Overstocking Tank

M

Mike7

New member
I've got a 75 gal tank with a 25 gal sump.
It's a reef tank with small fish 1-2 inch, a couple of 3 inch.

How many fish should I keep?
 
What size, and what kind of protein skimmer. How good your biological filtration is will also determine how much bioload you can handle
 
I've got a sump with a g2 protein skimmer and a refugium. I've got 70lbs of live rock as well as bio balls.
 
Sounds like me, I always overstock my aquarium, depends how well you keep it clean and which order you introduce the critters.

Aggressive ones last, semi-aggressive prior and the friendly ones first :D Like clowns! They always stay near their anemones...cute!
 
The info on the filtration is a good start, but you didn't state the number and types of fish you currently have. Once that is stated advice can be given on how many more you could possibly have.

There is also a lot of talk about bio balls not being a good idea for reef tanks due to being a nitrate farm. Not sure the validity of those claims since I have no experience using them.
 
I've been looking online to find the names of the fish I've got but it took some time.

I've got 4 small yellow tangs, 1 Coral Beauty AngelFish, 4 small Green Mandarins, 9 Three Stripe Damselfish, 5 Fridmani Pseudochromis, and another 4 small fish of the name I can't find. And also some critters like hermit crabs etc.
 
27 fish? Are my math skills right? That seems like an awful lot of fish in a 75. I won't go into to it with the tangs but be ready...You will get some heat for having them in a four foot tank. Also the mandarins need a very mature tank of at least a year.
 
I bought all of them at once and introduced them at the same time. But I'd like to add another 5 or so. I just don't know if its a good idea. Am I overstocked? Or is it cool to add some more?
 
You already have way too many fish. I doubt you will sustain 4 mandarins unless you have a huge fuge and the tangs will get crowded when they grow. You could do with getting rid of the damsels as well.
 
My SG, pH, ammonia, nitrite nitrates are good. I don't mind getting rid of the damsels. But the mandarins are awesome.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11364355#post11364355 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike7
I bought all of them at once and introduced them at the same time. But I'd like to add another 5 or so. I just don't know if its a good idea. Am I overstocked? Or is it cool to add some more?
Click to expand...


Your LFS should not have sold you almost 30 fish at one time. If they did and didn't say anything i would not go back there. As far as how many fish you an have I would keep the Angel and the damsels if you really like them, but the rest i would find a good home for. even 10 is a lot.
 
That's way too many fish. I thought you had more like 2-3 fish. I agree that 10 is a lot, probably too much.
 
For reference, I've got 6 fish in my 75. All of them are probably considered on the small size (false percs, mandarin, flame angel, firefish)
 
the fish you have now would need at least a 300+ gal. tank to keep them in good health and still even be very hard to keep 4 mandrins.

IMO you should bring back:
3 yellow tangs
all the mandrines as your tank has only been set up for 3 monthes.
all the damsels
4 of the dotty backs
and not sure about the 4 fish you have no names for.

but I agree the LFS should have never sold you all the fish at one time anyway. and you really need to do more research before buying other fish.

can you give us your water parameters in numbers please rather than saying good? and also what test kits you used to check them?
 
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