Nessie!!!

Ok, so I bought a 14 gallon aquarium, Monday I'm going to PetSmart to buy fish, here is my list, can you tell me if this is overstocked or not, 2 Kuhli Loaches, 1 Ghost Shrimp, and 2 Mollies. Is that overstocked for a 14 gallon aquarium? PLease help me before I go and buy fish on Monday. Thanks aTon!

Chief_waterchanger

It is not overstocked, but I would make it 3 or 4 kuhli loaches and make the kuhlis happy and still be fine. Kuhlis length versus bioload doesn't follow the 1" rule since they are so small.

Nessie!!!

Oh ok, so maybe like 3 Kuhli loaches then, I though their length added to the bioload, I was wrong, I'm glad I found out though I wouldn't want just 1 unhappy Kuhli Loach, Thank you!

tkfury

How exactly do you figure in Kuhli Loaches?

I'd say go with a handful of ghost shrimp, 3 or so - depending on how many they can catch for you (last time I went they finally had more ghost shrimp but the guy couldn't catch a single one grr).

Nessie!!!

Lol, thats funny, lively things aren't they?


As for measuring in Kuhli Loaches I have no clue.

sirdarksol

My suggestion, if you want shrimp, is to wait until fish-shipping season starts and talk with Dino/CWC. Even counting shipping, their prices for amano/cherry shrimp are excellent, and you get a little bit of java moss with it. Also, the "amano" shrimp that they have are a slight diversion from the usual species, and they don't go through a planktonic stage, meaning they can breed in a normal aquarium (true amano shrimp require brackish water, leaving you going back to the pet store whenever your shrimp die of old age)

Nessie!!!

Ok, but do you know how to measure Kuhli Loaches? Like in the tank size?

Chief_waterchanger

I would count Kuhli loaches as 1/3 of their own length. So a 5 inch kuhli loach would count as about an inch and a half, or so.

That is how Dino and I would count them, atleast. I hope that helps.

Hehe. Thanks for the endorsement Sirdarksol.

Wolfgang8810

i bought 10 red cherry shrimp from dino a month ago and now i have upwards of 30. paid 20 bucks got 12 adults and several juvis. definatly buy from knowlagable fish people opposed to petsfart or deathco.

Nessie!!!

Ok, but would I have to wait until spring to buy the shrimp? And thanks for the advice on the Kuhli Loaches, I think I can get about 3 or 4 then, so the Mollies I plan on getting would be ok then, right? If the Kuhli Loaches, a five inch one, so one and a half inches, basicly two, rounding. 2x3=6 gallons, Ghost or other shrimp don't really add for the bioload, and Mollies can get up to 4" so, 2x4=8 gallons 8+6=14 perfect!

Wolfgang8810

i think dino will ship them now if it isnt horrable. it might cost a little more because he would put a heat pack in.

Chief_waterchanger

Sounds good, Nessie. I hope these ideas helped and I'm so looking forward to updates.

Nessie!!!

Ok, so to contact him, can I just send him a message asking him how much shrimp are and how much it would cost to have them shipped? And yes this has helped me alot!

Fish_adicted

just remember 1" of fish per 1 gallon of tank

Chief_waterchanger

Sorry, we do not ship to areas other than just a few of the most warm states in the country this time of the year. We should be shipping nationwide sometime in March, depending on weather conditions.

We never charge more for warm packs, but we just don't ship if the weather is likely to kill the stock.

As previously stated, the 1" per 1 gallon only holds true for certain small fish, not all fish.

Nessie!!!

Ok, so for the shrimp, I do think it would be best to wait, here in New York it's been snowing all day, great packing snow though!

Bella!!!!!!!!!

No I don't think it is too full. It is perfectly fine.

Nessie!!!

Thanks Amber.