Help stocking 29g tank

[BigHerky]

I'm about to go buy a 29 gallon tank, but this will be my first aquarium so I want to plan everything out before I get started.

I am currently thinking about getting:
8 danios
5 guppies
3 corys
1 swordtail

Would this be a good selection for a beginner? Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

[matty2085]

All pretty chilled out fish that are well suited to beginners. Watch your M:F sex ratio on the guppies. Should be 3 F: 1 M, otherwise the females will get stressed out by all the attention that their male tankmates show...and you will certainly get babies if you have a mix of males and females!

Recommend that you don't buy all these fish at once and add them to your aquarium. Stock it slowly and steadily to avoid any unwanted deaths. Best to cycle the tank (either without or with fish - some great articles on here for both methods!) before adding all these.

 

[bud29]

I would up the school of corys to 6. And that m:f ratio only applies to when you get guppies of both genders. You could get all males or all females. I recommend adding the guppies last because they are sometimes vicious to new additions.

Also, if you do a fishless cycle you should be able to stock half of your fish at one time, say, your danios and swordtail, and then put in the rest, your guppies and cories.

 

[BigHerky]

I think I've decided against getting the guppies because I dont want to deal with all the breeding. My new plan is to get
7 danio
7 tetra
1 dwarf gourami
1 swordtail

I'm not sure if I want to get 6 corys? Would I be better off getting the corys instead of the tetra? What would be a good alternative for a bottom dweller that I could have 2-4 of?

 

[matty2085]

As bud29 said...you could get all male or all female guppies resulting in no babies! In my experience you have to be a little more careful with gouramis and tetra (they can be a little more sensitive to water conditions) but I'm sure others would have more to say on this. An alternative to corys could be some shrimp? I love Amano shrimp...they're fascinating to watch scavange for food

 

[bud29]

I think that any shrimp in there would be eaten by your swordtail and your gourami. A good stocking blueprint for this size tank is 2 schools of 8 fish, a centerpiece, and a bottom dweller. What I will be putting in my 30 gallon is:
8 Emperor Tetras
8 Cherry Barbs or Serpae Tetras
2 Bolivian Rams
1 Dwarf Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco

I sort of am pushing it a little with this stocking, but it will be OK.

What I would do if I were you:
8 Zebra Danios
School of Tetras (Probably 8, you could do 12 if you chose neon or cardinal tetras)
1 Dwarf Gourami or Sunset Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco.

Strictly My opinion, but it would be very colorful and fun!

 

[Samzter]

As bud29 said...you could get all male or all female guppies resulting in no babies! In my experience you have to be a little more careful with gouramis and tetra (they can be a little more sensitive to water conditions) but I'm sure others would have more to say on this. An alternative to corys could be some shrimp? I love Amano shrimp...they're fascinating to watch scavange for food

If you get females, which have had interaction with a male at any point, chances are they are pregnant. they can store sperm for 6-7 months.

 

[bud29]

+1. They can have many batches of babies with only one fertilization from the male.

 

[matty2085]

True...just go with males then if guppies are what you go for. Suprised to hear of aggression towards amano shrimp. Never had that one myself.