that sounds so cramed for the fish!!!
2007-06-20 03:34:45 · 11 answers · asked by littlegreenalien 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
It depends what kind of fish- and I'm assuming you're talking about a fresh-water tank. Livebearers like mollies and platties make a little more mess and take up a little more space, so you wouldn't want to do more than one a gallon; if you're keeping zebra danios or neon tetras, with a properly cycled aquarium and filter you can maybe keep two per gallon.
Inch-per-gallon assumes a good, cycled aquarium one way or another. You wouldn't want to add them all at once. [edit] This also assumes a good, rectangular tank with plenty of surface area. Hex tanks or other taller-than-wide tanks have less surface are and thus less gas exchange and less oxygen, so have a lower capacity.
Careful if you're looking at salt water- eight to ten gallons per inch of fish is a better measurement there, and it depends if it's a reef or fish-only tank.
Another edit: Goldfish are incredibly messy. At *least* 2.5 gallons per inch of goldfish is good. And keep in mind they grow fast and big, so you don't want to start with your tank crammed with ten tiny ones who can grow huge.
2007-06-20 03:39:57 · answer #1 · answered by Chivas R 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
That's an old myth that I wish would die. It's a general guideline for stocking an aquarium, and it only works if the fish is small (1-2 inches at most). There's a big difference in keeping 10 one inch neons in a 10 gallon tank and one 10 inch oscar.
The rule doesn't take into consideration things like waste production, body shape (a deep bodied fish like an angelfish is different than a long, slender one like a danio), tank shape (there's more surface are for oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange in a 20 long than a 20 tall), your filtration, etc.
And if you don't clean and do partial water changes regularly, or overfeed your fish, the above will apply even less.
2007-06-20 10:44:00 · answer #2 · answered by copperhead 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
10 one inch fish in a 10 gallon tank would be ok. One 10 inch fish or two 5 inch fish in a ten gallon tank wouldn't last very long.
2007-06-20 13:52:48 · answer #3 · answered by Mimik 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a general rule. But like most things, if you're not sure then it's better to be safe than sorry. Most people who are serious fishkeepers seem to take that "rule" with a grain of salt, and go more for like one fish for every 2-3 gallons of water. And if you're doing large and robust fish like cichlids and such, that rule no longer applies. A 10 inch oscar or red devil needs far more than a 10 gallon tank, for example. Most of your "interesting" fish have specific tank requirements, so always do online and book research for fish you're interested in before stocking your tanks.
2007-06-20 10:50:02 · answer #4 · answered by blackbimmer1972 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Here is the deal the one inch rule depends on the type of fish. A forty gallon tank with only water may take 40m in of fish. Water is displaced by gravel rocks and whatever else you place in the tank. Like people the more room the better.
You best bet is to ask a reliable fish seller how much room your fish may need.
Aquaria central is a good site full of fish keeping info
2007-06-20 11:07:30 · answer #5 · answered by ian c 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
That is a rule I think Petco and Petsmart go by so you will buy more fish, so it will be next to impossible for the beginner to be successful. Then you will come back to their store to buy more stuff and fish.
That rule is not for inches of fish when you buy them it means inches per fish as adult size. That is why you cannot keep a 1 inch goldfish in one gallon of water. A goldfish at adult size is 10 inches so you will need 10 gallons per fish not one. So you are very right, one gallon per inch of fish is misleading at best.
2007-06-20 10:42:36 · answer #6 · answered by Sunday P 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
That is a good rule to follow. It may sound cramped, but the fish really won't mind. If you don't want to cramp it up that much, though, you can certainly put in less. For goldfish, it's an inch of fish per two gallons. Make sure you're using the maximum length of the fish when calculating.
2007-06-20 11:15:01 · answer #7 · answered by Stephen M. 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
depends on how much waste the fish pus out......what i was told was about 2 gallons per inch of fish for smaller fish and 3 gals for larger fish.....hope this helped!!!...
2007-06-21 18:25:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is. People use that estimate to overpopulate their tanks. It works with tiny fish, but clearly isn't relevent for ones with wider, larger masses.
2007-06-20 11:53:24 · answer #9 · answered by boncarles 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
no its not true ts just a myth don't listen to people who tell you that that's the truth
2007-06-20 12:36:51 · answer #10 · answered by tkerbag 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋