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Stocking level for two 10gal

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daskallu

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24 Nov 2023
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8
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Romania
I have these 2 nano tank, 10gal each (28.5cm x 33.5cm x 42cm), and I'm unsure what is the recommended stocking for them.
I've been using Aqadvisor.com as a guide for awhile now, but the stocking levels indicated by that site seems a bit too high.

Both tank don't register any nitrates, either from test strips or solution test.
There also have 3 types of floating plants, Red Root Floaters, Salvinia and Limnobium. These plants fill the surface in about 2 weeks and then I donate about 80% of them.

The left tank is full of cherry shrimps (i'd say 100), 2 small nerite snails, and we added yesterday 15 Boraras Brigittae (mosquito rasboras).
The tank feels complete now, but the stocking level is 200% based on Aqadvisor. I think it should be ok tho, since it's very well planted.

The right tank has some cherry shrimp (probably about 50), 2 amano shrimp, 2 larger nerites and 4 Otoncinclus. I've added a female Betta yesterday, but we're having second thoughts now about her. Stocking levels looks to be 175% now.
I personally would've liked to add 8, even 10, Corydoras Hastatus or Pygmaeus. But Crystal Pearl Danios would also look nice, although I'm hesitant that they will be too shy.

I'd love to hear any input from you guys.

Thank you!

Edit: Forgot to mention that filtration is done by one Seachem Tidal 30, for each tank. They're filled with pumice stone and a small bag of carbon and zeolite.
 

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I wouldn't recommend aqua advisor, it doesn't take plant mass into consideration among other things, and according to it my mature 200l planted tank is going to explode with ammonia tomorrow. it does the job though, and you cant really go wrong with it, it just doesn't really show the full potential of your tanks. good tool though. id add the celsetial pearl danios and the corys to the betta tank, but be very careful, as she might attack them, it depends on the individual betta, so be ready with a net
 
SamTheMan said:
I wouldn't recommend aqua advisor, it doesn't take plant mass into consideration among other things, and according to it my mature 200l planted tank is going to explode with ammonia tomorrow. it does the job though, and you cant really go wrong with it, it just doesn't really show the full potential of your tanks. good tool though. id add the celsetial pearl danios and the corys to the betta tank, but be very careful, as she might attack them, it depends on the individual betta, so be ready with a net
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So you would add them both? Like 15 Danios and 10 Corys, togheter with 4 Otocinclus and even a Betta? I'm considering returning the Betta...

One question tho: Is it safe to assume that a 10gal tank can house half the fish of a 20gal tank (assuming it's the same species and it's small enough for the 10gal, and water volume is half of the 20gal)? Or is it more of logarithmic relation?
 
daskallu said:
So you would add them both? Like 15 Danios and 10 Corys, togheter with 4 Otocinclus and even a Betta? I'm considering returning the Betta...

One question tho: Is it safe to assume that a 10gal tank can house half the fish of a 20gal tank (assuming it's the same species and it's small enough for the 10gal, and water volume is half of the 20gal)? Or is it more of logarithmic relation?
Click to expand...
Id leave the betta out, 6 celestial pearl danios and/or six cories, as 10 and 15 of each one in a ten is too much. Probably not the otos either, as for the ten/twenty gallon, that rule doesn't really apply, the growth of fish stocking is exponential opposed to linear. I would just do 8 cpds in the tank, keep it simple, large water changes and try to breed them. Trying to get all these different species in one nano is not great, focus your energy on one
 
SamTheMan said:
Id leave the betta out, 6 celestial pearl danios and/or six cories, as 10 and 15 of each one in a ten is too much. Probably not the otos either, as for the ten/twenty gallon, that rule doesn't really apply, the growth of fish stocking is exponential opposed to linear. I would just do 8 cpds in the tank, keep it simple, large water changes and try to breed them. Trying to get all these different species in one nano is not great, focus your energy on one
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So take the Betta out and add 8 cories?
I really like the otos and would like to keep them. They are the only fish I kept from the 20gql I had to give up on.
 
Least Killifish can work in this size, in my experience; they are rather slow and sedentary. Beware, they breed precociously. In my experience a Cory is much more mobile than one of these. I find Otos quite hard to be sure about as they have unusual behaviour and feeding habits, and seem very tank specific. I think a fish species natural activity is as key as size and bioload.
 
SamTheMan said:
Eight cories and 4 otos will do well in a ten. No other fish
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I found a local breeder with Licorice Gouramis and decided to trade in the Betta and a Nerite for 3 of them. I really like them and I think it complements the tank nicely. I'm even considering getting a 4th Licorice, but I'm still reading about them to learn if that's ok.

AlecF said:
Least Killifish can work in this size, in my experience; they are rather slow and sedentary. Beware, they breed precociously. In my experience a Cory is much more mobile than one of these. I find Otos quite hard to be sure about as they have unusual behaviour and feeding habits, and seem very tank specific. I think a fish species natural activity is as key as size and bioload.
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They look interesting, thank you for mentioning them! I'll keep them in mind for the future.
 
SamTheMan said:
liquorice gouramis are hard, but as long as your water is soft and a low ph, and not too much flow they will do well. Do you know which species of liquorice?
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I think they are Parosphromenus deissneri.
I knew about them before, but labelled them as a no go, because of the water requirements. The seller kinda convinced me about them, since he says he's been breeding them in tap water.
I think my dH is around 5 and kH is 4. pH i try to keep below 7 with leaves and alder cones.
 
daskallu said:
One question tho: Is it safe to assume that a 10gal tank can house half the fish of a 20gal tank (assuming it's the same species and it's small enough for the 10gal, and water volume is half of the 20gal)? Or is it more of logarithmic relation?
Click to expand...
In general, if the fish is not territorial, then there is a minimum tank size for having one fish with a desired level of comfort, then adding extra fishes requires much less space, maybe even no extra space up to some point. The size required for a neon tetra to be comfortable is probably enough to have 10 neon tetras feeling comfortable.

Territorial/aggressive fishes work the other way. A single fish may be comfy in a small tank, but to have two of them, you'll probably need a tank more than twice as large.

So if your 10 gal is large enough for a given peaceful fish, it is possible that in the 20 gal you would be able to house many more of them. You asked it the other way around, so going with this logic, probably halving the size of the tank would allow you to keep much less than half of the fishes you had before, even if it is large enough for 1.

Of course, many exceptions may apply, and each person's idea of what tank size is required for a given comfort level for each fish varies a lot. It is also important to notice that many other factors may affect fish behavior and make it more or less "natural".
 
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