Looking for ideas and opinions on a 29 gallon tank.

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Sugarbear

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jun 4, 2012
Messages
6
Location
Maine
Howdy all, this is my first post besides an introduction and the actual reason I first decided to join this forum.

I've just gotten a new 29 gallon tank. I'd really just like to hear some ideas, comments, or opinions on what would work with it. I'm going to list a few things that I'd like to do with it, and if anybody wants to contribute or give some advise, wisdom, whatever please do so.

I've been pouring through the vast and often inaccurate resources of the internet for a few days now, trying to see what works with what. The tank is still in its box atm. I'll be setting it up where it belongs today and start gathering the materials to decorate it. Then I'll start the cycle, read a very interesting article on this site about it. I'm in no real hurry. Id rather it be done right then go out and get everything together to find a tank of dearly departed fish.

The aquarium dimensions are 30Lx13Wx19H.

I will be going with a fresh water setup.

I'm leaning towards having a sandy bottom rather then gravel. Its an aesthetic reason more than anything, though easier fish poo cleaning would be nice. I've read that you need more filtering for sand. The usual consensus was twice what you would have normally.

I will probably end up getting a hang on the back style filter. I will most likely buy what is readily available. I am not the kind of person who buys something because of a brand name, if you are and you're posting a reply that you've had allot of luck with a certain type please do not be offended by this. I care only that a product works, and I usually pick the absolute cheapest thing I can get my hands on that functions properly.

I will probably decorate my tank with a piece of driftwood I hopefully find on my next walk near Plymouth Pond. (I live in Maine) I have used unusual stones I've found on walks before, my method of decontaminating them was to boil them. I assume I could just as easily boil the before mentioned driftwood. If anyone has any experience with found decorations that would be most helpful, especially if for some reason boiling the driftwood would cause the earth to implode or have some other unwanted effect. I'll have to make some hiding places from stones, maybe slate or something easy to stack.

I'm debating on whether I want live plants or not. It probably depends on the type of fish I would be getting. I read that a sand bottom is better for live plants. I have no problems with work. Its no different taking care of a dog or cat. You've got to take care of your fish just as much. If i go with live plants I'll need a good light source for them. This will be the subject I am least familiar with.

Another bit of information that may be relevant is that I have well water. So its fairly hard as it is.

So onto the fish.
Cookie Cutter - 29-gallons

I've seen this link pop up a few times on different forums. I'm not sure I'm interested in angel fish. They are quite lovely I'm simply not sure its what I want. The fish in that link that really caught my eye were the yoyo Loaches. If anyone has experience with them, perhaps you could share what would work well with them as far as tank mates, or plants.

I'm new to any tank bigger then 10 gallons so by all means treat me like the noob I am :p nicely though lol. I don't really have anyone I know who keeps fish, other then the stocked trout pond outback of my family home where I grew up.
 
Hi and welcome! You seem to be doing your research first so that's great! It sounds like you're going to fishless cycle the tank with ammonia?

So are you interested in Cichlids particularly or any community fish? Cichlids can get large and aggressive; you might be able to fit some dwarf cichlids in there, or shellfish, but you wouldn't be able to have many due to the aggression when they mate.

For a general community tank you have a lot of options (if you're not interested in Cichlids or Angels). There are many different types of tetras, danios and rasboras that would work in a 29. There are also bottom dwellers like Cories (Panda, Juli, Sterbai, etc) and the smaller versions of pleco (bristlenose for example; do not get a Common, they get HUGE).

I'd advise you to visit some local fish storse near you and write down the names of fish you like and then research them. Ask here too, we can help with specific fish you're asking about. You can also peruse some sites like Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums for suggestions (again, research on your own first).

As for HOB filters, I prefer AquaClear (an AC 70 would be great for your tank). It comes with different types of media and has a basket that you can pretty much customize the way you want. For example, it comes with carbon, a sponge and ceramic rings. Instead of the carbon, I've inserted another sponge.

I've had both sand and gravel. I like sand better as it looks more natural and if you want some bottom dwellers like Corys or Plecos they would prefer sand over gravel.
 
First, thank you for the welcome Librarygirl.

Yes I was intending to do a fishless cycle with the pure ammonia. I stopped into wally world earlier this evening to see if they had the kind I needed but it was Ammonium hydroxide with Surfactant. I was unsure if that was unacceptable or not I'll have to check out that handy write up again.

I'm not one hundred percent sold on it, but I think I'd rather have the more peaceful community fish then a bunch of Cichlids. I was reading on one forum, and a gentleman essentially said that when a pair of angels started spawning they'd attack pretty much anything in the tank. I do not have the room or the aquariums to move fish in and out cause they are having hormone problems so its one reason I wouldn't want the Cichlids. I suppose there is always the option of simply having two males or two females.

The fish I want for sure are the yoyo loaches. That's pretty much set in stone. I posted that link because I figured it was a sound idea proportionally. The three bottom fish (the yoyos), two mid sized fish (the angels) and a small school of top dwellers (the raspboras or hatchets). Does anyone have any acceptable replacements for these fish? I would prefer something colorful (who doesn't) Who knows, I may end up with the angels and such, I am simply asking if anybody has other options, fish they like that would work similarly.

One question that comes to mind is if i get say, a bristlenose pleco or clown or something similarly sized to eat algae is it going to have a problem with the loaches? Everything I read said that the yoyos were quite peaceful. My only worry comes from them sharing a love of caves and hiding spots, and being in the same general area, specifically the bottom of the tank. I understand that plecos have a slightly higher bioload then other fish of similar size.

I looked around for some kind of crustacean that would work. Everything I read said if I got cherry shrimp or the like the loaches would be like, "hey supper." I think i'll need to give up on them for this tank.
 
You could do :

Chilli Rasboras ( top)
1 male dwarf gourami 2 female ( midwater plus female are a silver , grey colour)
2 yoyo loaches



I would do some otos maybe 3 if you had algae problems. With chilli Rasboras you could have 9 maybe. The reason why I haven't suggested many fish is because yoyo loaches grow to about 4-5 inches + so they come to 10 inches. Hope I helped :)
 
Thanks for the reply Samzter.

Went out on Saturday to the different pet stores around where I live. Saw lots of nice looking fish, then looked to see how big they got and had to be disappointed. I like the gourami alright, but I had a friend who has some. They were very active, though they bullied everything in the tank. I mentioned I didn't have any friends who I could ask, cause, one friend is a newb like myself and the other doesn't take care of his fish at all.

One that I did like were the sword tails. I was assured they were peaceful, I'll look up some more information, maybe not so much with multiple males.
 
Thanks for the reply Samzter.
I like the gourami alright, but I had a friend who has some. They were very active, though they bullied everything in the tank.

something to keep in mind too is the type of gourami, dwarfs are typically pretty peaceful fish there are other varieties that are semi-aggressive and will bully others. I *think* the kissing gourami is another peacful option.

For some schooling fish I have a few favorites I like the look of
Neon and Cardinal tetras.
There are some nice Danios - Zebras(nice design but little color), glo lights
Golden white cloud minnow has a really nice look
rummy nose tetras have a really neat look too.

I've no experience with yoyos but I believe these would all be ok tank mates. I've also read that they prefer to be in groups of about 5, though some people keep 3 with success. Just something to perhaps look into. I've also read they can be kept with Otos and other types of loaches.


ETA - swordtails are also live bearers, just something to keep in mind with sexes if you don't want a breeding frenzy. It's a shame so many of the brightly colors fish are live bearers. I don't quiet trust my LPS to have the right gender. :p
 
Kissing gourami get to be about 23 cm and need about 100 gallon minimum . You could do one or two pearl gourami they are very peaceful . :)
 
Personally I'd go for Gourami's over Angels - Gourami's will definately chase each other at some point, but I've found they leave all other fish alone, Angel's on the other hand I've given up on, I've never had or seen Angels that have left tank mates alone especially when they are the big boys in the tank. I've always found Pearl Gourami's to be the most peaceful of the type. I would go for Sterbai Cory's, I love them - great little fish, always cleaning up food on the bottom, every now and then they will shoot up to the top of the tank, get on great with every tank mate - crazy little guys! Every tank I have owned has contained Sterbai's. Don't rely on Bristlenose,s or Pleco,s for cleaning algae, I've never really found them very useful for it apart from when they are young and they poop like crazy! saying that I have a Black Eyed Golden Bristlenose and a Clown Pleco, I only see the Clown at least twice a week. I use Dwarf Oto,s for my cleaning and always ensure they have an extra source of food, courgette or algae wafers. Lemon Tetra are a great sized fish when grown and are very colourful, mine stick together like glue mid tank.
 
Yeah I think Gouramis are more recommended then angels because they are known to be a bit more passive. Plus some are more colourful!! :D
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.

The Sterba's sound cool I'll look into getting some. I know there are a few places around here that sell Corydoras. I'm hoping I can get a few different kinds. I am curious if something so small as the pygmy cory's would be alright with the bigger loaches. I have the slight worry of overcrowding the bottom of the tank. Everything I've read though says that the two bottom dwellers I like, like to stick together though, so again its just slight. It seems they like to pig pile on each other.

That being said the only two fish I'm really sold on are bottom fish. I looked up some more info on sword tales and It seems the consensus is I can keep a single male by himself. So That's one. I don't really care to have any Gouramis though the pearl ones were pretty cool. I didn't see Lemon Tetras anywhere but I did see Bleeding heart's and I thought they had a cool coloration and shape.

I was really considering going for real plants in the tank, I've read that the yoyo's will possibly uproot them. I've decided to start out with some fake plants and then try to replace them a bit at a time with tough low light things like java fern's and the anubis ones. Things that I can tether to the slate caves I'll be making in a day or so. Plus I dont want to go spend a bunch on healthy plants and then obliterate them with a tank they can't live in. So we'll go slow with that.

So the fish that I like are

Yoyo Loaches.
Corys (a mix if I can, I have to see what species i can get here)
Swordtail. (1 male, saw one that was orange and stark white, very pretty)
Bleeding heart Tetra.

I've seen recommended groups for all of them. I'm not overly worried about the 1 inch per gallon rule considering the strata of the tank the fish would normally occupy. I would like to see suggestions for numbers though.
 
Pearl gourami are far more peaceful than angelfish and are good centerpiece fish. A male betta would be another alternative. You'll see some things online that claim bettas are too aggressive to live in a community tank, but I've found this to be pretty much untrue, especially if you add the betta last so he doesn't think the entire tank belongs to him alone ;)

I agree that a pleco is unnecessary unless you want one because you like them. If your goal is a good algae eater then look to otos. They have a far lower bio-load and seem to be better at cleaning out the algae without knocking over decorations. Another option would be to get some type of snail that reproduces easily (pond snails, mystery snails, etc), and they'll usually out-breed your loaches appetites for them. This is a double benefit since the balance between the snails and loaches means the loaches get a source of live food, your snails don't take over the tank, and the remaining snails clear out your algae. Honestly algae eaters aren't necessary as long as you do weekly water changes and don't overfeed.
 
I agree about the pearl gourami. For the small time i had one they were very beautiful and peaceful fish and i strongly recommend them. Also, if you have any more room in your tank, I also suggest scissortail rasboras which are very fun to watch as the frequently dart around the tank. Besides that I think you have a great start and I wish you the best of luck! Keep us posted on how things go! :fish1:
 
Back
Top Bottom