20 gallon inventory
- Thread starter Jmerk
- Start date
If the biggest tank you can get is 29g, here's a suitable list:
2 Angels OR 2 Rams (NOT BOTH)
6-8 smallish schooling fish (not as small as neons or they'll get eaten)
1 Clown Pleco OR 1 Bristlenose pleco
It should also be noted that whether you choose Angels or Rams, they should be a pair. If you choose a Bristlenose pleco, try to get a female, as they are a bit smaller. Personally, I wouldn't put a pleco in a small tank with angels, because plecos are messy and poopy and need powerful filtration. Angels may not enjoy such strong currents in a small tank. You could do a small school of corys as bottom dwellers instead. They're generally much more active and visible than plecos, anyway.
2 Angels OR 2 Rams (NOT BOTH)
6-8 smallish schooling fish (not as small as neons or they'll get eaten)
1 Clown Pleco OR 1 Bristlenose pleco
It should also be noted that whether you choose Angels or Rams, they should be a pair. If you choose a Bristlenose pleco, try to get a female, as they are a bit smaller. Personally, I wouldn't put a pleco in a small tank with angels, because plecos are messy and poopy and need powerful filtration. Angels may not enjoy such strong currents in a small tank. You could do a small school of corys as bottom dwellers instead. They're generally much more active and visible than plecos, anyway.
change of plans
I think that I will do this:
-1 Anglefish
-1 Silver Dollar
-2 Blue Rams
-1 Gold Nugget Pleco (they only get 6")
-5 Zebra Danios
I have a good friend. He is very reliable and he has a 29g. In it he has:
-1 Silver Dollar
-1 Anglefish
-1 Eclpise Catfish
-3 Bumblebee catfish
-1 Glass catfish
-1 Pleco
-1 Banded Lepronas
-1 Algae Eater
His tank does very well. I will stick with my plan as far as I said.
BTW: My LFS only has Chocolate Pleco, pleco, albino chocolate pleco, rubberlip pleco, and Gold Nugget Pleco.:mad2: This makes me angry!:mad2:
But I will keep doing research:read:
BTW: I don't want to get corys because they are invertibrates. Let's say Ich gets in the tank. The medicine says that it kills inverts. If you know of a better way to get rid of Ich PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me!
:dance: :dance: :dance:
I think that I will do this:
-1 Anglefish
-1 Silver Dollar
-2 Blue Rams
-1 Gold Nugget Pleco (they only get 6")
-5 Zebra Danios
I have a good friend. He is very reliable and he has a 29g. In it he has:
-1 Silver Dollar
-1 Anglefish
-1 Eclpise Catfish
-3 Bumblebee catfish
-1 Glass catfish
-1 Pleco
-1 Banded Lepronas
-1 Algae Eater
His tank does very well. I will stick with my plan as far as I said.
BTW: My LFS only has Chocolate Pleco, pleco, albino chocolate pleco, rubberlip pleco, and Gold Nugget Pleco.:mad2: This makes me angry!:mad2:
But I will keep doing research:read:
BTW: I don't want to get corys because they are invertibrates. Let's say Ich gets in the tank. The medicine says that it kills inverts. If you know of a better way to get rid of Ich PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me!
:dance: :dance: :dance:
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Corys are not invertebrates. They have a skeleton. They are, however, scaleless fish - they have bony plates instead - and this means they can be very sensitive to a number of medications. ALL plecos are also scaleless, and will be just as sensitive to any medications or chemical substances as corys.
Any pleco of any kind (even very small ones, like Clown Plecos) produce vast quantities of waste. This is why they are often referred to as "poop machines." They will foul the water quickly and thoroughly, ESPECIALLY in a small tank. They require very powerful filtration to sift out the amount of solid waste they produce.
I'm not sure what your budget is, or what you consider "too expensive" for filtration, but you will need something powerful enough to turn over the water volume at least 10 times per hour, preferably more, for a pleco. Also keep in mind that the flow rates of all filters are measured WITHOUT any media in them. Once you add the media, the flowrate is often cut in half.
I've never kept angels, but it is my understanding that do not like currents on the level you'd need to manage the waste produced by any pleco. I also would not mix an angel with a pair of Blue Rams. A 29g is too small for all three of those fish, and the Rams will get aggressive and territorial when breeding.
Silver Dollars need to be in groups, and even a single Silver Dollar is far too large for 29 gallons.
Lastly, this is honestly not meant to be rude, as I am sure your friend is a lovely person on many levels, but that tank is INSANELY overstocked. I would not recommend such a list of fish for a 29 gallon tank under any circumstances. That is absolutely cruel to the fish.
Any pleco of any kind (even very small ones, like Clown Plecos) produce vast quantities of waste. This is why they are often referred to as "poop machines." They will foul the water quickly and thoroughly, ESPECIALLY in a small tank. They require very powerful filtration to sift out the amount of solid waste they produce.
I'm not sure what your budget is, or what you consider "too expensive" for filtration, but you will need something powerful enough to turn over the water volume at least 10 times per hour, preferably more, for a pleco. Also keep in mind that the flow rates of all filters are measured WITHOUT any media in them. Once you add the media, the flowrate is often cut in half.
I've never kept angels, but it is my understanding that do not like currents on the level you'd need to manage the waste produced by any pleco. I also would not mix an angel with a pair of Blue Rams. A 29g is too small for all three of those fish, and the Rams will get aggressive and territorial when breeding.
Silver Dollars need to be in groups, and even a single Silver Dollar is far too large for 29 gallons.
Lastly, this is honestly not meant to be rude, as I am sure your friend is a lovely person on many levels, but that tank is INSANELY overstocked. I would not recommend such a list of fish for a 29 gallon tank under any circumstances. That is absolutely cruel to the fish.
Dude -
I am new to this, but man am I missing something here? You begin with asking for guidance on stocking your tank. These people gone through a lot of effort explaining what will and/or won't work with the tank you have described. Then after over 3/4 of the way through their advice you seem to completely blow them off and mention that you will stick to your own plan. To add, what appears to me, an insult you metnion the advice from your friend.
Why in the world did you ever ask for ideas if you were set on your plans? Were you hoping someone would agree with you?
I am new to this, but man am I missing something here? You begin with asking for guidance on stocking your tank. These people gone through a lot of effort explaining what will and/or won't work with the tank you have described. Then after over 3/4 of the way through their advice you seem to completely blow them off and mention that you will stick to your own plan. To add, what appears to me, an insult you metnion the advice from your friend.
Why in the world did you ever ask for ideas if you were set on your plans? Were you hoping someone would agree with you?
FWIW - I have a clown pleco and a rubberlip (chaestoma sp) pleco in with 2 angels in a 33 gallon tank (as well as the 4 L. dorsigera and 2 amano shrimp). It's heavily planted, nitrates NEVER top 15, and they're (the clown and rubberlip) not that big of poop machines - especially compared to the larger pleco species. Tank is filtered with an AC 200, so we're not doing 10X per hour turn over (subtracting out rocks, substrate, etc it's probably more like 6.75X turn over per hour).
The 10 times turn over rule is like the 1" rule - more of a handy guideline that's not bad but not that good, either. Regular water changes are of huge importance, not overfeeding your fish is a biggie, too, and don't overstock a tank.
On the proposed 29, an AC 200 (or whatever it's called now) would provide sufficient filtration and not bother the angels.
I do agree the silver dollar isn't a good choice here - it's needs to school and you can't provide enough other silver dollars to really make it feel comfortable.
Looking at Jmerk's last list above, if the silver dollar is dropped, it looks pretty good to me (although I'd strongly suggest the smaller clown pleco) and a second angel could be added, too. Sounds like a nice tank.
Eric
The 10 times turn over rule is like the 1" rule - more of a handy guideline that's not bad but not that good, either. Regular water changes are of huge importance, not overfeeding your fish is a biggie, too, and don't overstock a tank.
On the proposed 29, an AC 200 (or whatever it's called now) would provide sufficient filtration and not bother the angels.
I do agree the silver dollar isn't a good choice here - it's needs to school and you can't provide enough other silver dollars to really make it feel comfortable.
Looking at Jmerk's last list above, if the silver dollar is dropped, it looks pretty good to me (although I'd strongly suggest the smaller clown pleco) and a second angel could be added, too. Sounds like a nice tank.
Eric
Ok, I will go without a silver dollar. I think that I will keep the pleco, 2 angels, 2 rams, and zebra Danios at least. But if there are more suggestions I will welcome them with open arms!
Thanks
Thanks
Angels are commonly kept in a 29. It's nice and tall for them, and big enough for two. If you want angels, get angels.
Eric
Eric
