# 29 gallon tank stocking suggestions?



## AngesRadieux (Oct 6, 2011)

When I was younger, my family had a (horribly stocked, I realize now) 29 gallon fish tank. I'm thinking of dragging the tank out of the basement and setting it up. We still have the heater and the air pump. It needs a new filter, new substrate, and new decorations, though... But I figured I'd come up with a stocking plan before getting substrate and stuff so I can get decorations that best suit the needs of the fish.

Do you guys have any suggestions for fish? I'd like fish that I can interact with a bit. At first, I was thinking of a sorority of 8 or so female bettas with some pygmy cory cats and possibly a school of something else for the middle of the tank. But I've had such awful luck with my male bettas I don't know if I can manage a sorority.

Anyway, as of right now there are no fish that are "must haves" for me, so I'm open to just about any suggestions. But, as I mentioned before, I'd really like it if I had a fish that was pretty personable and interactive. Possibly a fish I could train, similar to the way people train bettas to eat off their fingers and swim through hoops and stuff... I'd also like it if it was something kind of distinctive, not like neons or something that I'd never be able to tell apart.

I mean, I don't mind having some fish like that in the tank, too, but I guess I'd like a "center piece" fish.

I haven't actually bought anything yet, so I can do gravel or sand, heavily or lightly planted, strong or gentle filter, etc. depending on the stocking plan. I also haven't ruled out a sorority, but since my bettas all just seem to die no matter what I do, I think a sorority might be a bit over my head.


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

Since it is a 29gal, you can do larger species of cories.

Lemme get the booboo, she has a 29 gal she's working on right now.


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## AngesRadieux (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm considering a bigger species. I just think the pygmies are so cute. xD But I guess that really depends on what else ends up in the tank. I figure it'll be easier if I pick the bottom dwellers once I have a better idea of what else I plan to put in the tank. I'd also considered not doing cory catfish at all and stocking some loaches instead...


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

I sent a link to Bekah, when she gets on she'll probably come help. I also know that cories are pretty sensitive to water conditions.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

oh hi i'm the booboo xD

my 29 gallons is currently a sorority/community. I have a sand substrate, a couple of live plants and few fake silk plants. I also have driftwood. In there, i've got 5 bronze cories, 7 zebra danios, an albino bristlenose pleco, 4 female bettas, and a few snails. The cories and the snails both seem to LOVE the sand. They're all over the place. 

I'm thinking if i get another big set up, i would want to try gouramis. they're really pretty, and i think they're friendly too. if you want a community, i'd try something along the lines of a betta or a gourami or something. I'd say cichlids but im not quite sure there is a small enough one to go in there. 

HMMMM so many possibilities!

if you wanted to do a cold water tank you could do a single fancy goldfish (one of the ones that only require 20 gallons a fish- NOT a common or comet), and maybe some minnows too. 

or just go totally crazy, and get an axolotl instead of fish!


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Funny thing! I'm actually cleaning my 29 gal softwater community tank right now. It's what I like to call my loach tank because they are my favorite thing in there. ^-^ 

A 29 gal does give you a lot more options than your basic betta home. But first we need some info from you such as tap water pH, DH, and KH. You can usually find these online at your local water treatment plant's publications. Depending on whether you have hard water or soft water, your choices will change. Livebearers, cichlids, and goldfish are hardwater fish while most of the tetra and gourami are softwater fish. So once you have those numbers, we can start helping you stock it!


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

^yeah what thekoimaiden said xD it'd help


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## AngesRadieux (Oct 6, 2011)

I can't find a website... The only one I found wanted almost $200 for a water test, so I'm pretty sure they're a scam. But I do have to go to the pet store today, anyway, so I'll bring a water sample with me and see if they can test it. I do know that our water should be soft unless our water softener is malfunctioning. My family's on well water and without the softener the water can get pretty hard...


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

African Rift Lake Cichlids are a no for that size tank. Small south American Shell dwellers but no Africans.

Brichardi would be a Cichlid option.


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## AngesRadieux (Oct 6, 2011)

I've heard chichlids can be difficult to keep. Is that true? They're gorgeous, but I'm not sure I'm experienced enough for something too finicky.

If it helps, the tank's pretty long as opposed to tall. It's about 35 inches long, 16 inches tall, and 12 inches wide. So I'd imagine fish that prefer a lot of horizontal swimming space would be better than fish who prefer to swim vertically.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Size is still too small for Africans Cichlids as they are aggressive compared to other fish.

They are not difficult to keep but as mentioned it is essential to know your water hardness before we offer suggestions. If you have hard water from the well which you can get by bypassing the softner then great.

MAJOR ALARM BELLS going off to any company offering a fee to supply water data! By law it has to be provided at the customer request for FREE from the supply company.


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## AngesRadieux (Oct 6, 2011)

Ugh. Forgot to bring a water sample with me to petsmart... I'll have to get it tested another time. I work right next to a pool store... I know most pool stores do water tests, but I don't know if they test pH and hardness. 

I did look over at the chichild tanks in the pet store and I was reminded why it's silly to even consider asking most employees. The guy told me I should just put a handful of the little African chichlids in. I really, really wanted to point out that the small ones were going to grow to be the same size as the big ones, but I bit my tongue and walked away.

Anyway, I'll post after I get my water hardness and pH tested.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

AngesRadieux said:


> I can't find a website... The only one I found wanted almost $200 for a water test, so I'm pretty sure they're a scam. But I do have to go to the pet store today, anyway, so I'll bring a water sample with me and see if they can test it. I do know that our water should be soft unless our water softener is malfunctioning. My family's on well water and without the softener the water can get pretty hard...


The water softener could be a problem. It creates concentrations of ions which aren't fish don't normally come into contact with. The ideal situation would be to draw water before it goes through the softener. 

You should get a water quality report from whoever takes care of your well. That might have the hardness in it.


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