Newbie Stocking Advice?

[Alex51]

Hello everyone!

My tank is completely cycled (I've kept a close eye on the levels across the board with my own test kit)! I'm very proud and quite excited to get my own fish. But I have a few questions.

I am not looking for huge/fantastic fish, I actually enjoy schooling, and smaller fish (Danios, Tetras, Guppies). Is there a good stocking plan that I can use to make my tank come to life?

Before anyone has any suggestions, my plan (which I want to hold off before getting the advice of anyone who wants to offer) is;

6 Zebra Danios
4 Cardinal Tetra
2 Fancy Guppy
2 Emerald Corycat

This to me feels like I am overstocking the tank. Which is why I am here. I don't want to put a significant bio-load on the tank, and I would like to keep proper schooling with the fish.

Is this an acceptable amount for a 29 gallon tank? Is this too much? Will these fish fight?

My biggest fear is danios/tetras attacking the Guppy's rear fins, does anyone have experience with these to settle my anxiety?

THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!

 

[Fishperson]

Well you certainly aren't overstocked, but I would like to make some suggestions:
- Up the school of cardinals to 6
- Add another 2 corys. They are actually not corys, but from the brochis genus and thus get very big, 4 inches or even more. Because of that I would recommend some other type of cory instead, they would take up half the room and be just as cool!
- Add a centerpiece fish, like a honey gourami or dwarf cichlid (the latter will need a 3+ month old tank).

 

[Alex51]

Oooh okay. I was worried of getting too few, but like I previously said I didn't want to pour a whole bunch of fish into a tank! I keep hearing of Pygmy Corycats, are those too small? I don't want anything that could potentially create a holocaust in the tank. D:!

 

[josh7]

I would stick with emerald Cory's they are bigger and much more interesting IMO. I would add 2 more of them and 4 more cardinal tetras. Are they both make guppies or 1 male and 1 female? You do have room though for a centerpiece fish I would buy a dwarf gourami as a centerpiece.

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hello everyone!



My tank is completely cycled (I've kept a close eye on the levels across the board with my own test kit)! I'm very proud and quite excited to get my own fish. But I have a few questions.



I am not looking for huge/fantastic fish, I actually enjoy schooling, and smaller fish (Danios, Tetras, Guppies). Is there a good stocking plan that I can use to make my tank come to life?



Before anyone has any suggestions, my plan (which I want to hold off before getting the advice of anyone who wants to offer) is;



6 Zebra Danios

4 Cardinal Tetra

2 Fancy Guppy

2 Emerald Corycat



This to me feels like I am overstocking the tank. Which is why I am here. I don't want to put a significant bio-load on the tank, and I would like to keep proper schooling with the fish.



Is this an acceptable amount for a 29 gallon tank? Is this too much? Will these fish fight?



My biggest fear is danios/tetras attacking the Guppy's rear fins, does anyone have experience with these to settle my anxiety?



THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!

First of all, Kudos on going about things the right way!

I agree with increasing your cardinal numbers by another 2-4.
If you like the greenish colour of the emerald, you could have a look at the Green laser cory. It's a true cory and gets nowhere near the size of the emerald catfish, so you could have a nice school of 6 of those. They are expensive where I am though, so if it's the same where you are, I'd look at 6 Julii or similar.
The fish you have *should* be fine together, but you can't account for personalities

Just remember not to add them all at once. Do something like the danios first, then wait a week before adding each species. It will mean your tank won't be fully stocked for 3-4 weeks, but that gives you more time to choose your cories (I would add those last)

I don't use centrepiece fish myself- I love the natural movement of schools/shoals, and having an 'odd man out' detracts from that IMO.

So much fun!

 

[Alex51]

Awesome, thank you guys! I suppose I'll run off and find some Danios to start then.