# of fish per gallon
- Thread starter videoguy
- Start date
tropills
Member
You need to add the total inches they will be if they grow to maximum size, not what size they are now. saltwater fish do not like overcrowding. maybe chromis you can get away with it. but it's not recommended IMO. my 500 gallon lagoon only has 7 fish and 3 of them will max at 4 inches each and the other 4 (tangs)will max between 7 and 26 inches each. I'm way under the inches per gallon rule but I have no fighting or territory issues either.
markw
Member
It would be amazing to see a few pictures of your lagoon =]. I dont mean to jack the thread, so ill put in my two-cents also. Ive always 1" of fish per gallon. But, like mentioned, that really onlw half works for peacful, community fish. You also have to put into consideration how much LR you have. If its a ton, take inches off. You also have to take into account your fish's behavioral habits. Even thought they are peaceful, every fish likes its own space, and at the risk of being punny, doesnt like other fish invading its bubble. So be sure to take that into account.
Mark
Mark
bizzmoneyb
Member
yea i wouldnt add much more with 2 tangs already.
there really isnt a general rule. with smaller fish i usually stick to 1 fish x 10 gallons.
there really isnt a general rule. with smaller fish i usually stick to 1 fish x 10 gallons.
lion_crazz
Active Member
I don't think there should be a general rule either. It really depends on the tank, filtration, type of fish, feeding regiment, etc.
I have three fish in my 40 gallon reef and it works perfect. It is lightly stocked but the amount of filtration allows me to feed the fish heavily and keep them healthy and happy.
I have three fish in my 40 gallon reef and it works perfect. It is lightly stocked but the amount of filtration allows me to feed the fish heavily and keep them healthy and happy.
reeferrookie
Member
I always thought "inch per gallon "always was a freshwater thing, never saltwater
pezenfuego
Active Member
Originally Posted by Reeferrookie
http:///forum/post/3009455
I always thought "inch per gallon "always was a freshwater thing, never saltwater
It isn't a freshwater thing either. I wouldn't care to put a 10 inch oscar in a ten gallon tank, but this rule permits it.
For FW newbs though, coupled with a little common sense, this rule is usually helpful in the beginning months of keeping fish.
Another thing people say that makes me mad is that in order to start saltwater, you should have some freshwater experience first. I started freshwater because I wanted to and when I decided to start a reef tank...almost all of the knowledge from freshwater fish keeping was worthless to me.
http:///forum/post/3009455
I always thought "inch per gallon "always was a freshwater thing, never saltwater
It isn't a freshwater thing either. I wouldn't care to put a 10 inch oscar in a ten gallon tank, but this rule permits it.
For FW newbs though, coupled with a little common sense, this rule is usually helpful in the beginning months of keeping fish.
Another thing people say that makes me mad is that in order to start saltwater, you should have some freshwater experience first. I started freshwater because I wanted to and when I decided to start a reef tank...almost all of the knowledge from freshwater fish keeping was worthless to me.
videoguy
Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/3009448
I don't think there should be a general rule either. It really depends on the tank, filtration, type of fish, feeding regiment, etc.
I agree with this. I feed heavily and over skim. Lots of flow. My phosphates and nitrates always read 0.
http:///forum/post/3009448
I don't think there should be a general rule either. It really depends on the tank, filtration, type of fish, feeding regiment, etc.
I agree with this. I feed heavily and over skim. Lots of flow. My phosphates and nitrates always read 0.
mr-toad
New Member
Interesting thought and to side track the subject, who makes the rules of size tank needed for certian kinds of fish? Some websites recommend certian tank sizes for certian fish. I have noticed some of them to be nuts. For example the mandarin goby. One site had it at 100+ gallons. This is rather stupid to be honest. They are rating things on a guess somewhat like the inch per gallon rule. Given they are most likely rating it on the food supply in a tank and not the size, but they should explain that. If my 125 was up and running great right now, it could not support it at the current setup most likely. However the 55 that now has geat growth and millions of critters on the rocks could support him well. Just my thoughts when reading.
pezenfuego
Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr-Toad
http:///forum/post/3009693
Interesting thought and to side track the subject, who makes the rules of size tank needed for certian kinds of fish? Some websites recommend certian tank sizes for certian fish. I have noticed some of them to be nuts. For example the mandarin goby. One site had it at 100+ gallons. This is rather stupid to be honest. They are rating things on a guess somewhat like the inch per gallon rule. Given they are most likely rating it on the food supply in a tank and not the size, but they should explain that. If my 125 was up and running great right now, it could not support it at the current setup most likely. However the 55 that now has geat growth and millions of critters on the rocks could support him well. Just my thoughts when reading.
I was reading a book that had a formula for figuring that out. I rented it from the library so I can't get it for you. It put into consideration a lot more about the fish than simply it's size. I really with I could think of the name of that book
In any case the website recommendations still shouldn't be considered golden as you already said.
http:///forum/post/3009693
Interesting thought and to side track the subject, who makes the rules of size tank needed for certian kinds of fish? Some websites recommend certian tank sizes for certian fish. I have noticed some of them to be nuts. For example the mandarin goby. One site had it at 100+ gallons. This is rather stupid to be honest. They are rating things on a guess somewhat like the inch per gallon rule. Given they are most likely rating it on the food supply in a tank and not the size, but they should explain that. If my 125 was up and running great right now, it could not support it at the current setup most likely. However the 55 that now has geat growth and millions of critters on the rocks could support him well. Just my thoughts when reading.
I was reading a book that had a formula for figuring that out. I rented it from the library so I can't get it for you. It put into consideration a lot more about the fish than simply it's size. I really with I could think of the name of that book
In any case the website recommendations still shouldn't be considered golden as you already said.
bionicarm
Active Member
When I started this hobby several years ago, I was always told to limit the types of fish to be put into a tank based on the size of tank you intended on starting. Meaning, if you had a 55, don't put tangs, triggers, or large wrasses in them becuase they'll grow too big for the tank. As an experiment, I dropped a 1" blue hippo into my 55 about 2 years ago. As of today, he has maintained the same 4" size, and doesn't appear to be growing. He's quite healthy, and eats like a horse. I haven't investigated the normal growth rate of a blue hippo, so I don't know if he's just stopped growing temporarily, or if he's stopped due to the restrictions he has in regards to his living environment. My conclusion is a fish will stop growing due to the confines of their living quarters no matter how large they can get in the wild.
pezenfuego
Active Member
Originally Posted by bionicarm
http:///forum/post/3010537
When I started this hobby several years ago, I was always told to limit the types of fish to be put into a tank based on the size of tank you intended on starting. Meaning, if you had a 55, don't put tangs, triggers, or large wrasses in them becuase they'll grow too big for the tank. As an experiment, I dropped a 1" blue hippo into my 55 about 2 years ago. As of today, he has maintained the same 4" size, and doesn't appear to be growing. He's quite healthy, and eats like a horse. I haven't investigated the normal growth rate of a blue hippo, so I don't know if he's just stopped growing temporarily, or if he's stopped due to the restrictions he has in regards to his living environment. My conclusion is a fish will stop growing due to the confines of their living quarters no matter how large they can get in the wild.
Here's what I've read on the subject...
Fish will release a hormone that stops or slows their growth in an aquarium that is too small for them. This will cause a few problems for their internal organs and they generally don't live as long. Although, putting a blue hippo in a 55 isn't quite the same as putting one in a 20 gallon tank. Still, you are correct in saying that some fish will "grow to the size of the tank..." it just isn't good for the fish.
http:///forum/post/3010537
When I started this hobby several years ago, I was always told to limit the types of fish to be put into a tank based on the size of tank you intended on starting. Meaning, if you had a 55, don't put tangs, triggers, or large wrasses in them becuase they'll grow too big for the tank. As an experiment, I dropped a 1" blue hippo into my 55 about 2 years ago. As of today, he has maintained the same 4" size, and doesn't appear to be growing. He's quite healthy, and eats like a horse. I haven't investigated the normal growth rate of a blue hippo, so I don't know if he's just stopped growing temporarily, or if he's stopped due to the restrictions he has in regards to his living environment. My conclusion is a fish will stop growing due to the confines of their living quarters no matter how large they can get in the wild.
Here's what I've read on the subject...
Fish will release a hormone that stops or slows their growth in an aquarium that is too small for them. This will cause a few problems for their internal organs and they generally don't live as long. Although, putting a blue hippo in a 55 isn't quite the same as putting one in a 20 gallon tank. Still, you are correct in saying that some fish will "grow to the size of the tank..." it just isn't good for the fish.