Overstocked my tank?

I have a 30 gal Biocube and I'm wondering if I am overstocking it.

For the fish I currently have 1 watchman goby (about 2 inches long), 1 pearly jawfish, 3 small gobies (forgot their names) about an inch long each, 1 very small yellow clown goby, 1 helfrichi firefish (1 1/2 inches long), 1 tailspot blenny (2 inches long).

For the inverts I have 3 bumblebee shrimp, 1 blood fire shrimp, 2 sexy shrimp, 2 porcelain crabs, 1 boxer (pom pom) crabs, 1 strawberry crab, 1 small peppermint shrimp and 4 peterson shrimp (about 1 inch long each). Also have 5 hermit crabs and 15 snails.

Is this too much, just enough or do I have room to grow?

Thanks
Chris

 

I'll put it to you this way:

At one time in my 38g tank I've had 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 4 Blue Green Chromis, 1 Cleaner Shrimp and some Blue Leg Hermit Crabs and various snails. At an earlier time I had the same 2 Ocellaris Clowns with 1 Royal Gramma, 1 Flame Angel, 1 Cleaner Shrimp and some Blue Leg Hermit Crabs and various snails. That's it, and I felt like that was a fully stocked tank (not quite over-stocked but definitely not lightly stocked either).

 

you have 8 fish for biocube 29, that is definatly an overkill. I have 4 fish in my biocube and im at pretty much maximum limit right now, so its your choice if you want to add more fish

 

Was thinking the same thing. They are all small fish all about an inch or under except I have 2 that are 2 inches and 1 that is an inch and a half. I don't want to add anymore...just wondering if I may just need to take a fish back to the LFS?

 

if you could manage all your water param perfect then sure you can keep much as you want, unless they are stressed out. But in my opinion 3-4 fish 5 if I really really wanted a 5th fish should be the maximum you should go in my opinion, no matter how small they may be.

So yeah, I would suggest that you take couple of fishes out and ask for store credit. I took a damsel to lfs and got 5 bucks store credit.

 

When given enough biological filtration (1.5lbs+ LR) and circulation for aeration (10 to 20 times tank capacity per hour), a tank can keep up to 1 inch of fish per gallon. However, you must calculate that by the size to which each fish will grow; those 1 inch fish you have now will grow to 5 or more inches. That's a lot of shrimp, too- They shouldn't be excluded from the equation. IOW, yes... definitely overstocked.

 

The one inch per gallon rule is a freshwater rule. Oxygen saturation decreases markedly when salt is added. I generally suggest an absolute maximum of one inch per three gallons. Personally, I keep one inch per four or five gallons. A light bioload is a happy bioload.

 

That was one big damsel or a very nice lfs. Some wont give nada back if you return one.

 

That's what I was thinking too. Or perhaps it was a velvet damsel (young). They can go for $15.....

 

I do not agree. When dealing with saltwater fish, they need much more room not only for the oxygen issue mentioned, but for territorial reasons.