Is my tank overstocked?

Question

ok its about 6 gallons it is heated and filted

and in under 2 years i am getting a 50 gallon tank

it contains

1 danio (the others died)

1 corydora

1 apple snail

1 Chinese algae eater 2 inches (will sell when it gets aggressive)

no substate just rocks

Answer 1

Well the problem is not only that your tank is overstocked, but you have the wrong number of fish and wrong mixture.

Danios usually thrive in groups of 3-5 minimum.  Cory Cats are very social and also thrive and survive longer with 3-5 minimum.

The chinese algae eater can get up to about 8 inches...so this is your biggest issue.  It will outgrow the tank and will become aggressive to the others...especially the cory cat...in this small of space.  Lots of cover is needed and with the tank you have that will be limited.

Your apple snail will also need different foods, for algae is not the preferred food for these creatures.  They love veggies and plants.

I would get rid of the Chinese algae eater and the apple snail.  Get ya 2 more danios and 2 more cory cats.  That will be about it for this tank, except maybe a small group of about 3 - 5 neon tetra.

When ya get your 50 Gallon tank...add some different mixtures of danios...and a couple more cory cats...then get your Chinese algae eater.  Bigger tank, more room...get yourself a Mystery Snail...Golden or Black.  And you can then play with the rest of the tank as to what add.  Either way, you have more to play with to find the right mixture and have more room for a couple of different types of fish.

Best of Luck!

Answer 2

As mentioned, the CAE will get too big and eventually attack your other fish-- I would recommend getting rid of it now.  Danios are EXTREMELY active and require large schools for comfort.  A 6 gallon tank is simply not enough space to accomodate an active school.  Consider replacing the Danio with a few Cherry Barbs, which are less active and less inclined to school.  I'm guessing you don't have one of the pygmy Cories (C. habrosus, C. pygmaeus, C. hastatus), which would work very well in such a small tank.  I would get rid of the Cory too and look for one of the above "dwarves".

EDIT: It is nearly impossible to mistake a Siamese Algae Eater for a Chinese Algae Eater-- SAE don't even have sucker mouths!  Juvenile CAE may be fine, but once they hit about 3-4", they become demons, sucking on other fish and entirely ignoring algae.

Answer 3

The tank is too small for your chinese. They can grow over 8 inches long. I would find him a new home now.

Besides that, your tank is UNDERSTOCKED. If you stick with fish like danios and guppies, you could easily add 5-6 more fish (you could have a nice school of 6 danios).

But as I said before, get rid of the chinese algea eater now. It's too large of a species for that small of a tank.

Answer 4

yes the tank is way over crowded . use this rule of thumb

  1 inch of fish per one gallon of water