Fish Bioload Thread

[SoloChromis]

It's been said that 20 clownfish equate to 1 average sized tang, or that a blenny for example, carries a bigger load than a goby of similar size (due to the blenny's herbivorous diet). I think a definitive reference sheet would be helpful to those considering their potential livestock list for a tank. Obviously none of this is expected to be *completely* and totally accurate, but just an idea of the biological weight of a certain group of fishes would be helpful I think. So have at it guys...

* Clownfish
* Anthias
* Large Angels
* Dwarf Angels
* Eels
* Damsels
* Gobies
* Tangs
* Blennies
* Puffers
* Lionfish

... etc. Thanks everyone :wave:

 

[CoralNerd]

Great idea following along.

 

[Genera]

great idea following along.

+1
The waste of one 7" goldfish is equal to the waste of 15,000 guppies. (I love hyperboles)

 

[CoralNerd]

+1
The waste of one 7" goldfish is equal to the waste of 15,000 guppies. (I love hyperboles)

I guess I bought it hook, line, and sinker, but there is truth to what he's saying. It's somewhat obvious but sometimes you get a fish and your like wow this guy is a real pooper. Right now I'm trying to get my nitrates up so I have been feeding my fish like crazy to get my corals happy.

 

[Genera]

I guess I bought it hook, line, and sinker, but there is truth to what he's saying. It's somewhat obvious but sometimes you get a fish and your like wow this guy is a real pooper. Right now I'm trying to get my nitrates up so I have been feeding my fish like crazy to get my corals happy.

I have some goldfish in QT along with 5 guppies in a different QT. I have to do daily 50-75% water changes to keep ammonia levels at bay. The guppies I do a 25% every week and the ammonia levels aren't really that high in the first place.

 

[CoralNerd]

I have some goldfish in QT along with 5 guppies in a different QT. I have to do daily 50-75% water changes to keep ammonia levels at bay. The guppies I do a 25% every week and the ammonia levels aren't really that high in the first place.

Ok we get it. I think this thread has been hijacked [emoji79]

 

[Genera]

Sharks and rays produce massive amounts of waste called urea which is even more ammonia packed than bony fish waste. Say a small 1 foot bamboo shark produces as much waste as maybe more or less than 50 2-3in damselfish.

 

[DubiousMaximus]

maybe there should be some sort of scale created?
Scale: 1 - 10, one being very little to no detectable wastes such as a snail and ten being larger animals like a shark or ray. Could even maybe test the nutrient levels of a single fish over 4 days to find the production value

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Ok going along with this, my 1" Cherub Angel craps about 3x more than my two True Perculas (m- 1 1/2" f-2") LOL but true.

 

[SoloChromis]

Ok going along with this, my 1" Cherub Angel craps about 3x more than my two True Perculas (m- 1 1/2" f-2") LOL but true.

Good info. So it's been established that herbivores (like your angel) create more waste in a tank than carnivorous fish that are similar in size and body shape :idea:

 

[SoloChromis]

maybe there should be some sort of scale created?
Scale: 1 - 10, one being very little to no detectable wastes such as a snail and ten being larger animals like a shark or ray. Could even maybe test the nutrient levels of a single fish over 4 days to find the production value

This would be ideal, so those of you quarantining would have especially helpful experience with this. The scale should definitely apply as well, 1 being your average invert, and 10 being a decent sized shark or ray

 

[SoloChromis]

Ok we get it. I think this thread has been hijacked [emoji79]

Not necessarily, I think that's pretty valuable information, even if it's freshwater :fish1:

 

[SoloChromis]

Keep in mind a fish's metabolism, such as anthias for example. They must be fed more frequently than many other fish, therefore their biological footprint on a tank will be much larger, despite their diminutive size

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Good info. So it's been established that herbivores (like your angel) create more waste in a tank than carnivorous fish that are similar in size and body shape :idea:

I meant 3x what the pair together produce :eek1:

The Cherub Angel eats constantly off of the rocks and glass and the sand. The Perculas only eat when I feed them.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Good info. So it's been established that herbivores (like your angel) create more waste in a tank than carnivorous fish that are similar in size and body shape :idea:

I'm not sure you could make that a rule. If you consider waste by volume or weight that might be true. The nutritional value of the waste is most likely much higher for carnivorous fish. I'm just guessing here but they do eat much more nutritionally dense food.

 

[SoloChromis]

I meant 3x what the pair together produce :eek1:

The Cherub Angel eats constantly off of the rocks and glass and the sand. The Perculas only eat when I feed them.

A good point to keep in mind when considering the potential bioload of fish. Fish that are constantly nipping and grazing on things are bound to produce more waste, as opposed to fish such as clowns, chromis, cardinals etc. All of whom only really eat when you feed the tank.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

A good point to keep in mind when considering the potential bioload of fish. Fish that are constantly nipping and grazing on things are bound to produce more waste, as opposed to fish such as clowns, chromis, cardinals etc. All of whom only really eat when you feed the tank.

Exactly, and that's why I've over killed it with my tanks ability to process that high bioload. I'm running for my 30 gal DT, 20 tall sump about 65 or 70 lbs of lr and would total 4-5 inches of sand split between the two. 3" in my dt and 2 in the sump. I've also got a large ball of chaeto and a 70 gal protein skimmer. Currently only 4 fish. Two perculas, one Cherub angel and one Hector's goby. I'm upgrading to a 40 b and will be adding 3 more fish. McCoskers wrasse male, royal gramma and probably a yellow watchman goby Not sure on adding pistol shrimp yet. BUt that's all I want in my tank for fish. I've got mixed corals SPS, LPS softies and two BTA's. The current 30 gal can handle probably twice the current load that I've got because of my export abilities.

Oh and I feed very heavily. I like fat healthy fish

 

[PIPSTER]

Poop is different than "pee", which salt water fish are doing 100% of the time. It would be nice to know which fish have higher "ammonia output". Fish poop seems less important for toxins, and more important for coral food....???

 

[Shawn O]

It certainly would be nice to have some sort of scale or point system to go by, with each fish having a certain number of points. Pick your tank size and equipment, get a good rough number for bio-load to stay under and presto! Someone here needs to make a calculator app.

Before I got into fish I just kind of figured using mass as a guide would be good enough. It only makes sense that a 4" clarkii should be equal to 5 or 6 zebra dartfish, doesn't it? If only it were that easy....

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

In my opinion, it doesn't matter what fish are in the tank, it's how much (and what kind) of food goes in the tank. If you feed a cube of mysis a day and have no fish, or 10 damsels, or one tang, the tank has the same amount of nutrient input. If you've already got 10 fish and you buy one more, but you don't feed the tank any more because of it, you haven't increased bioload IMO.

That said, I would also point out that higher protein foods result in more nitrogenous waste (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate). So if you trade out some of the mysis for nori in the diet of your herbivores, you might see a little less nitrate build up. I'm not sure how significant this is, but I always let my large herbivores fill up on a sheet of nori before feeding the rest of the tank mysis/shrimp.