# 29 Gallon - What to stock?



## ShelbysFish (Sep 5, 2013)

Hello everyone!

So, I have acquired a 29 gallon kit and I am interested on getting your opinions on what I should have in it.

A few suggestions I have had are...

Dwarf Gourami
Angelfish
1 Fancy Goldfish
Figure 8 Pufferfish
Betta sorority - obviously tempting, but scary

I'd love to get everyones opinions and suggestions. :-D


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

A 29 is a taller aquarium, correct? Figure 8 Puffers reach 4" so you'd need to double check on that one.

Do you want to do a species-only tank or possible community? Whatever you do it sounds like fun!


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## SplashyBetta (Jul 28, 2014)

^^A 29 is 30.25 x 12.5 x 18.75. So it has the same length and width as a 20 long but a few inches taller.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Dwarf Gourami


I would be careful here, They are prone to _dwarf gourami iridovirus_ (DGIV).

However Pearl Gouramis could work.



> Angelfish


Maybe for a bonded pair or a lone male.



> Betta sorority - obviously tempting, but scary


That could work but it will need to be heavily planted from the start and that could get costly with mature plants or it will take time to set up and let the plants grow in.

Whats your water like? soft or hard?


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## ShelbysFish (Sep 5, 2013)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> A 29 is a taller aquarium, correct? Figure 8 Puffers reach 4" so you'd need to double check on that one.
> 
> Do you want to do a species-only tank or possible community? Whatever you do it sounds like fun!


Hmm... honestly I'm still not sure yet! Possible community maybe? I feel like there are so many possibilities!! lol


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

I'd nix the fancy goldfish idea too. I've had a 29 gallon aquarium before, and there is no way a 6-8"+ large bodied fish would be comfortable in there in my opinion. (Draw out a bulky 6" fish on computer paper, then hold it up to the aquarium). 

Not too mention, goldfish are fairly sociable, and do better when they have at least one other goldfish friend. Add to the fact they have a heavy bioload, which would be hard to keep up in a 29 gallon aquarium.

I also would argue that a 29 gallon is too small for a full grown angelfish as well, despite being commonly recommended as a center piece fish for a 29 gallon tank. I had an angelfish in my 55 gallon, which was kept by my 29 gallon, and I couldn't ever see how a full grown angelfish could fit happily in a 29 gallon.

Again though, that's just my personal opinion.

As said by previous posters, dwarf gourami's are prone to disease, and the betta sorority requires careful planning, heavy planting, and a back up tank. 

Not sure what you are looking for, but here are some stockings that could work 

Choice 1) Betta fish community
~Centerpiece male (or female) betta
~6 corydoras catfish (smaller species like panda, trilineatus, schwartzi, adolfi, metae) or kuhli loaches- both would require sand or a smooth bottom substrate
~school of 8 tetras or rasboras (such as neon, glolight, x-ray, harlequin, etc.)

Choice 2) Dwarf pufferfish paradise
~1 single dwarf pufferfish (or possibly 1 male and 2 females, you'd have to research it a bit more)
*would require tank to be densely planted like a betta soriority, need to be fed frozen foods, need live snails or other hard shelled food to keep their beak trimmed*

Choice 3) Cool Water Hillstream and Danio/White Cloud River Community
*I'm not sure how many hillstream loaches you would want, for danios or minnows I'd say at least 6-8. You'd have to research the hillstream loaches care as well, but I think it'd make for a super fascinating tank. I know for sure you need to have high water flow (pretty sure people use powerheads for them), and lots of rocks for algae growth and perches

Those are just a couple of things I either went with or considered.

Most fish that stay under 2-3" would be suitable I'd say. Some species to consider, dwarf hatchetfish, marbled hatchetfish, silver hatchetfish, cherry barbs, threadfin rainbow fish, dwarf chain loaches, dwarf cichlids, platies, guppies, endler's livebearers, pearl gouramis, and killifish are just a few species that I'd suggest.


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## ShelbysFish (Sep 5, 2013)

NickAu said:


> I would be careful here, They are prone to _dwarf gourami iridovirus_ (DGIV).
> 
> However Pearl Gouramis could work.
> 
> ...


Water is on the softer side


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Water is on the softer side


Then stay away from things like Live Bearers, Other than that most of the smaller shoaling fish like tetras Corys danios etc will be fine.


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## ShelbysFish (Sep 5, 2013)

Thank you all for the suggestions, but...
I might return it and upgrade to a bigger tank xD, because honestly I've fallen in love with the fancy goldfish I think...

How does cycling work with goldfish?

So here is my dilemma...

I currently have Mister Rogers in a tank that I use SPRING WATER for, same brand every time, and I used that to cycle my tank. Because my tap water sucks. Already has ammonia straight from the tap.

.25ppm at least.

I am tempted to just use Spring Water for my goldfish tank as well, because I feel safer that way and cycling it with a fresh start of 0ppm ammonia, but does this make sense?

If I cycle my tank with my tap water, will I ALWAYS have to be worried about the ammonia that's in there?

I'd love to get peoples thoughts and ideas. Also, is it safe to use Stability to help cycle the tank like I did with my betta?


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