New 29 gallon tank, advice please.

[ldavi133]

Greetings everyone! I am the new owner of a 29 gallon freshwater aquarium, planted, and today we bought 5 neon tetras, 4 guppies, and one pleco.
I am looking for stocking ideas, what other fish could I add to my aquarium to create an efficient biological environment, as well as something interesting for viewing? I would love suggestions for a "center piece" fish that is lower maintenance, and gets along well other fish. Also any other schooling fish that may fit, I'm not quite sure what my stock capacity is, as I'm new at this. I have a marineland penguine 150 filter, as well as a heater.

Also, how long should I wait before adding additional fish? Thanks so much for any input. I'm very excited! Also, how often and what percentage of water change do you all recommend?

~JD

 

[Ashenwelt]

Is it cycled? If It is a normal pleco or hifin you may wanna return him. Also a few more neons would be .

Centerpiece? I would let the tank be established a month or two and look at thinks like dwarf gourami or rams or find something interesting and research it.

 

[rlederer]

I'm not fond of the concept of "centerpiece fish." That means, apparently, one fish of a species. Most fish are much happier and healthier in groups, and frankly, a school of fish of one species, is, to me, much more attractive. I have several tanks, one of which is a 65 gallon, with 30 Cardinal Tetras and 20 Harlequin Rasboras, and I think it is very attractive. So I'd suggest more neons and maybe a school of other tetras, and forget the centerpiece fish. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[ldavi133]

I'm not fond of the concept of "centerpiece fish." That means, apparently, one fish of a species. Most fish are much happier and healthier in groups, and frankly, a school of fish of one species, is, to me, much more attractive. I have several tanks, one of which is a 65 gallon, with 30 Cardinal Tetras and 20 Harlequin Rasboras, and I think it is very attractive. So I'd suggest more neons and maybe a school of other tetras, and forget the centerpiece fish. Just my opinion, of course.

The tank has been up and running for two days, I've tested the water and so far everything is within normal/safe limits. I know that I need to wait before adding more fish, how long would you suggest that I wait? Thanks for your input. I definitely would like another school of fish, and maybe two slightly larger fish such as gourami or maybe one goldfish, something with personality? I don't know what would be best, I also am not sure how many more fish I can add without overcrowding? Thanks for all the help, I'm such a newb.

 

[Ashenwelt]

Are you using stability or tetra safe start? Of doing a diskless cycle?

 

[plantnoob]

You need to wait until the tank is fully cycled. Please read sticky thread with instructions on cycling the tank. Regular water changes are needed to ensure that the fish survive the cycle.


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[ldavi133]

I'm using tetra safe start plus.


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[plantnoob]

As for overcrowding, an approximate guide can be found at aqadvisor.com. You'll need to enter your tank dimensions and filtration and it tells you based on bioload the number of fishes you can have. Keep in mind that this is just an approximate guide and several fishes have tank dimension requirements.


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[Ashenwelt]

Please be super cautious... have any friends with aquariums? If so ask for some media that's Alice our ask them to run some filter floss (filter agnostic, buy at petco or lfs) and please have them add it as extra to their filter for a few days the put in a water filled baggie and take and put in yours).

 

[ldavi133]

Please be super cautious... have any friends with aquariums? If so ask for some media that's Alice our ask them to run some filter floss (filter agnostic, buy at petco or lfs) and please have them add it as extra to their filter for a few days the put in a water filled baggie and take and put in yours).

Thanks for the advice, sadly I do not have any friends with aquariums. I will proceed with caution, so far my fish seem happy in their home, the water is slightly cloudy.. however, water quality is testing safely. How often should I do the water changes, would weekly suffice or should I do it more frequently? If someone could please link me to the sticky on cycling I would appreciate it, I'm having a hard time finding it on my phone. I'll post a picture of the tank here in a bit. Thanks so much.


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[Ashenwelt]

Someone who uses safe start please help. I am a seachem guy lol.

 

[nirbhao]

Hey, accidental guppy breeder question- are your guppies male or female?

As for Safe Start, I found it to be a complete waste of money. That sounds mean, but there really are better products.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

 

[Toad]

So quick run through:

1. Read about fish in cycling, as that's what you're in the process of now.

2. Find out what kind of pleco you bought so you know whether to take it back or not. Sooner is better if you need to do that.

3. What kind of test kit are you using and what have your results been?

4. Just so you're prepared, neons are not good fish to cycle with, so you may suffer some losses.

5. If you have a female guppy, it's most likely pregnant already, and unless you have a fish that will eat them or a store that will take them you may end up with more than you bargained for



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[ldavi133]

So quick run through:

1. Read about fish in cycling, as that's what you're in the process of now.

2. Find out what kind of pleco you bought so you know whether to take it back or not. Sooner is better if you need to do that.

3. What kind of test kit are you using and what have your results been?

4. Just so you're prepared, neons are not good fish to cycle with, so you may suffer some losses.

5. If you have a female guppy, it's most likely pregnant already, and unless you have a fish that will eat them or a store that will take them you may end up with more than you bargained for



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Since posting this I have lost 1 guppy and 1 neon tetra... and another neon tetra has disappeared. So I'm down to 3 tetras and 4 guppies, one pleco. I'm suspicious that two of my tetras are dying because they've just been hanging around the bottom corner of the tank for about a day now.

All I have are the strip test kits, I'm thinking I need to get one of the more expensive water test kits. My readings are as follows, nitrate 20, nitrite 0, hardiness 150, alkalinity 40, and ph 7.2 the tank has been running since Saturday night and I have not done any water changes as of yet. Water temperature is 79F.

I'm not sure what type of pleco I have, and I believe the guppies are all male.

Pleco


3 of the guppies, the fourth one looks exactly like the yellow one in this picture.

What is the best way to do water changes, just get a big 5 gallon bucket? Also, what is the best way to make sure the fresh water I am putting back into the tank is the appropriate temp? Thank you So much for the help.


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[ldavi133]

Hey, accidental guppy breeder question- are your guppies male or female?

As for Safe Start, I found it to be a complete waste of money. That sounds mean, but there really are better products.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

I think they're all male, i sure hope so. I posted a picture above. Thanks.


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[nirbhao]

The test strips are almost $2 each. The master test kit is so much less expensive per test, and so you can repeat tests if necessary. I started out with strips, and there were several times I didn't test because it wasn't my weekly test time.

Get dead fish out right away. The strips don't test for ammonia, so you really don't know if they are polluting the water.

For water changes, when I first started, before I got a gravel vacuum, I used some spare air tubing to siphon water out into a bucket. You can't use it as a vacuum, but, if you stir the substrate, detritus will float out and you can suck it up.

I have a pür filter horizontal pitcher dealie (minus the filter) that holds 3 gallons. I fill it with tap water, add Prime and let it sit, and then open the faucet to add the water. I like to add water slowly, but people have different preferences there. When you add water slowly, the heater can kind of keep up.

Which measurement is the alkalinity? Milliequivalents? Ppm? Are you using a pool test kit? (I use a pool kit for pH because it's so cheap)

It does look like the guppies are all male, which is very good because oh my goodness do they multiply. They are actually known as million fish in some places.

Going by your decor, I'm guessing you have a young assistant. Here's what I've learned the hard way: you need to know which fish are options before going shopping. We had to return a rainbow shark because the employee said it would be fine in a 29 gallon. My mistake, but I certainly would have preferred to avoid the heartbreak. We're at a point now where we have discussed our populations and plans, and yet she still wanders over to the fish displays and asks if we can buy more.

Because, you know, Daddy would love a minnow.

Short version: you need to be 1,000 times more patient than you feel like you should be because the little person influence will be intense.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

 

[Ashenwelt]

I have a pür filter horizontal pitcher dealie (minus the filter) that holds 3 gallons. I fill it with tap water, add Prime and let it sit, and then open the faucet to add the water. I like to add water slowly, but people have different preferences there. When you add water slowly, the heater can kind of keep up.

Why would you not keep the filter in it?

 

[ldavi133]

The test strips are almost $2 each. The master test kit is so much less expensive per test, and so you can repeat tests if necessary. I started out with strips, and there were several times I didn't test because it wasn't my weekly test time.

Get dead fish out right away. The strips don't test for ammonia, so you really don't know if they are polluting the water.

For water changes, when I first started, before I got a gravel vacuum, I used some spare air tubing to siphon water out into a bucket. You can't use it as a vacuum, but, if you stir the substrate, detritus will float out and you can suck it up.

I have a pür filter horizontal pitcher dealie (minus the filter) that holds 3 gallons. I fill it with tap water, add Prime and let it sit, and then open the faucet to add the water. I like to add water slowly, but people have different preferences there. When you add water slowly, the heater can kind of keep up.

Which measurement is the alkalinity? Milliequivalents? Ppm? Are you using a pool test kit? (I use a pool kit for pH because it's so cheap)

It does look like the guppies are all male, which is very good because oh my goodness do they multiply. They are actually known as million fish in some places.

Going by your decor, I'm guessing you have a young assistant. Here's what I've learned the hard way: you need to know which fish are options before going shopping. We had to return a rainbow shark because the employee said it would be fine in a 29 gallon. My mistake, but I certainly would have preferred to avoid the heartbreak. We're at a point now where we have discussed our populations and plans, and yet she still wanders over to the fish displays and asks if we can buy more.

Because, you know, Daddy would love a minnow.

Short version: you need to be 1,000 times more patient than you feel like you should be because the little person influence will be intense.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

I appreciate all the advice, and yes I do in fact have two little helpers! I will admit we didn't plan the fish very well, we just got excited and set the tank up and bought what we thought would be a good fit to start out. I kinda regret the guppies as they're feisty little buggers and they hog all of the food at feeding time.

My test strips are in ppm, and it a kit for aquariums. I will definitely be buying the master test kit though, soon.

What do you think about my pleco? Will I need to rehome him? I'm not even sure how I would do that, I don't think my LFS accepts returned fish.. and I don't know anyone personally who could home him.


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[nirbhao]

Why would you not keep the filter in it?

Soooooooooooo slow. Our city water is very good quality, so chlorine is really all I'm concerned about.

What do you think about my pleco? Will I need to rehome him? I'm not even sure how I would do that, I don't think my LFS accepts returned fish.. and I don't know anyone personally who could home him.

I know very little about plecos. What I do know, though, is that Petco has a very strong anti-release stance to the degree that they will take fish they didn't sell. You won't get any money, but that's not what you're going for anyway. You can also try craigslist or a community social network like nextdoor.com.

I used to keep neon tetras when I was in high school. They are very pretty, and I'm sure the fancy LEDs out now enhance that tremendously.

the tiny computer is full of delicion!

 

[nirbhao]

Just checking in. How are things going?

the tiny computer is full of delicion!