Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Whilst there has been plenty written about overstocking , what about understocking ?
Couple of days ago I lost a trout , his tail had been nibbled , the underside nearly back to his body , and infection set in.
Bullied to death , poor buggar.
He was one of three in a four hundred litre tank , last year I had eight in it without any problem.
What do the experts reckon, chuck a few more in there or let the last two battle it out ?
I seem to remember Bullwinkle having the same problem some time ago. Anybody know how He got on?

Cheers

What size are your trout? Are they all around the same size? How much are you feeding them?

Understocking on fish means that you just plant less plants or put up with slower growth of more plants.

arbe - those three ,one is bigger but not heaps bigger, about six inches probably getting 4 gms twice a day. I've never measured it but they look in good nick , even the one I lost. They are probably getting more on average than the others , but like I said I've never weighed it

Stuart - plants are not the issue , and what you're suggesting is a different matter, in this 400lt tank 3 trout, 1 bullied to death (I think) . Last year I had 8 in it with outa problem , is my little problem as simple as that ?

Thanks Guys , I would like to here your thoughts.

Cheers

Sure it's not fin rot?

I took some fish to someone in Perth the other day who already had two trout in their tank and one was chasing the other all round the tank. I put 25 more in there and I would expect that the problem would be fixed. I have similar problems here with the Silvers that I keep in cages, if the stocking density isnt to their liking they just hammer the weaker fish until it dies.

Yeah the territorial tendencies do tend to come out if you only have a couple of fish. Apparently murry cod are particularly bad for that.

Should have read the post closer.

Nah , don't think so , although he was pretty funky looking I think it was a result of being picked on. The offender has started on his next victim , I think I'll let 'em battle it out

So for future reference what would be a minimum number in a small tank to stop aggressive behaviour?