Video:How Many Fish Safely Fit in a Tank

Transcript:How Many Fish Safely Fit in a Tank

Hi, I am Dan Thornton, owner of Reef Encounters in Erie, Colorado and  I am here today for About.com to talk about how many fish safely fit in a tank. There are several factors to consider when you are trying to figure out how many fish you can safely put in your aquarium. Filtration, the size of the actual aquarium, so gallons, or liters of the aquarium.

Consider Surface Area of the Tank Needed for the Fish

The shape of the aquarium is a factor. Ideally, you want to get a tank that is longer and wider verses taller. A tall tank doesn't allow much area for habitat for the fish, or territory. It also doesn't have a huge surface area on top for gas exchange. So , the more floor space you can have in an aquarium, the better. When you are considering the size of your tank, the general rule is one inch of fish per gallon of water.

How Territorial Are the Fish in the Tank

When you think of that, you need to think of the total size of your fish. So you need to find out what the adult size f the fish is going to be, and then also how they are compatible with each other, and with other fish. You also want to take into account how aggressive the fish are. So if you have very aggressive fish, you may only be able to put one or two in the tank, even if it is a very big tank, because they will attack each other. So each one needs to have it's own territory. The fish aren't really aggressive, they are more territorial.

Consider Filtration Power for the Tank

In terms of filtration, the more filtration that you have, the more fish you can have up to a point. The filters can only handle so much, no matter how big they are, or what kind they are.

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