Help with stocking my new 29g planted tank!

Jbrofish8

Oh wow that is good news! I was thinking I would barely have room for one group of 8 ..

Thanks for the info about the whiptail I will defiantly check that out. I'm not planning on putting in fish for another week or 2. Would putting 8 tetra right from the start be a bad idea? Or should I start with something like 5 or 6 and then add more later once my aquarium is more established?
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Jbrofish8

Also.. can you suggest a good upper level small shoaling fish?
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Byron

You have plants, and some of those are fast-growing stem plants (= they use nutrients like ammonia faster), so once you've decided on what you want--and I do recommend getting a fair idea of the total end stocking so you know where you're going--an initial group of 7-8 of say glowlights would be fine. Then wait a few days, then the next group, etc. You can start now. I would.

Jbrofish8

Will it hurt my plants to wait? I'm in the process of changing jobs so I was holding out until I get settled.

Also..I think I slipped my second question too late earlier.. can you recommend an upper level small shoaling fish that would work with the ideas for fish I have thus far?
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Byron

I just wanted you to know that with live plants, you're set to go from the first. No harm in waiting. Unless you are moving the tank though, I would put something in it fish-wise, or snails like Malaysian Livebearing.

Top fish--hatchetfish (esp the species in Carnegiella which are all in our profiles, these are my favourite, a group of 8-9). Some of the Dwarf Rasbora like Boraras brigittae spend a lot of time near the surface. Floating plants are necessary (good idea anyway). Pencilfish, Nannostomus marginatus are good, Nannostomus eques also. Check the profiles.

Jbrofish8

Thanks so much! I have a lot to think about.. :)
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gingerael

I also LOVE the hatchetfish for top of the tank shoalers. They have been some of my faves for years! Good luck in your decisions!

Jbrofish8

would another option for an upper half fish be the Eyespot Rasbora ( Brevibora dorsiocellata ) ? Has anyone had any experience with these? and how hard are they to come by?

Byron

This fish spends a lot of time close to the surface if you have floating plants (which it needs). I have a group of them. They are forever darting to the surface to grab tiny hopping bugs that jump around on the surface. These critters are common in planted aquaria, and these rasbora love eating them.

Very nice little fish. The brillian blue iris of the eye is very bright when the light strikes it.

I have seen this fish a couple of times in the past 2 years, so depending upon where you live it may be hard to find. You could probably find it online from one of the fish suppliers.

Jbrofish8

SO.. I found some blue Cochu tetra at petsmart and bought them. ;x There are 7 of them and theyve been in the tank about 4 hours and Im noticing that they are chasing each other all over the tank.

Having done more research after the fact.. im seeing that they can be nippy. Ive had my LFS order me some Glowlight Tetra for next weekend and now im starting to get worried that they will get bullied. Should I be worrying or might they keep this behavior within their own shoal?