help with fish

[Alefaz14]

I have a 29 gallon bio cube freshwater aquarium with live plants. Its dimentions are 20"L x 20.75"W x 19.25"H with two 36 watt fluorescent 16" lights. I have had it for a while now but each time I get new fish most of them die leaving only a few left. Right now I have 2 algae eating shrimp, 1 bleeding heart tetra, 4 rummy nose tetras, 1 bristlenose pleco, and 1 flying fox. I am looking for some cool looking community fish that are peaceful and compatible with the fish that I already have. If you have any ideas, I would be grateful for them.

 

[Cichlidfan]

Black Skirt Tetras should do just fine

 

[Alefaz14]

how many would you suggest I get

 

[Cichlidfan]

They are a schooling fish I would suggest that minimum of six in a 29 gallon aquarium. 6 in my in my community aquarium

 

[Alefaz14]

so would I get 5 more of the bleeding heart tetras and 2 more of the rummy nose tetras along with 6 of the black skirts

 

[Mz Fish]

If the new fish you are getting are dying, then somehing is off in your tank. Have you checked your water parameters? You should get a test kit (API makes a great 5 in 1 test strip kit.)

 

[Cichlidfan]

2 more bleeding heart tetra would be okay. 4 rummy tetra are good enough.

 

[Cactuspixie]

so would I get 5 more of the bleeding heart tetras and 2 more of the rummy nose tetras along with 6 of the black skirts

Not all at once though. You need to first get to the bottom of why your new fish die.
How long has the tank been established?
How much water do you change, and how often?
What filter are you using?
Do you test your tank water for ammonia nitrite and nitrate?
Is your ph stable?
Sorry if that's a lot of questions, but the answers are important in helping to understand what is happening in your tank and avoid further fish deaths

 

[Alefaz14]

I have had the tank for at least 2 years, and i try to do a 50% water change every month, but sometimes it gets changed every other month. The filter I am using is the one that is built in to the bio cube. I do test my tank for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, but not as often as I probably should. And I don't know what you mean by is my ph stable. I could do a quick water test and find the results.

 

[Alefaz14]

And I am also having an ongoing problem with black beard algae, and it just isn't seeming to go away, so what fish could help with that?

 

[Cichlidfan]

You should be doing 15% - 20% water change every week

 

[Alefaz14]

So do you think that is whats killing them? And how many of each would I get

 

[Cichlidfan]

Possibly. How often you change your filter media?

 

[Alefaz14]

I try to change the filter every 2 months although sometimes its later than that.

 

[Mz Fish]

Before you get any more fish, you need to get to the bottom of the promlem.
1. You should be doing 10 - 20 % water changes every week, not one a month.
2. pH fluctuations are not good - you have to remember that one point in difference is equal to 100. Imagine going from a room that is 70degrees to a room that is 170 degrees - that is what the change is like for fish, only in the acidity of the water. Check your pH for several days and see if it fluctuates.

 

[Cichlidfan]

I try to change the filter every 2 months although sometimes its later than that.

I'd change your media once a month

 

[Alefaz14]

Well, my ph is usually around 7.6 when I test. Is that too high for the type of fish I am trying to keep?

 

[Alefaz14]

And the temperature is anywhere from 80 to 86 degrees in the summer and around 78 to 80 degrees in the winter. Could this be causing a problem too?

 

[Cactuspixie]

I have had the tank for at least 2 years, and i try to do a 50% water change every month, but sometimes it gets changed every other month. The filter I am using is the one that is built in to the bio cube. I do test my tank for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, but not as often as I probably should. And I don't know what you mean by is my ph stable. I could do a quick water test and find the results.

If you are only doing water changes once every month or two, chances are your ph is swinging considerably. Your test results will let you know how often you need to change your water: there should never be ammonia or nitrite (instant pwc if you get a reading- size of pwc depends on level of toxins present) and nitrate should be <20ppm.
You shouldn't need to change your filter media often at all. Rinse sponges and biomedia in clean dechlorinated or tank water you have siphoned out. The only media I throw out is filter wool (the fluffy polyester filling in cushions)
Black beard algae (which I frequently battle) occurs when lights are left on too long. Which is easy to do, because you want to be able to see and enjoy your aquarium! I don't know if this is the same with you, but I have all slow growing low light plants, so I've learned to live with a certain amount of bba.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Well, my ph is usually around 7.6 when I test. Is that too high for the type of fish I am trying to keep?

That's fine- but what happens is when you leave water changes and filter cleans for over a month, the nitrates etc build up and cause the water to become more acidic. Your fish get used to it, but you drop new ones in and they can't cope with the sudden shock. Just keep it stable at that level and don't mess with it, and your fish will be fine