Newbie here (stocking)

[rytra]

I have a questions for some knowledgable people on stocking my community tank.

I have cycled my 29 gallon tank and have just added last weekend:

(6) zebra danios
(1) rubber lip pleco

I plan on adding:

(6+) glofish (red, or green)
(2-3) Bosamani Rainbow
(6) cardinal tetras
(3) fancy guppies

I am adding ea. group at about 1 week apart, so every weekend I am going to purchase another set. I have been told by my freind that is helping me and an avid aquariast for the past 10 years that this should be fine for a 29 gallon but I wanted to get some more opinions. I will attach a pic of my tank as it is now. Any advice for beginners is appreciated and helpful.

Thankyou,

Ryan

 

[Lexi_D]

Nice tank! I'd say leave out the boesmani rainbows as they are very active and need atleast a 55g tank... then you could enlarge the school of cardinals or guppies... maybe:

6 glofish
6 danios
1 rubberlip pleco
10 cardinal tetras
6 guppies

I'll wait for someone else to make sure that my suggestion works, too Oh, and :welcome: to AC!

 

[clb2196]

I agree with Lexi. Also, there are other color danios besides the zebras and glofish- gold, blue, and leopard are the easier ones to find. They have long or short fin, too. So you could add some more variety.

With the guppies, if you don't get all males, you'll have a population explosion, so keep that in mind.

 

[bradlgt21]

If you want to get rainbows check out the larger varietions. Those ones get to large. Try Threadfin Rainbows, Praecox Rainbows, and Celebese. I have a 29 gallon and I like the celebese and am getting some next week. But if you like the look of the bosamani rainbows you might like the Praecox rainbows. Same shape just smaller and not the same color pattern but still very colorful, I have seen them in person and they look great.

 

[jpappy789]

I agree, bosemanis need a 4 foot tank.

Praecox would be a good alternative but they should be in a school of 6 or so. You really dont have room for that many groups of mid water schooling fish.

 

[bradlgt21]

Good point. If you scratch some of the other guys and get something lower water you might be ok. There are lots of cool options for the lower level. You ever look into apistogramma cacatuoides. They are really cool and max out at like 2". They would like your caves you got in the bottom of the tank. I would only get 1 though unless you can be sure to get 1 male and 1 female. 2 Males will most likely fight really bad.

 

[angyles]

I agree with the other comments on here that the bosemanis will be too large/active for the tank. If what you're looking for is a larger fish to be a focal point, a gourami would be a good alternative. Similar shape and size with a fraction of the activity so they don't need the space. Only get 1 though!

 

[barbuto]

:welcome: to AC

Good luck with your tank

 

[bradlgt21]

I agree with the only 1 gourami comment. 2 will mean death in a 29 gallon for the weaker one. I know I had to get rid of one to prevent it. But with all those danios and the want for rainbow fish I would really not want to go upper water level anymore it will be way to crowded. Try spacing the tank out more with some bottom level fish. Syno cats, cory cats, rams, gobys, apistos, are all good bottom level fish. He only has one lower level fish in a pleco.

 

[bazil323]

(6) zebra danios
(1) rubber lip pleco

I plan on adding:

(6+) glofish (red, or green)
(2-3) Bosamani Rainbow
(6) cardinal tetras
(3) fancy guppies

Scrap the boesmanis, as suggested numerous times. Since you've got quite a few schoolers listed, I would pick only 1 or 2 schools of at least 6 each (ie danios and tetras). Btw, glofish are actually genetically engineered danios (scientists altered them to have jellyfish, etc., genes to have those eye-popping colors). IHMO, a good school should have many more than 6, but that is an absolute minimum for a school.

I would only get male guppies, if you decide to keep them. If you get any females, you will probably have a population explosion, and even if your fish eat some of the babies, there are almost always survivors.

I would get one nice 2-4 inch "centerpiece" like a single krib, a single ram, or a gourami. Be careful on which gourami you pick, since some will get far too large for a 29g. Also, I would recommend not mixing gourami species or getting more than one for this tank.