How many fish is too many?

[April315]

I'm not sure if this is the right category to post this question on. I've read several pieces of information about approximately how many fish is the proper limit for my aquarium. However since I've read contridicting information I wanted to ask members of this forum.
I have 3 tanks. One 30 gallon hospital tank, one 10 gallon hospital tank and a 75 gallon display. As far as the display goes I have a 12" convict goby & a

[mutts]

no simple answear to the question sorry! it depends what you want to so with your tank in the long run. if you want a full on reef tank with hard to keep corals and all that you want less fish then if you were only doing a simi-reef and for that you would have less fish then if you planned on doing a FO tank. the trick is the more fish you put in your tank the bigger the bioload is meaning the more water changes you will have to do you will also have to test the water more to make sure everything is right.
as for your inverts they don't count. because they are part of your clean up crew meaning they take out more or the same amount as they put into the water.
just remember the more fish in your tank the larger your bio-load meaning the more water changes need to be done, also useing a protein skimmer is a good idea.

[Reptoreef]

Mutts explained it well... the best method I've found to work well with the least amount of loss is to add your critters slowly(keep in mind fish grow continually throughout their life time and the tale of growing just to the size of their aquarium is just that... a tale). IMO, do a lot of reading and research for those fish, corals, etc you desire and build relative to that keeping in mind your budget.

[bobert]

so how many fish are ok in my 20 gal fish only i'm starting? i plan on two black and white percula clowns and a black barred convict goby is this ok

[Iconz]

Ya, that should do you well bob. I would just make sure that the percs have somewhere to call home! (a fake anemone for instance).

[bobert]

I would just make sure that the percs have somewhere to call home! (a fake anemone for instance).

i read that black & white percs didn't need an anemone but thats all i was planning on putting in there so i'm glad u guys confirmed it THANKS

[mutts]

To give you an idea bobert, I have two black and white clowns and a lawnmower blenny in my 12 gal

[mutts]

clown fish are funny creatures. if they are tank breed then they don't need an anemone, but they still sleep somewhere. my black and whites and my cinn.s live in macro, i think they think it is real the way it moves. my others just sleep on the rock.

[Sweetpea]

I will step in here and say that I have used a fake anemone for my maroon clown. Before I had found a good anemone (or was ready to keep one) my little "Marlin" loved his fake one. Yes, I was teased about it from time to time, but - hey- it was the best option at that particular moment.

Here is a pic of Marlin in his rubber home back in the summer of 2005:

[jojo22]

I remember you got rid of that thing shortly after I joined. I remember you said how much he liked it and was looking for it when you took it away