Which method is better? 1 inch of fish per gallon of water or 1 inch of fish per 12 square inches of surface area? I've heard both and I just wanted to know what you guys thought.
2006-10-05 10:10:38 · 7 answers · asked by Jamie J 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
well, when I had ornamental goldfish, they told me surface area because that is how they get enough oxygen. It was 1 fish per 10 gallons of surface water.
2006-10-05 10:18:56 · answer #1 · answered by mei-lin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the kind of fish. With very small fish like neon tetras, it's okay to use the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule.
But goldfish need at least 10 gallons per fish regardless of their size, so that rule goes right out the window! And larger tropical fish need more than 1 gallon per inch. For instance, I wouldn't put more than two angelfish in a 20 gallon tank because angelfish can get large, too.
The best thing to do is investigate each species of fish you're interested in keeping and find out how big they get when fully grown.
2006-10-05 12:39:45 · answer #2 · answered by Hildy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One inch per gallon. Remember though, this is a very general rule. There is a physical as well as a psychological stocking limit to a fish tank. Some fish are more aggressive and will claim more territory preventing you from adding that many fish. Also, it depends on the fish. A five inch Oscar creates a lot more of a bio-load (produces more wastes that degrade water quality) than five guppies!
Keep an eye on your water quality parameters, primarily ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and keep up with water changes. It is best to under rather than over crowd if in doubt.
2006-10-05 11:23:10 · answer #3 · answered by Rags to Riches 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it really depends on the fish as to the water rule like a ciclid will require much more water than a plattie. But the inch per gallon is better due to the shape of the tank could make the surface area equation really bad on the fish.
2006-10-09 09:36:07 · answer #4 · answered by weebles 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 one inch fish per gallon is the best rule for tropical fish. 1 one inch goldfish per 2 gallons is best for goldfish.
2006-10-05 15:08:09 · answer #5 · answered by Robin 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As a general rule of thumb you should have one gallon of water per inch of fish when stocking with tropical fish and three gallons of water per one inch of fish water when stocking with goldfish.
2006-10-05 10:18:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's the first one. fish/gallon
2006-10-05 10:19:27 · answer #7 · answered by Kainoa 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋