Many questions about my new tank...

Cycling: how will the ammonia be added in your absence? Or are you going to get the plants fully established, then slowly stock? Because plants take up ammonia as food, the bacteria colony that develops will be small, but still present. The plants MUST be healthy and growing, though. This means they need a source of food, and likely some fertilizing as well.

Oto's max out around 2 inches. Gauranteed not to outgrow the tank. But, they do better in small groups, so I'd plan on having at least 3. I'd ditch the danios. They will freak the hatchets out. Keep in mind that platies are livebearers, any females will likely be pregnant when you get them, and they will be able to over populate the tank on their own. I'd leave them out, or go with just a pair of males. The list, as is, will be too much for a 29.

NO, no ammonia with plants

No, don't try to add ammonia at all. You have the perfect situation, plant the tank. Maybe add some Root Tabs under the plants, or not, if the substrate has nutrients. Set up the lights on timers, and do nothing. Do not add fish. No otos, no cories. Go on your trip. Let the plants get established.

When you come back, if the plants are pale and in need of fertilizers, add some. Odds are they will look great. If some plants have dying leaves they have to shed (dropping emersed grown leaves), these will have algae on them as they die, pick those off. If there is algae, add 6 to 8 Amano shrimp if you can, just for algae, otherwise a single black molly (to return to the store later). If the roots are sticking out of the gravel, add fertilizers under the gravel. Now start on fish.

Then the otos, 5 or 6 is good, they are delicate and often one will die too soon. No golden algae eaters, not nice fish. otos will clean up brown ditom algae. 6 otos in 29 gallons is no fish load at all!

Wait another week, if you can stand it, a few days if not. If fish look good and tests are good, more fish.

Now, add central tank fish, maybe 6 to 8 of something small, or less of larger livebreeders. Your choice. Lots of things will do well.

Wait another week then add the cory catfish, 6, all the same sort.

Wait again, then add 6 hatchet fish.

You end up with 6 top swimmers, 3-8 mid-level, 6 bottom level, 5 or 6 otos that hang on the glass mostly, a few shrimp. About 30 small critters in 29 gallons, less if the central fish are larger. Every week after the trip you added something, took a month to get done probably.

You'd be wise to get a 10 gallon bare tank with a sponge filter to keep new purchases in for quarantine, holding each bunch of fish for a week for observation before adding to the tank, longer if any die. Much easier to see dead fish in the Q tank than in the planted tank. It lets the fish get used to your water and your food and your schedule, before subjecting them to territory issues with other fish, though as each sort of fish has a different zone, this is not that great a thing for this setup.

If you want more lush growth, look into CO2.

Enjoy!

I think your plan sounds fine. I would agree though in at least three otos, no danios, and maybe get more platies than two to reduce female chasing. Platies are all over the tank and their babies will most likely be eaten if you don't want them so you don't have to worry bout that. Almost all mid-top level swimmer/schoolers are tetras so maybe reconsider there are LOTS of varietys. Also you could do harlequin rasboras. I have some in my29 and at the store they were a dull brown but when I got them home their eyes and tails turned orange and the other colors were intensified so they aren't bad at all. Good luck!!

I have a planted 29 with 1 pair of german blue rams (beautiful fish !!), 3 otocinclus and a pair of neon dwarf gourami. I JUST today added two very small koi angelfish.

German blue rams are a great addition to any tank if you want to look into them. Bolivian rams are very nice too. They hang mostly near the bottom of the tank with some midlevel swimming. If you consider these you want to be sure you get a bonded pair.

If I had my drothers at this point, I wouldn't have the gouramis in this tank. I'm trying to decide which other tank I can put them in, but for now I'll keep them where they are. When the angels get larger I may move them out.


If you can get a bonded pair of angel fish (otherwise they may damage each other..if you can't get two that get along, one very pretty one would make a nice show fish), two angels in a 29 with a pair of Blue rams OR bolivian rams.....and 3 otos I don't think would be too much for a 29 heavily planted tank. And I believe you'd still have room for a few midlevel swimmers (anyone please correct me if I'm wrong here)

I agree with OG on the danios.....I had some, I'll never get them again..lol..drove me crazy with thier constant swimming and darting around..food hogs too!

Have fun setting up that tank and adding the fish, whatever you decide to get. Share some pics if you can !!

the fish should be fine

Emg said:

I agree with OG on the danios.....I had some, I'll never get them again..lol..drove me crazy with thier constant swimming and darting around..food hogs too!

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Yeah, they suck. I have 6 and I can't stand them. None of the research that I did said that they would be that crazy. And, yeah, they are real hogs. I got hopeful when I saw that one had a HUGE chunk of dehydrated brine shrimp stuck in its mouth.........I mean bigger than its head. Unfortunately, it was able to swallow it after a few minutes and it's still alive..............

Yeah, that sounds a little evil. It is what it is.

That being said, I am going to look into whether or not I can take them back to the LFS.......................................................man I hate those fish.

mdbaskett said:

Thanks. I didn't know that. I'm looking for a small school of middle swimmers who like a well planted tank. I'm not big on tetras. I like the coloration of the platies. Perhaps I need to ditch the danios, keep the platies but add something that will eat the inevitable fry?

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Have you looked into white cloud minnows they're pretty nice fish I think. The rasboros are also another good alternative.