# Too many fish?



## Newbie2014 (Apr 4, 2014)

Hi, my fish are continuously multiplying! Please could someone tell me if my tank has become overstocked?

In my 70L tank, I have;

Large female Swortail
Small female Swordtail
Large male orange Platy
Small female salt & pepper Platy
Small red female Platy
Small female orange & black Platy
5X baby orange Platy's
2X *baby salt & pepper Platy's
2X Norman Lamp eye's (was 3 but one recently disappeared!)
5X small Neon Tetra's
4X Harlequin Rasbora's
5X male Guppies (2 are babies)
7x female Guppies (3 are babies)
4X Guppy fry
3X Sterba Cory's
2X Cherry Shrimp (could be 3 but haven't seen the third for a week)
4X Snails
No real pants as yet but will be very soon.

If it is overstocked, please could you suggest which ones I should take back to the shop? I feel like the Guppies are non stop breeding, I have 3 or 4 generations already! I love the Platy's, very peaceful. Love the Tetra's and Rasbora's, happy go lucky. It would be hard to give any of them up really. I love them all, although my Swordtail has recently become territorial and aggressive. Apart from her I have a very harmonious tank. If I really had to give some up, I think I would prefer to lose the Guppies.

*c/p*

Thanks in advance.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

welcome I know petco will adopt them out.i have taking a few.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Yes, it is definitely overstocked, and I would take the guppies out too. Check out this site to see about your stocking levels.
AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

You could still have all kinds of fish(you may still be overstocked),if you just re home the females.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Overstocked is an under statement. What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings? How long have you had fish in your tank?


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## Newbie2014 (Apr 4, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. I will get the levels checked tomorrow at the shop and take some fish back. After my last post, another Guppy has had more fry and there are about 25-30! If I take back the male Platy (leaving only females and babies) and all of the female guppies, do you think it would be OK to take back the fry? Or should I leave them be until they get bigger and can be sexed? I just don't like the thought of taking the mum away. I don't know, are fish as maternal as us humans? Or not? If I took those eight back, would it still be overstocked? I've only had fish for less than a year but in a 60l BiOrb. A couple of weeks ago I found four fish trapped in the filter (luckily alive!) and decided to get a better tank. So this one has only been running for two weeks, although I did transfer the water, filter sponge, stones, etc, etc from the BiOrb. Since the upgrade I acquired the shrimps, snails and bottom feeders. Tomorrow I will take some fish back and get some real plants.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I would actually consider taking the females back. Livebearer females can store sperm for long periods of time and can become pregnant without a male if they feel the conditions are right. As far a s how many fish...bhew follow the aquadvisor link. However, we are all guilty of overstocking, the solution is lots of scheduled large water changes!


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## Newbie2014 (Apr 4, 2014)

I was wondering if my female swordtail's territorial aggressive behaviour was due to overcrowding, although she mainly does it after feeding time. I may have been over feeding for fear of under feeding! Whilst cleaning the tank today I found all three cherry shrimps but one of my lampeye's is definitely missing. Heaven only knows where that went. Does anyone know if it's ok to separate a guppy mother from its fry after only two days? Thanks.

Btw, I usually do a 20% water change once a week.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

It I'd more than fine. Cichlids are really the only type that rear their fry.


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