Am I overstocked?

[Rockey]

I have a 29 gallon tall freshwater tank and I am wondering if I went about stocking it all wrong. Am I overstocked? Should I change anything? I’ve got lots of higher-end fake plants, fake rubber coral, and a rock with holes in through it for hiding spots (yes, I know that they are freshwater fish, but I like the tropic look of the fake coral). I am also running a Biowheel filter, an additional Top Fin filter (thought it couldn’t hurt to leave it in after I bought the Biowheel), and a long bubble stone under my gravel.

Anyway, here is my stock:

2 Dalmation Lyretail Mollies,
2 Cremecycle Lyretail Mollies,
1 Silver Lyretail Molly,
3 Tiger Barbs,
3 Cherry Barbs,
2 Golden Barbs,
2 Zebra Danios,
1 Black Skirted Tetra,
2 Blueberry Tetras (which I wish I knew were dyed because I wouldn’t have bought them),
1 Khuli Loach,
1 Rainbow Shark,
3 Guppies,
and a Blue Lobster.

What do you think? Many people have told me that the rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. But I have also heard it's a 1/2 inch of fish per gallon. And I've heard that that rule is just no good at all. I'm so confused... Please help if you can. I think I may have gotten out of control.

NOTE: The pic is just of my tank while I was cycling it, so there are only cycle fish in it (four platys that all died from a fungus... and I learned that you don't buy fish from Wal-Mart).

[troy]

You problem is you just 1 or 2 of about 10 different species of fish. Your tank would look better with just one large group of one of the schooling species of fish.

[lobsternoob]

I would have to second troy's comment. And add yes, that sounds overstocked a bit.

[Cameron]

the rules of stocking generally depend on your WC schedule, and of course if the fish have enough room to swim without being stressed, or squished.

[Mvjnz]

Agree with the above, would be much tidier with one big school and one centrepiece fish, or one school in the upper region and one at the bottom.

Not to mention that your fish would be happier if they were in bigger schools as well.

[Red]

Yeah your tank is way over stocked. But if you keep that blue lobster in there you will start to see fish disapear. I would pick one or two schools of fish and find new homes for the others and drop the blue lobster and red tail shark (very mean). You could keep the kuhlis but they perfer sand..

[MCHRKiller]

I wouldnt say your necessairly overstocked if your water levels are still within the good range. Stocking is a complex variable to a simple equation if that makes sense, you can setup 2 identicle tanks with the same number and type of fish same filtration and so on and one will always be capable of adding more fish to its max due to the fact that some individual fish just excrete more than others.

Point being, let your tank tell you when its had to much. Pick a waterchange schedule you can easily deal with...for me I do a WC every 5 days on my cichlid tanks and a WC on my planted tanks every 10 days. My nitrate is never above 20ppm, and I dont have nitrites or ammonia...my tanks with my filtration and maintenance are properly stocked. If your havin trouble keeping your nitrates under 30ppm Id seriously consider making some adjustments either by reducing stock, or doing more maintenance.

You do have kind of a random stock however with shoaling fish without a shoal. As previously mentioned thats something I would take care of...I would also advocate removing the crayfish to its own tank as they are predatory and will eventually knab some of your fish Im actually really surprised that kuhli is still alive. The rainbow shark will in time grow to large for your tank as they do reach 5" and are fairly territorial. The barbs, danios, and tetras all need to be in groups of 5+. Your tank just isnt large enough to accomidate all those fish. The kuhli would also prefer to have a couple members of its own species.