What would you recommend to a newbie?

**stephybabe88** · 09-24-2012, 7:50 PM

I'm helping my son's friend set up a tank. He has a 29g, not sure what kind of filter (probably came with the set up). He has 3 of the painted tetras, other than a couple more of those, what would you suggest for 13 year old boy that is just starting out? I was thinking maybe a powder blue gourami or a flame gourami.

**Ptrick125** · 09-24-2012, 8:30 PM

I think a gourami of some sort would be cool, a school of blackskirt tetras would also be neat to have.

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**djlamonica** · 09-24-2012, 8:36 PM

Yeah those would be cool I love gourami as a center peice fish ina community tank. I would add about 6 panda corys and a school of cardinal tetras as well.

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**Glabe** · 09-24-2012, 8:39 PM

kids tend to love "sucker" fish! he may like weird things like Kuhli Loaches, ghost shrimp, or spikey nerites

if the painted tetras are Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, you can just put in more of those, but the normal black skirt variety instead, to make a big happy school of fish that look like different kinds of fish.

**tanker** · 09-25-2012, 2:00 AM

Maybe take him to a LFS first and get a list of what he likes. Then mix and match on paper---then decide.

What he likes and what we recommend may not always be available or compatible.

**808_fairladyz** · 09-25-2012, 2:40 AM

See if you can get columbian tetras. Had a bunch of those once. Regret getting rid of them.

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**stephybabe88** · 09-25-2012, 4:45 AM

The painted tetras are gold skirt tetras, dyed or painted. I have seen them called fruit tetras also.

My LFS doesn't have a GREAT selection. My Petsmart actually has better selection.

He likes my cories, so those are def on the list. I'm just giving him suggestions, compatibility wise, and letting him choose.