Re: Help!! Do I have too many fish?
#5
You are massively overstocked i'm afraid.
I have got 5 fantails in 200 L , and that is overstocked !(ive got a new tank arriving this week to sort the problem)
A more pressing problem rather than the space, is that the fish will basically be poisoning themselves as they secrete ammonia from their gills, which the filter (if all is established and working well) should then convert into nitrite which is then turned into nitrates.
The nitrates are toxic to the fish if the levels get to high, but are removed from the tank by changing the water.
You should change a large % of the water every day to reduce the toxin level in the water. Treat the new water with dechloriator (something like 'tap safe').
Don't clean the filter in tap water as it will kill the bacterial colonies that convert the ammonia. If it needs a rinse give it a swish in a bucket of old tank water.
The 'API' water test kit is probably the best ?20 you can spend. It takes all of the guess work out of it.
I have to change at least 1/2 the water in my tank every 5 days or so to keep the nitrate level acceptable. The fish have grown from 'end of your thumb' size to length of your hand size in a year and a bit !
I had quite a few that died when I started keeping goldfish, and the rest were really miserable as I had 7 in a 60L biorb (very poor advise from pets at home). The survivors are doing really well now I understand the basics of keeping the water good.
The gist of fishkeeping is you keep the water, not the fish !