how many fish can my tank hold

waxer1986

hi,just got a new rio 180 a few weeks ago..have it all cycled now and have a few fish in it....here they are..

5 neon tetra,s
5 other tetra ......not sure wat there called but there see true and there the same size..
................and i have one barb.i no they aint supposed to be in wit each other but he s quite a he dont attack the other fish...
how many more fish can i put in....ty
o and can ye recommend the best type off fish to keep my tank free off algae......preferably a small one ty...

spookymuffin

Your tank is approx. 47 US gallons. The general rule is that you have 1 inch of fish per gallon, but within reason (ie you do not put a ten inch fish in a ten gallon tank). I would usually try to over estimate and use a 1.5-2 inches per gallon rule.

Anyway, let's say that you've used up about 15 gallons of your space with the tetras and the barb. That leaves you with 32 gallons.

What kind of fish do you want to put into the tank? Do you just want to add more small ones like the tetras? Or do you want to go for something larger?

As for algae eaters, bristlenose plecos are pretty good and they don't get very big at all. My personal favourite though are Nerite snails, they eat 90% of the different types of algae and can't breed in freshwater so they wont overpopulate your tank like Apple snails do.

ValerieR

@ waxer1986,

Congratulations on joining the fish keeping hobby. You are at a very interesting stage: populating the tank with new inhabitants and it's great that you are researching which is compatible with which !
Spookymuffin's advice on population density are dead on.
Tetras are overall great little fish and there are many different varieties. However, some tetras can also be fin-nippers, so, I would avoid putting in fish that have long and ornamental fins (they tend to be slow swimmers too which makes them more vulnerable too).
You are right : Barbs would tend to become aggressive when they grow - you might want to keep a very close eye on him.
As far as other fish types are concerned, angelfish could be a possibility. 6 juveniles would be plenty for your 180l tank. Clown loaches are nice too. They can grow quite large but are very slow growing and are famous for their antics in the tank. They are quite sensitive to water conditions however (no scales) so water changes are a must with them.
For algae eating, bristlenoses are great when small but I personally prefer ottos. They are small but eat algae all day long !
For more ideas, you can check www.irishfishkeepers.com which is an Irish based discussion forum on fish keeping. Lots of advice and info available there

I hope this helps.
ValerieR

waxer1986

spookymuffin wrote: »

Your tank is approx. 47 US gallons. The general rule is that you have 1 inch of fish per gallon, but within reason (ie you do not put a ten inch fish in a ten gallon tank). I would usually try to over estimate and use a 1.5-2 inches per gallon rule.

Anyway, let's say that you've used up about 15 gallons of your space with the tetras and the barb. That leaves you with 32 gallons.

What kind of fish do you want to put into the tank? Do you just want to add more small ones like the tetras? Or do you want to go for something larger?

As for algae eaters, bristlenose plecos are pretty good and they don't get very big at all. My personal favourite though are Nerite snails, they eat 90% of the different types of algae and can't breed in freshwater so they wont overpopulate your tank like Apple snails do.

not really sure wat fish im gona go with...suppose id rather active ones
any ideas...not gona add any more for awhile thou see how theses get on first..ty for ur reply all

spookymuffin

waxer1986 wrote: »

not really sure wat fish im gona go with...suppose id rather active ones
any ideas...not gona add any more for awhile thou see how theses get on first..ty for ur reply all

If you're looking for active fish the you'll probably want to go for more tetras. Congo tetras are larger than most tetra species (at about 2-3 inches), are very active and have gorgeous fins and colouration. Although it would probably be a good idea to get rid of the barb if you were thinking of going with congos.
Here's a picture for reference:


If you don't mind fish that are a little shy and will need some hiding spaces then a pair of Blue Rams might be nice.
Picture for reference:

waxer1986

ya there really nice looken arent they...thanks for all ur help:D