One of the most basic questions asked by all those who want to start in the world of aquariums is how many fish can be put in the aquarium. There are numerous references depending on the type from and of aquarium you have. It is necessary to take into account certain characteristics that the aquarium and the rest of the components must fulfill so that the fish can live in a healthy way and the closest thing to their natural ecosystem.
Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know to know how many fish can be put in the aquarium.
How many fish can be put in the aquarium
A basic rule that can serve as a reference to know how many fish can be put in the aquarium is 1 liter per centimeter of adult fish. Fish have to live comfortably along with minimal care, among which are, have ample space.
When it comes to knowing how many fish we can put in an aquarium, the type of tank influences. A wide and shallow one is recommended rather than a deep and narrow one, because the greater the surface of water exposed to the air, the greater the gas exchange with the water, there will be more oxygen and it will be able to house more fish.
Overcrowding in the aquarium is not recommended, despite the belief that, as long as the fish can move freely, nothing happens. It is not suitable because fish can become stressed and could undermine the health of their inhabitants. In addition, the fish species must be taken into account because many are territorial and do not want to give up their living space.
Every fish needs its space. Overpopulation will give us many problems and between them it will be a continuous war because the problems between them will be constant: fights, nibbling of fins and cannibalism, and above all, problems with water, filtration and quality in the ecosystem.
An example from the home aquarium:
Generally there is an aquarium 60 cm long, 30 wide and 30 deep. 15 freshwater fish of 5 cm can comfortably live in it. From this example a different aquarium can be formed by calculating one liter of water per centimeter of fish. Freshwater fish need less water per fish than saltwater fish, since the oxygenation process is slower. It must be taken into account that the fish grow and the calculation must be carried out as an adult fish.
How much space each fish needs
An important aspect to consider is how much space each fish needs. The rule of one liter of water for every centimeter refers mainly to cichlids but it always works for us. If we want the aquarium planted with real plants or we have another type de peces as koi carp and goldfish are You have to have more water since it makes a lot of dirt. In these cases, 10 liters of water are recommended for every centimeter of fish. For these varieties de peces that grow a lot and get quite dirty, this aspect must be taken into account.
You also have to remember another interesting detail to know how many fish you can put in the aquarium. One of them is the aggressiveness or territoriality of the fish. There are fish that are more territorial so they need their own space to dominate. These fish tend to feel more overwhelmed if they live close to other fish and must share the same habitat. Especially when it comes to establishing a pair or having babies, they become too aggressive. This is where we must add a greater amount of water and have a larger space if we want to accommodate more. de peces.
Many of the species are dominant and like to determine their space within the aquarium. Therefore, if our aquarium has a large number of this type de peces, we will be able to accommodate a smaller number of individuals. As a summary we can establish some main guidelines knowing the main conditions that determine how many fish we can put in the aquarium:
- Amount of waste: Each variety of fish generates a certain amount of waste that must be taken into account for the aquarium space. The more waste they generate, the smaller the number. de peces can house the aquarium.
- Size that they will have in adult: there are many species that grow too large compared to their size when they are small. One of the main mistakes newbies in this world make is not contemplating how tall pets are going to be when they reach adulthood.
- The reproduction rate: one of the fish that is sold the most for freshwater aquariums is the Poecillids. This species has a fairly developed ability to reproduce. It is here where it is necessary to analyze that the populations of the fish so of say they can get to increase.
- Number of males and females: when introducing the fish into the aquarium, it is necessary to count how many males and how many females we introduce. This also has an impact on the rate of reproduction.
- Calculate the number de peces that can fit: here we can use the civic rule of the liter of water for every centimeter of fish. You just have to say that in the aquarium there is more than just fish and water. And it is that surely we have plants, decoration, filters, etc. This indicates that the useful volume of the tank will be less.
How many fish can be put in the tropical or cold water aquarium
An important aspect to take into account is what type of aquarium we are going to have. If the species are tropical or cold water they will have different needs. Gases are continuously exchanged on the surface of the aquarium. The aquarium release carbon dioxide and oxygen present in the air It is necessary so that it ends up dissolved in the water for the fish to live on it. One of the rules to know how many fish can be put in the aquarium is to calculate the surface of the water to know the amount de peces that we can have. This water surface is calculated based on the exchange of gases that must have been carbon in oxygen with the outside.
This rule tells us that we can accommodate one centimeter of fish for every 12 cm² of surface. In such a way we can say that for cold water fish we have 62 square centimeters for each centimeter of fish. On the other hand, for tropical fish we have 26 square centimeters for each centimeter of fish.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about how many fish can be put in the aquarium.