feeding habits. Fish compatibility is the big one though. Throw out the # of fish in # of gallon rule, it just doesnt work. Personally, I would keep my selections under 4", maybe 5 depending on what type of a swimmer it is. Those are adult sizes. Maybe 4-5 2" fish, 2-3 3" fish, and 1-2 4" fish would provide alot of action, and wouldnt be to much bioload with a decent amount of skimming, and medium feeding.