Hi,
I have a 5 gallon fish tank. I know 1inch of fish=1 gallon of water. I have about 5 inches of fish PLUS 3 algae eating shrimp and a algae eating fish.(normal sucker-fish). right now i just lost a few. If I added some real water plants would that help keep them alive?
If I add more plants can i add more fish?
NO. You still need to respect the 1:1 ratio. You are already overcrowded! Thats why they died. If your suckermouth is a pleco, they get 24 inches long! unless you got a clown pleco, the only get 5-6 inches and that is still overcrowding. The only thing you could do is keep a small school of tetras or a beta. Get rid of the sucker. You also have to perform 20% weekly water changes. If you just started your tank, you must let it cycle first before you can add more fish. This usually take 4-6 weeks and you can only have one fish in a tank that small during the cycling process. When enough beneficial bacteria has grown on your gravel and filter, you can add more fish, but at the rate of one per week with a 5 gallon. I wouldn't reccomend anyone keeping under a 10 gallon tank. 5 gallons is just about pointless really unless all you want is a beta, but I argue that even they should have 10 gallons. Fish might stay ALIVE in a 5 gallon, but they certainly arent going to live their entire lifespan and they won't be as happy. And yes... fish do get sad and stressed out.
Reply:Hello, you can ad plants they produce oxygen and other valuable nutrients for fish. However, fish suffer from stress and you will have to find out what the problem is. Remember, that if the fish are of the same age and size and grow together there is a better desire for them to not fight and agitate each other.
Just think how we as humans survive in certain conditions and apply that method toward your fish family.
Reply:First of all, plants take up space.
The 1 inch per 1 gallon is a bogus thing that stores like petco and petsmart spread so that people won't overstock their tanks.
It depends on the type of fish and the type of filtration you have.
I am almost certain that your sucker fish will outgrow the tank. If I am not mistaken, they are plecos and plecos will get large.
The shrimp are negligible towards the tank's bio-load so I would not factor them into the equation.
Plants would add oxygen, but oxygen is not an issue here. (For example, if I stuffed you and 20 other people into an elevator filled with pure oxygen, you would be able to breathe, but you would still be cramped right?)
Reply:A 5 gallon? That's sick, one fish only in that thing. Those sucker fishes get to be two feet, so you can't keep it in your "aquarium." These are LIVE ANIMALS. Stop killing them!
Reply:Not necessarily. There are advantages and disadvantages to having plants in your tank. I want to note -If you have mostly algae eaters, than plants will probably be a waste of money since they will eat them and you will have to continue rebuying them. Just stick a piece of cucumber in the tank for a few hours every couple of days. They will love you for it.
As for plants making it allowable to house more fish in a small area - not true at all. The reason why is because for one, fish NEED swimming room. They're fish! Second, the more fish you have, the quicker ammonia will build up in your tank. Plants or no plants, this is still true. The only thing that can remove ammonia/nitrates/nitrites (all toxic to fish) is water changes. (Unless you have a river at your disposal...unlikely).
So to answer your question in short...no.
Reply:It could help out but oin fact it all depends on what kinda fish and what kinda filtration you have. Put a big enough filter system and alot of plants and you can just keep on adding away. The 1 in to 1 gal is a good method for starting. but if you have had the tank up and running for some time your biofilter should be established. The plants will help but it will take some time ofr them to establish themselves and make a difference. I would just keep up with water changes...that's changes not just topping off the tank. give the plants time to establish and grow before trying to add anything else and remember to add small fish a few at a time. The smaller the fish the smaller the Bio load on the tank it will have. Of course some people will say Not to add anymore or to buy a bigger tank... But if done right it is possible to maintain what you have now and add a few more with time slowly
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment