29 Gallon Ideas!!!

[FishyWater2525]

Hey guys! Some of you may have seen my previous and most recent thread, where I'm also looking for ideas on my 20 gallon centerpiece fish, but this is a totally different thread! I promise!!??

So my mom made a deal with me that when we move (in the very near future) I can have a new fish tank!!! (I have fish tank syndrome)
I decided to get a 29g (the largest I can possibly get) and I'm busy already making plans for what to do with it!!! Here's what I have so far!!


It will be a 29 gallon tank with Black Sand substrate, and live plants. I'm planning on a low light heavily planted tank. What wattage bulbs should I get?
The current plans for stock are:

1 Freshwater Angelfish
7 Peppered Cories (maybe albino)
10 (some kind of schooling fish, yet undecided)
2 Bolivian Rams

I would prefer to keep the Angel and Cories and DEFINITELY the black sand (haha), but all else is negotiable.
Any ideas, or suggestions??? Please let me know!! Thank you all!!!!!

 

[RightTurnClyde]

I don't know anything about Rams or Angels, but everything else sounds good. Consider White Clouds for the small schooling fish. I got some awhile ago and are really impressed with them. They are super hardy, and once they are comfortable in the tank, get really unique red and gold colorations with a shiny stripe like a neon.


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[PNWaquarist]

In general, that's a good stocking plan. I'd get a single T8 bulb and a floating plant like Hornwort to keep the aquarium dimly lit. (You can tether it to one side of the tank if you want to shade only half.) Java fern and Crypts will do OK in low light.

If you want Bolivians, I'd go with either a single or two females. Breeding pairs tend to be aggressive with tankmates, and I'm a little concerned about how well things would go with 7 corys in a small-ish tank. If you really want a breeding pair of dwarf cichlids, you might want to try a less aggressive species like Apiso cacatuoides.

Selecting the schooling fish will be challenging because you need something that (1) an adult angel can't fit into its mouth and (2) won't nip at the angel's fins. Maybe Bleeding Heart Tetra?

 

[FishyWater2525]

Thanks!
I already have a White Cloud Mountain Minnow Species Only tank, and was kinda shooting for something different... Thanks for the idea though!!!
I didn't think of bleeding heart tetras!! They will definitely be taken into consideration! I wasn't really wanting a breeding pair.. I guess I didn't think that through ?
Are the female BRs as colorful as the males? I was hoping for a couple if fish that would really pop, but if the females aren't as colorful, I could go for maybe one male.... I would have to research for dwarf cichlids before I made any decisions... Definitely something to consider!!!

 

[FishyWater2525]

I looked up the apisto cacatuoides. They're GORGEOUS!! Would I be able to get maybe a breeding pair?? They're so pretty.... Loved the suggestion!

 

[PNWaquarist]

Bolivian Rams look very similar and are difficult to sex. The Apisto cacatuoides female is rather drab, except when breeding. The male is much larger and more colorful. If you want two dwarf cichlids, the Apistos will probably be better for the health of the other fish. They're relatively common in the trade and on the easier side to keep. The LFS in my city sells them in pairs for about $40.

I would solicit some advice for the compatibility of Bleeding Heart Tetras with angels, as I haven't kept either fish. I'm just guessing that they'd probably work out, unless you're unlucky and get a super-aggressive angel. Whatever you do, be sure that you get a relatively young (small) angel, so that your shoaling fish grow to full size before the angel does.

 

[fish wrangler]

School of 10 neons or 10 cardinals maybe? They would pop against a black substrate imo

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[FishyWater2525]

I've thought about neons/cardinals, and would really like them, but past experiences ended with all of them dead in less than 2 hours after purchase......
I'm scared that they wouldn't survive, and I've heard angels will eat neons and cardinals because of their size?! True or false?? But I really do love them....

And it looks like I'm going towards apisto cacatuoides so far!! Current idea for stock:

1 Angelfish
2 apisto cacatuoides
10 (still undecided) ??cardinal tetras?? Bleeding heart tetras??
6 Peppered Cories

 

[fish wrangler]

How where you acclimating the tetras? I used the drip method and i think all 15 are still alive. Trying to count 15 little fast fish is not very easy!

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[Cold Canadian]

Some hatchet fish would be a nice schooling fish.


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[PNWaquarist]

Mature angels will eat Cardinals

 

[FishyWater2525]

That's what I thought....

What about Serpae, Lemon, and Rummy Nose tetras?? Thoughts??

 

[FishyWater2525]

I was just a newbie and kinda just dumped then in the water.... The thought horrifies me l, and I don't know why I didn't research more before I bought them...... Ever since then I've always been kind of scared to buy more..
And I've considered hatchetfish, but I don't really have an interest in plain ones.. Maybe the marble, or do they come in more colors?? I was really wanting a colorful schooling fish to make the angelfish pop...

 

[fish wrangler]

I did a drip acclimatization on them this time around, and I think I have all 15. Have not been able to get am accurate count on them, but have not seen any dead ones

To do the drip acclimatization i just used a length of air hose, tied 4 knots in it to slow the flow, and started a syphon. Get the drops to 1-2 per second and you should be good
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[FishyWater2525]

Ok
Thanks! I'll try that next time...
Still trying to decide on the tetras though.... May go with bleeding hearts, but I really like the look of Serpaes... Any thoughts??

 

[PNWaquarist]

Serpae are fin-nippers, I think. (Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong.) Rummys will eventually get eaten, as will all the other torpedo-shaped tetras. Lemon and Black Neons *might* be OK.

I still think that Bleeding Hearts are your best bet in terms of compatible tetras. I'd start a new thread to solicit advice on topic.


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[FishyWater2525]

Ok!!! Thanks guys!!!!!!

1 Angelfish
2 Apisto Cacatuoides
10 bleeding Heart tetras
6 Peppered Cories


Thanks again for the help!!