29 gallon stocking

[aa108]

I just bought a 29 gallon tank from petco yesterday because it was the last day of the sale and I already have a plan in mind about stocking but I don't know how many of each fish

bolivian rams
cardinal tetras or neon tetras
panda cories
bristlenose pleco or clown pleco (depending on availability)

Any suggestions?

 

[aa108]

I was thinking on maybe having an angel or boesemani rainbows too but i don't know which one to take out

 

[epiphysis]

I'd go with the following:

2x Bolivian rams (Male and female)
10x cardinals
5x Cories
1x bn pleco

Maybe look at dwarf neon rainbows as an option. Can put a school of 5 in and it will work.

Just please don't put all in together at the same time. I'll start off with the tetras for at least 2 weeks, then add the corries and pleco. Lastly the rams.

 

[Galligak]

I have panda cories, and I can say that they're amazing fish that I love to sit and watch! I've read that bolivians can be semi-hard but easier than GBRs. I like the look of both! I would get cardinals over neons because neons are touchy fish! Really hard to keep alive in most people, and my own experiences! I've never had a pleco, but I've heard that people love their bristlenose, and I plan on getting one eventually! Also with epiphysis!

 

[aa108]

I was thinking that epiphysis's stocking might be a little crowded for the bottom since bolivians, cories and bn plecos stay on the bottom so should i have 1 bolivian ram instead?
Also, I heard that sexing bolivian rams are very hard so what would happen if i get two males or two females. Is that a problem? If anyone is an expert on sexing bolivan rams, I'll make sure I'll post some pics of them when i get them to make sure they are a pair.
When researching this stuff, I hear a lot of people recommending schools of at least 6. is 6 a random number or is there something special about having a of school of 6 rather than a school of 5?

 

[Galligak]

I was thinking that epiphysis's stocking might be a little crowded for the bottom since bolivians, cories and bn plecos stay on the bottom so should i have 1 bolivian ram instead?
Also, I heard that sexing bolivian rams are very hard so what would happen if i get two males or two females. Is that a problem? If anyone is an expert on sexing bolivan rams, I'll make sure I'll post some pics of them when i get them to make sure they are a pair.
When researching this stuff, I hear a lot of people recommending schools of at least 6. is 6 a random number or is there something special about having a of school of 6 rather than a school of 5?

6 makes a happy school, which brings out great personality in the fish IME. I'd do:
x1-2 bolivian rams
x8-10 Cardinals or other tetra
x6-7 pandas
x1 bristlenose

The bristlenose won't spend it's entire time on the bottom, by BIO teacher has a bristlenose in her tank (55g) and it's constantly swimming all over the glass and on the DW in her tank.

 

[aa108]

okay thats good to know the bristlenose won't spend much time on the bottom.
I'm afraid to have a pair of bolivian rams because they might become too aggressive against the other fish when they mate, but i don't want a single bolivian ram because it might be too lonely. which one is better?

 

[epiphysis]

Personaly I don't think fish can count. So I assume its just a number that has the most success. But I have seen tanks with Dwarf Neon Rainbows happily with 5 in them.

The BN pleco is nocturnal. He won't be as active during the day as would be the corries and rams. Just keep a corner open to put in a treat for him now and then like a slice of zuchinni or cucumber.

The rams can be very territorial towards their own specie. So don't keep 2 males together.

I'm also currently setting up a 29 gal tank with a very similar setup. So we think alike

 

[epiphysis]

okay thats good to know the bristlenose won't spend much time on the bottom.
I'm afraid to have a pair of bolivian rams because they might become too aggressive against the other fish when they mate, but i don't want a single bolivian ram because it might be too lonely. which one is better?

Don't have much experience here, but I'll suggest to have a cave set up in a corner for them. Eventually the other fish will know to stay away from that area.

 

[aa108]

good to know that someone is doing something similar to me.

should i make the caves out of emptied out coconut husks or should i just buy flower pots and put them on its side? Also should i make two caves, one for the bolivian ram and one for the pleco?

 

[Gboy66]

Cut a corner pvc pipe and then use an aquarium safe glue to put rocks on it. Looks good

 

[aa108]

what do you mean by putting rocks on it? do you mean like lots of little rocks or a big flat rock?

 

[epiphysis]

The pleco would be happy underneath a peace of driftwood. Sometimes even make a hollow out of it for a cave. But you can do build a cave for both.

I'm currently building one by sticking some rocks together with aquarium silicone.

 

[Gboy66]

what do you mean by putting rocks on it? do you mean like lots of little rocks or a big flat rock?

Like gravel rocks, or sand or colorful. Whatever u want

 

[Russ_gibbo1985]

I just bought a 29 gallon tank from petco yesterday because it was the last day of the sale and I already have a plan in mind about stocking but I don't know how many of each fish

bolivian rams
cardinal tetras or neon tetras
panda cories
bristlenose pleco or clown pleco (depending on availability)

Any suggestions?

Hi looking forward to seeing this tank all set up. I currently have a 29 set up very similar to what you are talking about. My stock list is
2x electric blue ram. (mating pair!)
5x black neons
6x endelers guppys
8x Corydoras various species (they all shoal togeher even with the plecs!)
2x pitbull plecos
2x african dwarf frogs

Everyone get along great and tbh when the rams spawn as long as their tankmates are community friendly they won't want to get in the way of your rams fiercely protecting their eggs.
Just a word of warning though if you are planning on raising any fry either remove the eggs or the parents before they have laid as corys and plecos are terrible for pinching protein rich eggs!

 

[aa108]

Hi looking forward to seeing this tank all set up. I currently have a 29 set up very similar to what you are talking about. My stock list is
2x electric blue ram. (mating pair!)
5x black neons
6x endelers guppys
8x Corydoras various species (they all shoal togeher even with the plecs!)
2x pitbull plecos
2x african dwarf frogs

Everyone get along great and tbh when the rams spawn as long as their tankmates are community friendly they won't want to get in the way of your rams fiercely protecting their eggs.
Just a word of warning though if you are planning on raising any fry either remove the eggs or the parents before they have laid as corys and plecos are terrible for pinching protein rich eggs!

nice set up! how do you know the rams are going to lay eggs?

 

[Russ_gibbo1985]

The female starts to look rounder in the belly and it turns slightly pinkish. (i believe it's a bit harder to tell on the bolivians and gbr as their bellies are all ready a little pink.)