Stock Your Aquarium the Right Away

You may only place so many fish in a tank together before there are problems. That's when knowing how to stock your fish tank correctly becomes essential.

General Information

In an overcrowded tank, disease will be more likely and can spread quickly. It creates a stressful environment for the fish and increases the care you need to perform to keep the tank clean. Plus, too many fish may increase the ammonia levels to more than the filter can handle, leading to a toxic environment for your fish.

Considerations

Consider how large your fish will get. Bigger fish produce more waste and require more room to swim. Therefore, you'll need fewer large fish than the general recommendation.

Some fish need more room than others to swim, especially schooling fish. So, if you're getting fish that need more room to swim, you'll need fewer than the rule of thumb.

Keep in mind that with rocks and other adornments, that 10-gallon tank may not be holding its full capacity. It may only be holding 10 to 15% less than that.

A fish tank can be an interesting addition to your decor. But, it's important to properly stock your fish tank to ensure your fish live long, healthy lives, and you're not doing more work than necessary.