29 Gallon Tank Stocking Advice

[audiosheep]

I have a relatively new 29 gallon tank that I'm keeping a few small goldfish in until the weather warms up and we can clean out our old 120 gallon pond for them. They're doing fine for now. I have a filter rated for 10 - 30 gallons, though, so I'm probably going to get a more powerful filter very soon. I also have a heater, hood, lights, and bubbler, but I don't turn the heater on unless it gets too cold for them. I mainly have the heater for my new fish I'll be getting once the goldfish go out. I have some artificial plants.. four small, three medium. And 4 small ornaments, including a fake log big enough for the goldfish to swim through (but they will soon outgrow it, I know..)
Anyways! Stocking. All this comes AFTER the goldfish leave, in case I wasn't clear.
I plan on getting:
2 Angelfish
6 neon tetras
3-5 cherry or amano shrimp
and 3 kuhli loaches!

Or, I could get one less angel fish, 2 more kuhli loaches, and a school of 6 celestial pearl danios.

Nothing is really set in stone so I'm really open for changes. I just need to know if these fish will do well together or if I should add something to it. Or, what order I should get them..? The only thing I certainly want to get is the kuhli loaches.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Angels grow fast and will eat Neons and CPDs. I would also not do more than one angel in a 29 gallon, as they grow to about 6" long and 8" tall. Also, if they're not a breeding pair, they may fight. If they are a breeding pair, they'll get territorial in a tank that size.

Good companion fish for angels are peaceful fish that won't fit into their mouths. These include corys (Sterbai are good, as they can take upper 70s/low 80s F) and some of the taller, flatter tetras such as Bleeding Heart and possibly Lemon. Avoid fin-nippers such as Tiger Barbs and Zebra Danios.

Kuhli loaches are not a bad idea, but I'd do a minimum of 5-6 of them. Provide plenty of places for them to hide. Zebra loaches are also worth a look. Some of the smaller plecos (Clown, Bristlenose, etc.) will also work.

 

[audiosheep]

Okay, so I've thought about it some more. What about this set up? Would the danios still bite the gourami? If so, what could I replace them with?

4x kuhli loach
6x neon tetra
6x zebra danio
3x amano shrimp
2x dwarf gourami, both female
and eventually, once I change the setup and get some driftwood..
1x albino bn pleco

 

[PNWaquarist]

Even if the danios don't nip at them, the gourami will probably not appreciate them zipping by. Also, you'll want to add at least one more Kuhli Loach. Also check that Amanos are temperature-compatible with your other stock. They're a colder-water species.

If you're not going to do a large, tight shoaling species as a centerpiece, I'd not do Dwarf Gourami and do one Pearl Gourami instead. They're larger and prettier. Also, Dwarfs are mass-bred and healthy stock can be difficult to find.

I'd suggest:
5-6 Kuhli Loach
10-12 Neon Tetra (they're small and have low bioload)
1 Pearl Gourami
1 BN Pleco (nice choice)
? shrimp (depending on size)

Also keep in mind that plecos are poop machines, so you'll want do definitely over-filter and clean out your filter once a month. I'd suggest an AquaClear 70.

 

[audiosheep]

Okay, so definitely no zebra danios. As neat as they are, they're not really in the same temperature requirements.

Also, I think you're right about the gourami. Though, I still want to do more than one school of fish, but I just don't know what else I would put with these fish. I'll probably start off with 6 neon or cardinal tetras and the kuhli loaches. Is there a certain order you're supposed to put the fish in? I'd most likely have to hold off on the bristlenose pleco until a while after the other fish because I would still need to order driftwood, and the price of fish adds up, y'know.

Oh, and one last thing. Are these fish the type to eat shrimp real easily? I don't have many places for them to hide, and I don't exactly know what they would even want to hide in.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Cardinals are a little more picky about water parameters than Neons. They really prefer softer water and will live longer under those conditions (they can tolerate moderately hard water if they're raised in it). Neons are nice fish, but be sure that you don't get cheap stock from one of the big box stores, as they've been inbred for decades to keep up with demand. You might even want to consider Green Neons.

If you want a second shoal, I'd suggest a shoal of 8 Black Neons (which are larger and look nothing like regular Neons). They occupy the middle/upper portion of the tank, and will fill out your tank space-wise without being aggressive and annoying your gourami. They're also hardy and undemanding when it comes to water parameters. I would put these in the tank first (after cycling) and wait a good 3-4 weeks before putting in your others. In general, you'll want to wait 3-4 weeks between adding each species.

I know that loaches eat snails, but don't know if they will go after shrimp. The tetras won't be a problem in that regard.

 

[GretschDrummer]

I have a question, currently I have a 29 gal planted tank with a penguin 200b filter. I have 3 zebra dainos from when i started, 11 harlequin rasboras, 6 ghost shrimp and prob 11 cherry shrimp. I want to get a pair of german blue rams to add. If possible I was alos thinking of adding 6 neon tetras. What are your thoughts on this? I have vals and crypts as plants and do weekly 25% water changes.

 

[audiosheep]

From what I (a budding aquarist) know, neons and zebra danios prefer different temperatures.