How do you stock your tanks?

[Xander]

I'm curious about how you all choose what point the stocks of your tanks are full.

Obviously, there are two important factors in the stocking of a tank:
1) bioload
2) physical space

Bioload is easy enough to discover with water testing; I'm more concerned about the second one, here.

The inch-of-fish-per-gallon rule is obviously flawed and outdated, of course - you wouldn't put a 5 inch fish into a 5 gallon tank, after all (I hope!).

So how do you choose what size tank you would put a species of fish in? When do you say that a level of your tank is too crowded, even if your weekly bioload is still acceptable? Do you play it by eye? Research the species and its needs? Ask other knowledgable fishkeepes? Information on the internet? Literature/magazines? Do you trust the fish stores' advice? Do you just purchase a species on impulse and hope it makes do in the setup you have?

[Andre]

I really like this question.
For me I do a lot of research on what I'm going to stock my tank with. I'm not one to make an impulse buy as when I buy something I do get attached to it.
I think the main thing that really boils down to the heart of the question is what the stock in your tank going to be.
It's different for everyone as we will all keep different fish and with our experiences even with the same fish can be so dramatically different. It's what is important to remember that what may work for me may not work for others.

I don't even pay any attention to the 1"/gal rule.
I go with what works for my fish. I keep African cichlids and at times they can get aggressive and one way to curb that aggression is to create community and overstock and what I mean is to stock to the point where I find my fish are living peacefully and yes that can change at any point but that is why you must pay attention to your fish and watch for who may be bullied or picked on.
Another aspect is your maintenance schedule, if you can't afford to stay on top of maintenance on a timely basis then don't stock your tank to the point you are losing fish because of poor water quality etc.
You yourself are the best judgement of what your capabilities are and don't over stretch yourself and lose interests in this hobby cause you feel it's no longer a hobby.

Fully research every aspect of what you want to stock and go to multiple sources for that info.
I try and stick to forums and websites dedicated to that species of fish. I watch YouTube videos and talk to fellow fish keepers. I don't rely on just one source.

That's what works for me

[gabor129]

Well let me chime in here too!
First off this is a great question, and everyone should take it to hearth!

First off I am a complete opposite of both of the previous posts! I am a very impulse buyer! If I go to an auction I will get something I never dreamed of! I deal with this by having a spare tank that temporarily can house the new stock! Than I decide which tank I need to change to accommodate my new fish! Most of the time this works out for me, however at times it does not! For example: I got 6 wood cats because my wife really like how they look! It turned out that they only out in complete darkness, as well as very predatory fish! So now I got these fish I never see, and I can't keep small fish in that tank! Bummer!

As for checking the water with a test kit, I think last time I did that was to do chemistry with my son! Just for entertainment not for the actual readings! I had a 10 gallon tank with around 300 endlers in it! (mostly fry) Lots of plants and weekly water charges! Everything is very healthy and obviously reproducing! On the other end I have a 20 gallon long tank that has a pair of bristlenose plecos in it with a trio of alpha red swordtails and that is it!

I guess I rely on my past experience as to how many fish I put in a tank, along with what looks good in my opinion! My experience is, if you keep up with maintenance you can have a slightly overstocked tank!

[Xander]

Thanks for chiming in guys, hoping to hear from many more as well!

Myself, I am very nervous about doing wrong by the species. I want to know every detail about how they ought to be kept, and who they could be kept with. I see a tank as something like a puzzle, where I've got to figure out exactly what pieces to use to complete the picture. Sure, I could go digging around in another jigsaw box for a piece that's the right shape, but it still doesn't fit quite right and the picture is flawed.

When I set a boundary and a plan for myself, it makes it easy to stay in line and keep the harmony of the tank in place. It also stops me from trying anything new, on the other hand... And who knows, maybe there are options I haven't considered yet that would work even better than what I've chosen!