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1)I'm not trying to critisize you guys ir anything (in fact, you're all great and have been really helpful ) but, i have seen lots of suggestions for ten gallon tanks that say something like:

3-4 Small Corydoras
6 Small Tetras (Neons)
2 Ottos
1 Small Centrepiece fish(Betta/Dwarf Gourami)

And i make that about 16ins of fish, and you usually say 1 in per gallon.

2)Some people have been saying that peppered catfish are some of the smallest Corydoras, but they grow to 8cm. Don't People mean SALT & pepper corys???

3) Also, general stocking rules, so far i have heard one inch per gallon, 1 inch per 10 square inches of surface area and 2.5 cm per 75 square cm of surface area. Which is the best???? Or, (within reason) is there no limit, just the bio-load to consider. i am NOT saying put tinfoil barbs in a 10gal, just, the amount of waste a 1inch Goldfish produces is equal to the waste 20 Neon tetras would.

I am not sure if these all belong in the same post, but i am a bit confused about all 3.

Like i said, i am not trying to say you are all wrong, just that i am confused, and want whats best for the fish.

Thankyou BNF

Hi BNF,

1)I'm not trying to critisize you guys ir anything (in fact, you're all great and have been really helpful ) but, i have seen lots of suggestions for ten gallon tanks that say something like:

3-4 Small Corydoras
6 Small Tetras (Neons)
2 Ottos
1 Small Centrepiece fish(Betta/Dwarf Gourami)

And i make that about 16ins of fish, and you usually say 1 in per gallon.

Yes, I would say that is way too many fish for a 10g tank myself. The Corys and Ottos and Neons are plenty by themselves, or the corys centerpeice, and ottos, but not all of these.



2)Some people have been saying that peppered catfish are some of the smallest Corydoras, but they grow to 8cm. Don't People mean SALT & pepper corys???

I sure hope people mean Hasbrosus Corys and not Paleatus.
Paleatus (pepper corys) are among one of the largest of the corys, at almost 3 inches. People should be specific and use scientific names not common ones.


3) Also, general stocking rules, so far i have heard one inch per gallon, 1 inch per 10 square inches of surface area and 2.5 cm per 75 square cm of surface area. Which is the best???? Or, (within reason) is there no limit, just the bio-load to consider. i am NOT saying put tinfoil barbs in a 10gal, just, the amount of waste a 1inch Goldfish produces is equal to the waste 20 Neon tetras would.

The general stocking guideline most people go for primarily for beginners and small tanks is 1 inch per gallon of Small, Relatively inactive fish.
A Goldfish I would say due to its huge bioload should be planned at 1/2 inch per gallon, so a 8 inch Oranda would need at the the very least 16g of tank space - but preferably more as they are active fish. A Goldfish in my opinion requires 55g as a minimum and an addition 15g per fish. I would suggest most people stock no more than 1 inch per gallon, unless they are very experienced.

It is very confusing, as fishkeeping was until recently, not much of a science, and primarily subjective in needs of fish. Still to this day I know people who dont believe in water changes they swear it "kills their fish".
Hopefully the art of fishkeeping will catch up to the high level of quality in keeping other animals, like dogs, cats, and horses, etc.
Unfortunately this may take a long time.
As you come to know people on a forum if you stick around, you will soon see whos advice is more valuable, and whos advice you should take with a grain of salt.



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Thankyou very much, help appreciated. Thats my problems sorted.

I am stocking my first tank at the moment,
http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/General%20Freshwater/68249.html

And i am trying to use the information that everyone is giving.

Thanks for your help

BNF

I did mean Corydoras Palteus, or however it is spelled, but i can't spell it and didn't want to confuse people

Last edited by BlackNeonFerret at 20-Jan-2006 14:08