Stocking my new 29 gallon

Aurie

So my 29 gallon is cycling right now and I'm doing the "oh I got a larger tank and get to have different fish" dance and I was set on list #1, but my hubby got ahold of google and this is what we came up with

My First List
6 white clouds (already owned)
5 julii corys (or some other smaller kind, not as large as emerald)
6 harlequin rasboras
1 gourami (a ligher colored species)
Guppies/swordtails for color


His Requirements:
Nothing that looks like a minnow or long fish (no dannios etc)
Bala Shark!!!!!!

Our Current List:
(note no Bala Shark LOL)
6 white clouds mountain minnows (maybe, I might rehome them)
1-2 Kribs (breeding pair)
5 small but not tiny corydoras
roughly 6 harlequin rasboras or 6 ghost tetras
6 rosy tetras

This video got us sold on the Rosy's and Kribs.. It took us a bit to find the rosy's.

My husband wants "color" and I want "small" fish so I can have a school of them
I'd like to have all the fish from list 3 with/without the white clouds.

We originally got on the idea of kribs doing research on blue rams, and we like the coloring of the kribs more.


Oh almost forgot. My tank sits at 78 at all times. I use prime at water changes and flourish once a week (usually about 1 hour after the water change). My Ph is 7.2-7.4 using api test kit. I do a 25%-35% water change once a week. My tank is black sand substrate (moon sand I got for super uber cheap. 70 lbs for $10) and live plants and fake. My light is 17w aqueon full spectrum to be updated soon with a better brighter bulb. My filter is currently an aqueon 30 (ok so it's the one that comes with the kit and I got a used kit) but I am updating to an aquaclear 50 soon as I can afford it.

Suggestions?

Byron

I'll concentrate on the "current list" only. First, shoaling fish usually have a suggested minimum of six, but when space is available the fish will always be better with more, so right off you should think of upping some of the shoaling fish which will mean dropping others due to space. But at least the selected fish will be in better health.

And rasbora always fare better with more, so I would suggest 8-9 in a 29g. Same goes for any tetra; not sure which species the ghost is...the Rosy is fine, with 7-8, but these will be much the same colour as the rasbora, if that matters to you.

Five is a good number for any of the corys, but you will have space and again more is better, so consider perhaps 4-5 of two species. Many are in our profiles [you know about the profiles?] with photos.

Kribs I personally would not recommend in a 29g. As with any cichlids in male/female pairs, they will spawn and when they do there is not much space in a 29 for the other fish, and kribs can be possessive. A single Bolivian Ram would be a better choice. Check the profiles.

The White Cloud Mountain Minnow should not be in with any of these, due to different temperature requirements. Cool water tropicals like these minnows are few but if you are set on the minnows you will find some suitable fish in our profiles among the cyprinids. Your 78F temp will not benefit the minnows for long.

Hope this is of some help.

Byron.

Aurie

Ok so I'll rehome the white clouds. We are going a different direction with this new tank and if I could keep them I would, but they were my reintroduction to aquatics and I learned a great deal.

The ghost tetra is a Phantom Tetra. I got the name wrong, but it was at least on the same idea LOL.. We have since decided on the rosy/white fin tetra instead of those

Right now we are really interested in:
9-10 Rosy Tetras (must have)
5 Corys (must have)
1-2 cichlid (maybe a ram?)

Later down the line 3 otos

Maybe a opaline gourami for top?

This would be my introduction to rams and cichlids. I have friends that have kept convicts and if they were colorful we'd be all for them, but at this time my husband wants color.

If we can't find one he likes we'll get the Ram. I don't mind getting a pair if necessary for the health of the fish. I don't want stress, but I also don't want to be over run with fry. This is the reason I upgraded in the first place. My white clouds were worse than guppies and it was stressing me out.

Is there a dwarf cichlid that can live alone? We were interested in the Krib for colors, but I kinda like the Pelvicachromis kienke, or Apistogramma cacatuoides. I know I wrote 1-2 but I'm more interested in just 1 that has cool spotted color. The extreme backup is angelfish

Thanks for the help byron. I had a feeling you'd come to my rescue again :)

Byron

The Black Phantom Tetra [lovely fish] and the Red Phantom Tetra [not seen as often] are fairly peaceful, both are in our profiles.

The "Opaline" gourami is actually the same as the Blue Gourami, just another "common" name, so you can click the shaded name for the profile, which should explain why I would not go with this fish here.

The Bolivian Ram is ideal as a single cichlid, as it explains in the profile; a single ram would work. Apistogramma are also better suited to a 29g, and will provide more colour depending upon species. Apistogramma cacatuoides is in our profile, check that for info. Just be aware that cichlids in male/female means they will spawn, and often. They all get territorial and protective. A single male can work, but I think the Apisto species are better with male/female for more interest.

This tank is not suitable for angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare); this is a shoaling cichlid and needs a group of 5 or more, which means a 55g 4-foot tank or larger. Profile explains.

Aurie

With your help I've narrowed my list to:

8 Hyphessobrycon bentosi or Hyphessobrycon rosaceus
1 Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
6 Corydoras leopardus
1 Crossocheilus langei

The algea eater and ram will come in later. For now I'm going to start with the corys and tetras

Thanks for your help Byron.

Byron

Fine except for the last. Do not get a Crossocheilus langei. First, at 6 inches it needs a 4-foot tank and would overwhelm your 29g. And it should preferably be in a group, as the profile explains. It does better in larger quarters with perhaps more robust fish like barbs and danios.

Byron.

Aurie

I read somewhere that cichlids eat snails. It was years ago, and maybe they were referring to the larger fish instead of the dwarfs. My nerite that is in the 10 gallon does great for the glass and gravel, but oh god when it comes to the plants, he won't touch em. I will pick him up and place him on my Anubias Nana and he just climbs off. I figured a fish could reach these spots better. My Crypt Wentii Green also got some brown algea on it (from that stupid GE Light dying) and well.. the snail is too big and heavy to climb on it.

Byron

My Bolivian certainly doesn't touch snails, and there are hundreds of small ones in his home. And I've never had Apistos bother with snails either.

If brush algae is an issue, you are best to deal with the causwe, which is always too much light. Diatoms or brown algae should disappear after the tank is established, say 2-3 months. Wipe it off the plant leaves with your fingers. Once the balance is restored, it won't be back. Never buy any fish to handle a task like controlling algae, unless you really like the fish and it fits in with the tank. Otherwise you can be getting a problem, later if not now.

Byron.