Stocking my 29 gallon!!!

[jsmith24]

I feel like I have waited a lifetime for this!!! Haha my planted tank is FINALLY cycled and ready to go, I'm so ecstatic!!!

Ok to get started I have built up a bio-filter that will get rid of 4 ppm ammonia in 24 hours with no nitrites so it's a large bio-filter. Here's all the spieces that I eventually want to have in my aquarium:

1 dwarf gourami as center piece, a school of neon tetras preferably 8-10, red cherry shrimp (a lot), zebra danios, and some type of Cory cats (small school). My first question is, are all of these compatible?? I'm pretty much 100% sure but I'm just making sure.

Second question is, how should I start stocking, I need to add enough where the good bacteria will be fed and not die off but I know I can't just throw all those fish in there so I need some advice on how I should go about stocking. Thanks!

 

[ejaramillo01]

I feel like I have waited a lifetime for this!!! Haha my planted tank is FINALLY cycled and ready to go, I'm so ecstatic!!!

Ok to get started I have built up a bio-filter that will get rid of 4 ppm ammonia in 24 hours with no nitrites so it's a large bio-filter. Here's all the spieces that I eventually want to have in my aquarium:

1 dwarf gourami as center piece, a school of neon tetras preferably 8-10, red cherry shrimp (a lot), zebra danios, and some type of Cory cats (small school). My first question is, are all of these compatible?? I'm pretty much 100% sure but I'm just making sure.

Second question is, how should I start stocking, I need to add enough where the good bacteria will be fed and not die off but I know I can't just throw all those fish in there so I need some advice on how I should go about stocking. Thanks!

Congratulations!

I think that your selection will work good.

My opinion is to add first the zebra danios with the shrimp, two weeks later the corys, two weeks later the neon tetras, and two more weeks later your gourami.

 

[James_in_MN]

I'd introduce the fish in stages, possibly in 3 groups spread out over 3 months. That way, your biological filter should be able to catch up without too much difficulty.

The first fish I'd add to the tank are the zebra danios. Those are the hardiest fish you have in your list, and would be best able to survive any mini-cycles you may experience adding more fish to your tank. I'd add the dwarf gourami last since they're the most sensitive.

You could add the RCS at any time since they have such a low bio-load. You may have issues with the gourami trying to eat them though, since they're a very small shrimp.

 

[jsmith24]

Ok so considering zebras are definitely the hardiest of the bunch I will start out by stocking those and RCS. Now the question is, how many zebras should I stock at first??

 

[toddnbecka]

Generally at least 5 of any schooling fish.

 

[siva]

I'd keep atleast 6-7 danios..that will reduce the liklihood of them getting nippy with your gourami.

 

[jsmith24]

Ok I'll probably keep 6 of them. Would it be ok for me to put all six of them in the tank at the same time??

 

[rebekahbirch]

you could try adding 3, then a week later another 3. but Siva's right about them niping at dwarf gouramis! i have 3 danios and 2 dwarf gouramis in a 30 galllon, and they chased the male around a lot, so i went to return them the next day, then the danios took out a bit of his fins- the day i was about to return them!
ps. i think mine were pregnant and therefore got violent tho- yours should be fine! i just needed to rant for a bit!

 

[JustOneMore20]

You could add 6 fish at a time IMO...just spread it out with like 3 weeks atleast in between the groups.

 

[gkuzel]

Good call on the Danios! And I don't see anything wrong with putting just the six in at first. I certainly wouldn't go any more than six, but you should be fine!

 

[siva]

Since danios don't have a very large bioload and your tank is fully cycled, adding 6 should be fine

 

[jsmith24]

Ok I'm gonna go ahead and put all six of them in there at the same time and I'm also gonna go ahead and put the RCS in there as well. SSOOOOOO EXCITED!! I'm eventually wanting to add another species of tetra in my tank after I get all of the other stuff I want, anybody have an opinion of what I should get??

 

[gkuzel]

I enjoy xray tetras, or gold tetras. Blue eyed forkfins would work nice too =)

 

[Homedog98]

For cories... How about orange lasers? Sooo pretty!

 

[gkuzel]

orange lasers are gorgeous!!

 

[Homedog98]

Favorite fish... I love them!

 

[jsmith24]

Oooh I like those too I just googled them haha but I don't think my LFS has those. They are pretty rare right??

 

[Homedog98]

You can order them online... That's where I'm getting mine.

 

[jsmith24]

Ok I bought six zebra danios yesterday and I also bought all the ghost shrimp they had because they didn't have RCS but they only had 3. I don't think ghost shrimp are as good of cleaners as RCS but oh well. Anyway the danios are doing great!! I fed them this morning and they all came up to the top and ate so that's good! Everything is good in the hood! Cory cats are next.