Stock list for 29g

[reun]

well, i am in the middle of a complete teardown and re-scaping of my 29 gallon tank. the occupants (corys and 2 cherry barbs) will be moved to another tank when it has finished cycling over a few week period depending on how soon the back up tanks filtration will establish bacteria colonies.

the question then is what to put in the tank...i will be putting the cherry barbs back in the tank as well as the school of corys, so i want a solid stock list for when the tank is ready. im sure i have several months before i will be going to stores and eyeing the stock, but i want to set up a list now. my tank will be over filtered and i do 30% water changes every week. it will most likely not be planted as i have a black thumb and if i do plant it, they will be hardy low light plants.

so, i am thinking of getting 2 male cherry barbs and 1 or 2 more female cherry barbs (i have been reading they need a school of 5+, contrary to advice i recived a year ago when i bought them).

i am also looking at a small school of tetras or danios, i think most danios are larger and also a bit rowdy and nippy...so that leaves small tetras. im thinking embers cause we seem to have alot at the stores around here.

i was also debating on adding a extra cory to my school...

so, one possible stock list:

5-6 corys (2 inches each)
5-6 cherry barbs (under 2 inches each)
(?) ember tetras (half an inch each)

i think i could have quite a few of the little tetras, maybe 7-10 without overloading the tank, even unplanted, or am i wrong? its even under that sloppy inch per gallon rule that only works half the time,lol.

thoughts please!

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

Danio's are good.. they stay around the size of a neon lol. look into the zebra danio's if you want something to be hyper as crap in your tank. the ember tetra's get up to 2.5 inches. (if your lucky) most from what ive seen stay around 2 inches MAX. So.. either way. a school of 7 tetra or danios, is a happy one lol

 

[reun]

hrm, we must be talking about different tetras. i am talking about Hyphessobrycon amandae...they get .75 inches max. i want something really small, heh.

also, the rowdiness is something i am concerned about. im worried about the cherry barbs hiding more than swimming, also worried about them getting nipped at.

either way, the reason i was looking at something small was because i want 7+ fish to go with the others that will be in there, and i am afraid 2"+ that most danios get will be overstocking the tank if its unplanted. the smaller danios i have seen online I have never seen in my local fish stores,and i would like peoples input on them before i pay the extra cash to order them.

so, there is a little bit more clarification, more inputs welcome!

 

[reun]

after some more reading, the cherry barbs really prefer a very large school to be very active and show off the tank. i am considering a stocking of 8 cherry barbs and 6 corys.

any ideas on if i should attempt a small school of embers with the cherrys, or maybe a centerpiece such as a Dwarf Gourami (there is a breeder near here with healthy specimens)?

 

[RoseHippi]

I have never had any luck with Dwarf Gourami staying alive. Why not let teh cherry barbs be your center fish? Or why have any center fish Ithink bards and corys would be great.

 

[Jagwa]

my dwarf gourami destroyed alot of my plants trying to build a bubble nest. it was really irritaing. but it is a good looking fish

 

[meegosh]

I must admit, if you can find a quality DG, they are really nice fish. I had one for almost two years until I added some red eye tetras to the tank without quarantining them first.

It was a very mellow specimen and it hardly chased anyone in the tank. Occupants at the time were diamond tetras, zebra danios, corys, and guppies. If you know you can get a good gourami I would pick one up. They are interesting fish.

 

[reun]

well, im actually leaning away from the DG. if i want one i can always put him by himself in the 10 gallon.

I was considering a BN pleco though...how does this sound:

1 Bristlenose pleco
6 cory
6 cherry barb, maybe 8 if it wont overload the tank, BN gets to 4 inches.

thoughts?