The "one inch per gallon" rule

[Nik]

So lets put the rule to use on four fish:
1. Black pacu-30" x 2" x 18" = 1080 gallons, i think that is a little too much for just one pacu.
2. Pbass mono- 25"x 2.5"x 8" = 500 gallons. Still a little much, but more accurate than the pacu.
3. Pima ( no they get bigger but this is the average aquarium size- 65" x 6 " x 14 " = about 5,500 gallons. I think that a pima could happily live in 1,500.
4. School of 10 tinfoil barbs- 10x .5x 5x 5= 125 gallons ( I multiplied by five at the end because you can take off have the number of fish if they are dithers) this sound a lot more reasonable.

 

[Ryand63]

I think regardless of any "rules" it is pretty easy to decide whether your tank is overstocked or not.

 

[TTTT]

Most decent fishkeepers can look at a tank and I.D. the fish and tell if it's overstocked.

 

[Stonefish13]

I say use your best judgement. With filtration and tank size taken into consideration if you have any experience with fish you should just use your head and don't punish a fish just because you want it. Be smart.

 

[OscarMaster]

i also thought 1" for 1" lol. good to know, i know have just purchased a 150 gallon tnak i love it , just waiting for some ideas on fish to put in it? any one know what i should do?

 

[dskrpncs]

so if I have a 55 gallon tank with 6" african cichlids you are saying that I should only have 4.5 fish in the tank? give me a break

 

[alu]

about the african cichlid comment the one inch rule as you can see applies to certain fish i mean like you said 4.5 africans in a 55 gallon is stupid for example african cichlids like to be crowded i mean not so many you can see the back of the tank but more fish than usual. now its harder to keep the tank clean that way but its how they like it so the one inch per gallon i just ignore that comment since some fish prefer to be alone and thats that. some fish like africans love to be crowded. and others like new world cichlids like to have a few in there tank but not over crowded like 4.5 nwc in a 55 sounds right. so thats the info ive learned from my experience

 

[candh.4]

interesting

 

[DyNoMiGhT]

always thought it was by length...thanks for clearing that up.

 

[raycolburn]

thanks for that, even more confused now!!!!!