A question of over-crowding

[Joe Khul]

Hello everyone,

A quick question. If I have a 55 gallon tank which is 48"L x 12"W x 22"H and I have the following fish:
5 guppies
4 black neons
8 rummy nose
9 sids (yes I was able to secure 3 more since my sids post )
1 emerald cat
3 unknown kuhli's
4 p. kuhli (1 adult 3 juvies)
2 p. myersi
1 clown pleco
4 white clouds (currently in a Q tank)
have I grossly over-crowded my tank?

Please advise. Thank you!

Mike

[starsplitter7]

What is an Emerald cat? If it is an Emerald Cory Cat, he would like some friends.

I can't give any advice on overstocking as my tanks are overstocked. I just keep the tanks very clean and plot new tanks.

[Joe Khul]

You are correct. He just lost his friend Another reason I ask. I am apprehensive about another cory only because I have read since I got him that they are not good to have with kuhlis as they eat the food faster then the kuhli's can find it. I have compensated for this, but it has detered me from getting more.

[starsplitter7]

I have three Green Cories with 10 Kuhlies and two horseheads, and I have never had an issue, but I do spaced feedings. I was watching the Kuhlies eating today, and they were working on shrimp pellets and algae wafers with relish. They were some of the first fish to realize there was food in the tank, they came out from their hiding places, ate with gusto and disappeared to their sleeping quarters to digest.

[Diana]

While the population is probably OK from the point of view of bioload, I think it is almost a 'Noah's Ark' tank, with only a couple of each species, where it would really be better, and the fish happier, if you had 1, maybe 2 schools of Tetras, or other upper/mid level fish, and a couple of schools of lower level fish. Each school perhaps a dozen fish.

Emerald Cories, Brochis splendens is a social fish, as much as their Corydoras cousins.

[Joe Khul]

So there is room for more fish then?

I was afraid that I was over the max amount.

I can increase the number of rummy nose tetras and black neon tetras easily enough.

As for the emerald green cory, as long as the general consenus is that I am able to add them with out impacting my kuhli population in a negative way, i have no trouble adding a few more.

As always, please advise and thank you for the pointers.

[Diana]

Overcrowding is something that you need to judge:

A) Area for the fish to swim around, be alone if they need to get away from a pushy tank mate. Enough decor to suit the fish. More than enough caves and arches in the wood or rocks to keep the cave-dwelling fish happy.

B) Bio load. If you cannot keep the nitrates under control with whatever water change schedule suits you then there are too many fish in the tank. It does not matter how many inches of fish per gallon are in there.

C) Social aspects: You are not mixing big fish and little fish, or overly pushy fish with very shy ones, or predators with prey. Schooling and social fish are in a large enough group that they can perform their group behavior.

D) Aesthetics: Does the tank look peaceful (or boring), or active (or chaotic), or colorful (or garish), or whatever is your goal in keeping the fish? Are there fish at all levels, and are the fish out and about when you are there to enjoy them?

[Joe Khul]

Thank you Diana and Tanya for your advice It is ALWAYS appreciated!