|
| Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. | |
| | Author | Message |
---|
saint_felony The Turtle Whisperer
Posts : 1930
| Subject: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Tue Jul 13, 2010 1:27 am | |
| I got an old book on brackish aquariums from the 70s. Originally I was going to pick up a fairly new book on brackish stuff called Brackish-Water Fishes, but I got to check it out in my local BN and, it was really weird. Not in a good way weird either. I flipped it open and there was a big photo spread of discus, with a little note at the bottom, not for brackish water. Really? Why's it in a brackish book then?
Anyway I found a book that I do actually like. It's out of print, but pretty easily findable used. It's actually called Brackish Aquariums (go figure right), and most of what I've read so far is good, however I was sort of surprised at the stocking suggestions for tanks.
For a 100g tank: 20 Monos (any variety), an archer, 6 Scats, 12 bumblebee gobies, 6 puffers, 8 rainbows and 6 orange chromides.
With two emperor 400s and a Rena xp4 AqAdvisor near shits itself in bright red warning fonty goodness. So I started poking through my other old ('85 and older) fishy books and most of the stocking recommendations back then were insane.
I can't figure out why that is. I have some gear from back then, it's not that good. I can't imagine that many fish in a 100 with a few old school Whispers hanging off it. Fishkeeping must have been a pretty profitable hobby for fish stores back then. | |
| | | Mostlycichlids Cichlid Specialist
Posts : 4566
Age : 44 Location : New Mexico USA Favorite Fish : Jaguar Cichlid
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:49 pm | |
| That is rediculous, no wonder the inch per gallon rule has been so popular for so many years. Of course you got to remember there was no good ole internet then so there was no where to compare information besides books, friends and hearsay. | |
| | | saint_felony The Turtle Whisperer
Posts : 1930
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Sun Aug 08, 2010 12:33 am | |
| You'd think there would be some major die off though from all that stock, or fighting that someone who's writing a book on it would have noticed.
Only other thing I can think of is that fish were that much harder to find back then, so if/when you do you buy a crapton of them and just wait for the eventual overstocking die-off and the tank stabilizes. | |
| | | Mostlycichlids Cichlid Specialist
Posts : 4566
Age : 44 Location : New Mexico USA Favorite Fish : Jaguar Cichlid
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:19 pm | |
| I don't know, or maybe fish were bred with stronger genes and could withstand more abuse....another theory. But then again I agree with your theory of the author. | |
| | | saint_felony The Turtle Whisperer
Posts : 1930
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:48 am | |
| Well, you guys overstock the hell out of Africans, can they just take it better, or since they're overstocked do you need to step up on the maintenance?
Maybe people were just hardcore and did daily water changes back then? | |
| | | Mostlycichlids Cichlid Specialist
Posts : 4566
Age : 44 Location : New Mexico USA Favorite Fish : Jaguar Cichlid
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:35 pm | |
| Well one of the long standing rules to successful fish keeping is clean water. I am sure if you kept the water clean enough and fed a good diet with adequate filtration you could keep just about anything alive. The real question is were those fish thriving or surviving? | |
| | | saint_felony The Turtle Whisperer
Posts : 1930
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:52 pm | |
| That, I don't know the answer too, and I'd sooner rather see if I could keep Cons long term in brackish conditions than that kind of stress test. | |
| | | dirtydawg10 Global Moderator
Posts : 3098
Age : 52 Location : Connecticut Favorite Fish : Severum
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:10 pm | |
| I truthfully think that back then fish were probably thought of more as a throw away pet. People probably didn't realize how long fish could live if you actually took care of them properly. Heck...too many people still think that way now. | |
| | | saint_felony The Turtle Whisperer
Posts : 1930
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Tue Aug 10, 2010 2:22 am | |
| I sort of expect that from the average keepers, but I guess I thought that actual authors would care a bit more about their subjects.. | |
| | | dirtydawg10 Global Moderator
Posts : 3098
Age : 52 Location : Connecticut Favorite Fish : Severum
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:07 am | |
| True. There are newer books out there though that still suggest overstocking of tanks. Not intentionally I'm sure.
The biggest part of overstocking is the water change regimen. I could have a tank which most would consider overstocked yet if I committed myself to daily water changes or an automatic water change system the nitrate level would be kept in check. The same tank under a persons care who only likes to change water once a month would be severely overstocked. It is all relative IMO. This is only true if all inhabitants of the tank are compatable. Incompatability between fish is a whole other type of overstocked. | |
| | | wboyden Member
Posts : 19
Age : 51 Location : Springfield, MA Favorite Fish : Dont exactly have a Favorite, like them all. For all different reasons.
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:26 pm | |
| Then and still today there is the major misconception of what and how many fish can be kept in "x" sized tank
Some say and go with the inch per gallon, while Others go with an inch per sq in of surface area.
What I do find alot of today with those just starting out without doing the research is that they use the current size of the fish and not what the fish will be
They dont take into the consideration of the amount of waste said "fish" will produce and the effect on the filtration system.
and have seen more times then I even care to mention that buy the so called complete setups and within like an hour of setting it up have dumped sometimes even more then the maximum amount of fish that should be in there even at baby size | |
| | | Sponsored content
| Subject: Re: Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. | |
| |
| | | | Old Books and stocking rates in the 70s. | |
|
Similar topics | |
|
| Permissions in this forum: | You cannot reply to topics in this forum
| |
| |
| Poll | | Vote! | Photo 1 | | 0% | [ 0 ] | Photo 2 | | 40% | [ 2 ] | Photo 3 | | 0% | [ 0 ] | Photo 4 | | 0% | [ 0 ] | Photo 5 | | 0% | [ 0 ] | Photo 6 | | 20% | [ 1 ] | Photo 7 | | 0% | [ 0 ] | Photo 8 | | 40% | [ 2 ] |
| Total Votes : 5 |
|
Latest topics | » Can't believe this forum is still hereMon Sep 23, 2019 7:32 pm by Mostlycichlids» It's been a long timeTue Mar 04, 2014 9:11 pm by Celticwraith» Northeast BlizzardMon Dec 16, 2013 9:14 pm by Grumpa» My ZooMon Oct 21, 2013 10:50 pm by Wyomingite» Nano Reef (pics)Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:04 am by dirtydawg10» Hello everyone!Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:02 am by dirtydawg10» trophus dubosiSat May 11, 2013 9:55 pm by lincoln93k » Red Devil/MidasTue Apr 30, 2013 1:53 pm by Wyomingite» Brand new stock with IchThu Mar 28, 2013 11:08 am by loshi » Some PhotosThu Mar 28, 2013 12:16 am by FISH CRAZY » my PlecoThu Mar 28, 2013 12:12 am by FISH CRAZY » Happy Birthday Mostlycichlids!Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:47 pm by Mostlycichlids» Happy Birthday WYite!Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:46 pm by Mostlycichlids» My review on the Fluval 206Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:45 pm by Mostlycichlids» Coupla Fish Pictures...Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:41 pm by Mostlycichlids» Hi allThu Mar 07, 2013 8:20 pm by Wyomingite» High water hardness - is it safe?Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:55 pm by Wyomingite» Hello to all (New)Wed Feb 20, 2013 12:51 am by FISH CRAZY » Welcome sampsas!Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:46 am by Wyomingite» Welcome mrosser6364!Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:45 am by Wyomingite» Welcome AKfisher!Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:45 am by Wyomingite» Welcome beatriz.diazguijarro!Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:45 am by Wyomingite» Happy Birthday KeyMan57!Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:40 pm by dirtydawg10» Happy Birthday fishman232!Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:39 pm by dirtydawg10» Happy Birthday cichmann!Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:38 pm by dirtydawg10» 10 gallon fish tanks glassMon Jan 28, 2013 2:59 pm by bogwood » Happy Birthday Brisch!Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:02 pm by Wyomingite» 90 Gallon in progressWed Jan 23, 2013 9:58 pm by Grumpa» jwatsonx, Welcome to FWM!Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:12 pm by dirtydawg10» csa, Welcome to FWM!Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:34 pm by Mostlycichlids |
Who is online? | In total there are 25 users online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 25 Guests
None
Most users ever online was 302 on Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:38 am
|
Tools for Calculations and Conversions |
Calculations and Conversions
* Aquarium Volume Calculator * Fahrenheit - Centigrade Conversion * Carbonate Hardness Unit Conversion * Liquid measurements
|
Firefox | Freshwater Madness is best viewed with the Firefox web browser! Get It Now!
Download Nowl |
|