Bio-Load opinion

[drawnon]

I would like some opinions from you guys.
I have a 30 gal tank, black sand substrate, lightly planted, with an emperor 400 filter. It is well established. It’s been running for 4+ years. I do regular weekly, and monthly, maintenance to it, and have no problems. The tank currently has 3 black kuhli loaches about 4” long and the width of a dainty pinky finger, 1 hillstream loach about the size of a guitar pick, and 14 pearl celestial danios about 1” each.
Do you think I’m at my bio load limit?
Do you think I could add maybe 4 dwarf Gouramis or 4 small angels?
I’m looking for a more visible fish. I thought the danios would school like a flock of birds. Yea right. They always stick together and hide behind everything and rarely rise up above 6 inches off the bottom of the tank. And talk about skittish.
So what do you guys think? Can I still add? Or should I trade in half my flock of scaredy fish before adding more.
Thanks
James

[rich311k]

I think you could add one gourami. I think an angel would cause problems for the danios as it grows.

[Northernguy]

The angels won't stay small forever and will probably thin out the danio population.
The bioload is fine if your water change schedule is good enough!
The dwarf gouramis would be fine.

[Anomaly]

I wouldn't add 4 Dwarf Gouramis in a 30 gallon unless you can make 2 or 3 of them females. They can and will fight each other and quite aggressively at times. If you're thinking of getting rid of the Danios and want a great schooling fish, look into Rummy-nose Tetras.

[robflanker]

I concur that I wouldnt add 4 angels, or 4 dwarf gourami.

I'd consider adding a male and a female dwarf gourami

[jaysee]

I would recomend dwarf neon rainbows if you want a schooling fish that will stay up top and in front. They are awesome fish! I would take back half the danios and get 6 rainbows.

You will not run into a bioload problem with the emperor. The issue will be spacial problems. As for the emperor, your danio problem might be a result of the 400 gph flow rate causing too much current in the tank. Recirculating the water 10 times an hour should be the upper limit for a regular community tank, so 300 gph would be the max IMO. I would use an emperor 280 rather than the 400.

[Wetpets]

What is the surface area of the water? (ie: top-down measurement)?

[jaysee]

30(29) gallon is 30 x 12 x 19

A true 30 gallon is 36 x 13 x 18

30 breeder is 36 x 18 x 13

roughly

[rangur1]

i'd recommend against angels and gouramis with the danios. the easiest solution is to either add a group of tetras to danios [serpae,pristella tetras are robust] or you could remove the danios and replace them with angels or possibly a group of 8 tiger barbs- you will definately see these fish.
good luck

[drawnon]

thanks guys.

[Wild Turkey]

Yea i agree with the general consensus, no angels.

If there was not much else in the tank, one angel.

Gouramis are fine make sure you get the right ratio of males and females so they dont fight. Dont quote but I think 1 male vs 2-3 females is your best bet.

More bioload will mean more waterchanges most likey, so just be ready to do them.

How are your water params? Danios rarely hide so maybe something is up or they need more hiding spaces

[AABatteries]

Why are you only looking into dwarf gouramis? Blue and gold gouramis only get up to 4 inches and look quite nice.

I had a female blue and gold in my 30g, now I'm down to just the blue, due to the gold dying(most likely because of age). I had both of them in a 20g before they went to the 30g and they never had any issues their either. And neither ever bothers/bothered my cardinal tetras or guppy fry.

[mac]

I would like some opinions from you guys.
I have a 30 gal tank, black sand substrate, lightly planted, with an emperor 400 filter. It is well established. It’s been running for 4+ years.

Sounds like a nice tank. Any chance of some pics? Is it a planted tank?

I do regular weekly, and monthly, maintenance to it, and have no problems.

The loverly thing about having tanks which are nice and mature:22: thumbs2:

The tank currently has 3 black kuhli loaches about 4” long and the width of a dainty pinky finger, 1 hillstream loach about the size of a guitar pick, and 14 pearl celestial danios about 1” each.

Sounds like a great stocking. IMO I would get more Kulies.
As for the Hillstream loach, I would get more of them.
Other wise great stocking.


Do you think I’m at my bio load limit?
Do you think I could add maybe 4 dwarf Gouramis or 4 small angels?

No you are not at your bio-load capacity.
IMO I would not get these fish with the CPD.

You would IMO get much more peaceful fish with CPD, like Rasboras.

I’m looking for a more visible fish. I thought the danios would school like a flock of birds. Yea right. They always stick together and hide behind everything and rarely rise up above 6 inches off the bottom of the tank. And talk about skittish.

These IMO these fish can be very timid type of fish. Which do like a well planted tank to thrive in. As for getting them more active the more you have the more active they get.

These fish are not like normal types of Danois which are hyper active, and can be kept with any fish. They are more sensitive and like peaceful tank mates.


So what do you guys think? Can I still add? Or should I trade in half my flock of scaredy fish before adding more.
Thanks
James

IMO I would not get rid of any of the CPDs unless you get rid of the whole school. Taking only some out would make things worse for the fish. IMO get more of them, then they will get more active.

As for adding other fish get very peaceful fish like Dwarf Rasboras, Harlequin Rasboras, Red-Line Rasboras.

Small Tetras, like Cardinals, Neons, Embers, Rummy Nose, and fish like them would be okay.

Good luck,

mac

[Northernguy]

Just for the record and I apologize for not being more clear.
1 male and a few female dwarf gouramis would be alright.:22: