29 Gal Stocking help

[Rykerpartyof]

Hi All! New to this forum and I'm really hoping it's very active! I'll be moving in a couple weeks to a small apartment meaning my 55 gal plans are ruined, but I still have my old 29 gal and wanted to run my current potential list by you... I have a suspicion I may be over stocking. Let me know what you think and feel free to suggest different things! Will say I'm not really a fan of most broad bodied tetras (like bleeding hearts). Someone once said it reminded them too much of the 70's - 80's tanks and it stuck with me lol. I do like silver dollars but they would get too big for what I want to do I think.

Here's the list:

5 cory
6 celestial pearl danios (if I can even find them)
6 cherry barbs
1 dwarf gourami
2 platys (maybe)
1 bristlenose (I already have him in another tank and want to move him over)

I definitely want the gourami as my centerpiece with a bunch of small fish activity. Thank you!

 

[TMaier]

I am not a big fan of Cherry Barbs. Lots of chasing and fighting. I would get 9 danios instead and leave the Barbs out.

 

[Rykerpartyof]

I actually LOVE cherry barbs and they've done really well for me, my last one (my favorite) just passed yesterday. Have you had cherries or just your experience with barbs in general? Because yes other barbs usually are little brats.

 

[dcutl002]

List looks OK...I wouldn't add anything else. You also mentioned Silver Dollars. A 29 gallon is a bit tight for them. I have 4 Silver Dollars in a 55 and I think it is a bit tight.

 

[megi-lin]

I don't think your 29G will really have the space with your bristlenose pleco. I would go more with the platies. Smaller fish that get along with the cories and pleco. And you can have quite a colorful tank with many them.

 

[Rykerpartyof]

Megi-lin I should have specified that my BN is still a tiny baby, only about an inch Sorry lol. Aside from the pleco do you think the list looks okay?

dcutl002 - I agree it's too tight, thank you! Maybe I'll find a tank to put them into in the future

 

[TMaier]

I actually LOVE cherry barbs and they've done really well for me, my last one (my favorite) just passed yesterday. Have you had cherries or just your experience with barbs in general? Because yes other barbs usually are little brats.

Mine were cherries. I had such a bad group I never tried Barbs again.

 

[jcunningham3257]

Make sure the corys are in schools of six or more as well.

 

[Rykerpartyof]

Mine were cherries. I had such a bad group I never tried Barbs again.

Ohhh that's a bummer I think I'm going to try because I love them so much but if they don't work I do have another tank I can move them into. I appreciate the warning! I won't add anything else to the other tank just in case.

jcunningham3257 - okay I have no problem adding another cory, they're adorable!

Looks like my list is okay besides the caution on the barbs? If I can't find the danios I want do you have another suggestion that would hold up well in that mix?

 

[TMaier]

I had 5 females and 2 males. The males chased the females constantly so they were always hiding. When they weren't chasing the females the 2 males were chasing each other. I had lots of plants to break up the space but they never settled down. Good luck. Maybe I just purchased two a-holes lol.

 

[Rykerpartyof]

I had 5 females and 2 males. The males chased the females constantly so they were always hiding. When they weren't chasing the females the 2 males were chasing each other. I had lots of plants to break up the space but they never settled down. Good luck. Maybe I just purchased two a-holes lol.

Oh thank you that's actually really helpful info. I may try to maximise my females to spread out the dominant behavior and try to avoid 2 males! My last cherry barb that just passed away (that was a male) was in the tank with only neons toward the end because I didn't want to get more and crowd the tank and he kind of adopted them, I thought it was cute. I didn't see any aggression and it was kind of like in "Elf" where he's so much bigger than the elves lol but maybe he was just a rare sweetheart.

I'm so excited for my new tank! Thanks again for your help!

 

[Rykerpartyof]

I also think I'll just do gold barbs and cherries if the pearls are too expensive / hard to find. It will still be a good color and activity scheme

 

[megi-lin]

Megi-lin I should have specified that my BN is still a tiny baby, only about an inch Sorry lol. Aside from the pleco do you think the list looks okay?

dcutl002 - I agree it's too tight, thank you! Maybe I'll find a tank to put them into in the future

Ah okay! Just make sure you give it adequate space to grow and be healthy. I think the list is fine outside of that.