Stocking plan for 29 gallon tank

[ashleynicole]

OK so I used to have a 55 gallon freshwater tank. over the years I did everything from community, to semi aggressive, to african cichlids. Now my 55 is in the garage in storage and I only have room to setup the 29 gallon. I know my options are a bit more limited so I would really appreciate if you guys could help me brainstorm!

O.K., so this is a 29 gallon tank and it I am going to have lowlight plants, no CO2 system, sand substrate. I am a bit partial to bottom feeders, so some fish I KNOW I want are as follows:

Bristle nose pleco
cory catfish
true siamese algae eaters
some sort of loach that eats snails (Planted tanks always have snail problems) I like clown loaches but I know I need at least 3 for them to thrive and i don't think this tank is big enough for them. any other loaches that eat snails and would be suitable for this size tank?

A few questions, Is a 29 to small to house a pair of angels? it has the same footprint as a 20 gallon long, but its tall so i was thinking 2 angels might be a good fit if the rest of the fish are bottom feeders. If not what other ceneterpiece fish might be good besides a few schools of tetras. Tetra's aren't really my favorite, they always die on me or just wither away, even when I have large schools. German blue rams also seem to stay near the bottom and don't live very long.
Gourami's might be ok if angels won't work, they stay near the top and are really pretty.

I am open to suggestions and thanks in advance for helping me plan this tank. I want bright and interesting fish as I have a 2 year old and 4 year old who will be 'helping' me out with this one. My supplies should be in by the end of this week and I am going to start a fishless cycle as soon as my stand gets in. I can't wait!

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Most loaches eat snails. Clown loaches get well over a foot and a larger group than three is preferred. You could get dwarf chain loaches.

Now, all the bottom feeders could be an issue. The SAEs need to be in a group of at least five as do the cories. Loaches need to be in a group also. Three schools on the bottom of a 29g will not work. I would say to pick one of them and maybe the BN pleco.

SAEs are also on a bit of the aggressive side. Not so much as say a cichlid, but they will pick a bit and chase. Mine work very well with my rainbows and danios for this reason. Everyone can keep up with the semi-aggression.

Just wanted to throw this out there.

 

[ashleynicole]

Most loaches eat snails. Clown loaches get well over a foot and a larger group than three is preferred. You could get dwarf chain loaches.

Now, all the bottom feeders could be an issue. The SAEs need to be in a group of at least five as do the cories. Loaches need to be in a group also. Three schools on the bottom of a 29g will not work. I would say to pick one of them and maybe the BN pleco.

SAEs are also on a bit of the aggressive side. Not so much as say a cichlid, but they will pick a bit and chase. Mine work very well with my rainbows and danios for this reason. Everyone can keep up with the semi-aggression.

Just wanted to throw this out there.

Thanks for the input, I had no idea clown loaches got so big! I had 3 in my 55 gallon for about 2 years, they were probably around 6 inches when I sold them back to the local fish store.

I wanted the true siamese algae eaters because the last time I did a planted tank I got some crazy algae issues and the SAE's took care of it. Again, this was in a 55 and that is why I am putting this post up since I am now working with a smaller tank.

Bristle nose pleco's eat brown algae I think, but I also remember having issue's with hair algae and I thought it was the SAE's that kept that in check as well.

So maybe a bristle nose pleco, dwarf chain loaches? I will have to look up some pictures and see what they look like. But I really love the cory catfish, they are probably my most favorite of all. So I may just do the cory's and the birstlenose pleco. I usually have at least one apple snail also, they are just so darn cute.

EDIT- dwarf chain loaches seem to be very active, your right, I could not have them AND the cory's. I think the bottom will have to be narrowed down to a school of cory cats and the bristlenose. *sigh .... this is going to be a lot harder than I thought...

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Nope, SAEs don't eat hair algae. I think otos do? Don't quote me on that though, I know one fish does, but I can't remember which. I don't know what algae a BN pleco eats.

I would wait to have bottom dwellers until further into the tank being set up. This way there is a build of of some of these algaes for them to eat.

 

[ashleynicole]

oh I didn't even think of rainbowfish! they could also be a good centerpiece fish, but I have never had them, so I don't know much about them

 

[jetajockey]

Standard fin angels are fine in a 29. I probably wouldn't put veiltails or superveils in there though.

 

[toddnbecka]

A 29 isn't big enough for BN pleco/s, Cory cats, and SAE's. A single BN would be quite enough to clean up algae and leftover food, a pair would soon overcrowd the tank with fry.
Dwarf or pygmy Cory's would be the best fit, 5-7 of those.
There are some small species of loaches that would work, but you aren't likely to find them at your lfs. Not sure about the loaches eating snails, but if you do become overrun assassin snails are quite effective.
Florida flag fish DO eat hair algae.

 

[ashleynicole]

I love pleco's as well. I always feed my pleco's veggies and give my bottom feeders algae wafers, veggies, and sinking food as well. I do not rely on algae in the tank to keep them sustained. I like the idea of getting pigmy cory's and one bristle nose pleco so that takes care of the bottom feeders.

Now about the mid and top level fish. A pair of standard fin angels would be good, and interesting for the kids because they come up to the front of the tank and are pretty social.

If I did rainbow fish it would limit my options because I would need a large school of a small breed to make sure they were happy and vibrant.

I couple of dwarf gourami's would be colorful, but not as 'sociable' as the angels would be, and if i remember they can be a tad aggressive.

Any other ideas on mid/top level fish that would be an exciting fish for a 2 year old and 4 year old? (no guppies or mollies!)

 

[ashleynicole]

A 29 isn't big enough for BN pleco/s, Cory cats, and SAE's. A single BN would be quite enough to clean up algae and leftover food, a pair would soon overcrowd the tank with fry.
Dwarf or pygmy Cory's would be the best fit, 5-7 of those.
There are some small species of loaches that would work, but you aren't likely to find them at your lfs. Not sure about the loaches eating snails, but if you do become overrun assassin snails are quite effective.
Florida flag fish DO eat hair algae.

what are assassin snails?
Also, I have no problem ordering fish online if i can find the right price and if they aren't available locally.
Florida flag fish, isn't that the same as a "Killifish". I had one once, and it kept eating my other fish. They look small but have a huge mouth. They hang out at the top and dart down and eat anything small enough to fit in their mouths. I don't like them at all.

 

[jetajockey]

Gertrudae are one of my favorite rainbows, I've also kept furcatas, but you definitely wouldn't be able to keep any of the larger more common ones like the ones at petsmart. I don't know how they'd do with angelfish but I think they are big enough not to be a target.

I agree with todd, no SAE's either, they get pretty big, I have some that are easily 4"

 

[siva]

OK so I used to have a 55 gallon freshwater tank. over the years I did everything from community, to semi aggressive, to african cichlids. Now my 55 is in the garage in storage and I only have room to setup the 29 gallon. I know my options are a bit more limited so I would really appreciate if you guys could help me brainstorm!

O.K., so this is a 29 gallon tank and it I am going to have lowlight plants, no CO2 system, sand substrate. I am a bit partial to bottom feeders, so some fish I KNOW I want are as follows:

Bristle nose pleco
cory catfish
true siamese algae eaters
some sort of loach that eats snails (Planted tanks always have snail problems) I like clown loaches but I know I need at least 3 for them to thrive and i don't think this tank is big enough for them. any other loaches that eat snails and would be suitable for this size tank?

A few questions, Is a 29 to small to house a pair of angels? it has the same footprint as a 20 gallon long, but its tall so i was thinking 2 angels might be a good fit if the rest of the fish are bottom feeders. If not what other ceneterpiece fish might be good besides a few schools of tetras. Tetra's aren't really my favorite, they always die on me or just wither away, even when I have large schools. German blue rams also seem to stay near the bottom and don't live very long.
Gourami's might be ok if angels won't work, they stay near the top and are really pretty.

I am open to suggestions and thanks in advance for helping me plan this tank. I want bright and interesting fish as I have a 2 year old and 4 year old who will be 'helping' me out with this one. My supplies should be in by the end of this week and I am going to start a fishless cycle as soon as my stand gets in. I can't wait!

A BN and cories would be great, but SAE's need a minimum of 55 gals IMO.

1 angel would work, but no more. Personally angels aren't my fav at all for 29's, but I think it is generally considered suitable.

A betta or paradise fish would be good CP choices.

Your right about the blue rams but bolivians are much hardier and still quite beautiful so you might want to consider those if you do want rams.

I can't think of any loaches that work in a 29 that are known snail eaters.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

OK so I used to have a 55 gallon freshwater tank. over the years I did everything from community, to semi aggressive, to african cichlids. Now my 55 is in the garage in storage and I only have room to setup the 29 gallon. I know my options are a bit more limited so I would really appreciate if you guys could help me brainstorm!

O.K., so this is a 29 gallon tank and it I am going to have lowlight plants, no CO2 system, sand substrate. I am a bit partial to bottom feeders, so some fish I KNOW I want are as follows:

Bristle nose pleco
cory catfish
true siamese algae eaters
some sort of loach that eats snails (Planted tanks always have snail problems) I like clown loaches but I know I need at least 3 for them to thrive and i don't think this tank is big enough for them. any other loaches that eat snails and would be suitable for this size tank?

A few questions, Is a 29 to small to house a pair of angels? it has the same footprint as a 20 gallon long, but its tall so i was thinking 2 angels might be a good fit if the rest of the fish are bottom feeders. If not what other ceneterpiece fish might be good besides a few schools of tetras. Tetra's aren't really my favorite, they always die on me or just wither away, even when I have large schools. German blue rams also seem to stay near the bottom and don't live very long.
Gourami's might be ok if angels won't work, they stay near the top and are really pretty.

I am open to suggestions and thanks in advance for helping me plan this tank. I want bright and interesting fish as I have a 2 year old and 4 year old who will be 'helping' me out with this one. My supplies should be in by the end of this week and I am going to start a fishless cycle as soon as my stand gets in. I can't wait!

I think if it was just the BN pleco and the cories it would be fine but not the SAE IMO.

Not sure what loaches. But yoyo loaches I believe stay small and eat snails.

Maybe if it was just the pair of angels themselves but if you wanted a community just one.

Hope this helped!