[shakedownstreet]

Hello all,
I just took advantage of the Petco $1/gallon sale today and got myself a nice 29 gallon tank. This is my first tank in a while, and I'm not used to doing community tanks as in the past I've always had much larger tanks with few predatory fish. Anyways got the tank, an Aqueon HOB filter rated for a 50 gallon tank, the heater as well as the glass cover. The tank is a bit over filtered so I'm looking to get a nice amount of decent, colorful tropical fish. I would love for this tank to be a discus tank, but I really don't see the tank being big enough to work out and I'm aware of how fussy discus can be. With discus out of the question I'm open to suggestions on other equally as colorful tropical fish suitable for this tank. The few that have immediately come to mind are serpae tetras, cardinal tetras as well as blue rams. Please chime in with suggestions on what would add some color to this anticipated tropical community tank. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[1077]

Would be wise to contact local water supply website,and find out what water from tap that you will be using for water changes is like with respoect to pH,GH.KH.
These number's will dictate what fishes will do well with water you can most easily re-produce without the use of buffering powder's(ie) pH up/down or the like.
Might then have a look at fish profiles here at the forum for some idea's as to what might be compatible with your water, as well as tank,size,tankmates suggested or not, and reasoning.

 

[SeaHorse]

Excellent advice 1077! Yes start with your PH? Do you know what it is?
Try to get the best fish for your sized tank, rather than fish that "I'll get them a bigger tank some day". That requires doing lots of research and asking lots of questions.
We're here to help. Welcome back to the hobby and to TFK!!

 

[shakedownstreet]

PH out of the tap is 7.2. Definitely can't get a larger tank in anywhere close to the near future, as this tank will be going in a rented apartment. With that being said I'm looking for smaller tropical community fish that can happily stay in a 29 gallon tank forever. I'm thinking some serpae tetras, cardinal tetras, blue ram, dwarf gourami, possibly some rosy barbs, a school of marble hatchets, and something for the bottom. Cory cats come to mind, but if possible I'd prefer something a little more colorful. Also open to suggestions on different fish that may be more suitable than the few ideas I've been throwing around.

 

[jeaninel]

Harlequin Rasboras and Rummynose Tetra are two of my favorite colorful schooling fish and would fit well in a 29 gallon.
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[Byron]

PH out of the tap is 7.2. Definitely can't get a larger tank in anywhere close to the near future, as this tank will be going in a rented apartment. With that being said I'm looking for smaller tropical community fish that can happily stay in a 29 gallon tank forever. I'm thinking some serpae tetras, cardinal tetras, blue ram, dwarf gourami, possibly some rosy barbs, a school of marble hatchets, and something for the bottom. Cory cats come to mind, but if possible I'd prefer something a little more colorful. Also open to suggestions on different fish that may be more suitable than the few ideas I've been throwing around.

Welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.:-D

I would want to know the GH before saying yes to some of the fish listed, especially Cardinal Tetra and Blue Ram. If you check our profiles for each species, you will quickly see why; click shaded names for that profile. The pH is important, but GH is more critical, and the correct GH usually means the pH will follow suit, i.e., a low GH (soft water) will allow the pH to acidify naturally.

One comment on the Serpae Tetra, this can be a bit of a nasty fish. If you check the profile, it suggests a group of 8 or preferably more, aon their own in a 30g tank. So this would be it. Profile explains why.

Byron.