Seeking My Perfect Fish.

[littlefish4]

Guys, I am a very frustrated aquarist.

I have spent hours researching, aqadvisoring, and thinking about what to add to my tank next. But I have been stumped

I have a 3 month old 29 gallon aquarium with 1 angelfish and 1 opaline gourami.

This tank is kept at 76 degrees and has a few live plants with weekly pwcs from 20-30%.

I know that both my angel and my opaline limit my stocking options, but my family (and I myself) have become attached to them.


So if you were me, which species would you add?

 

[sam180]

Guys, I am a very frustrated aquarist.

I have spent hours researching, aqadvisoring, and thinking about what to add to my tank next. But I have been stumped

I have a 3 month old 29 gallon aquarium with 1 angelfish and 1 opaline gourami.

This tank is kept at 76 degrees and has a few live plants with weekly pwcs from 20-30%.

I know that both my angel and my opaline limit my stocking options, but my family (and I myself) have become attached to them.


So if you were me, which species would you add?

I would recommend some bottom feeders such as cory cats or loaches.

 

[littlefish4]

I would recommend some bottom feeders such as cory cats or loaches.

I have looked into cories. Really loved the idea but I have a sharpish fluorite gravel. I read that it would dull their barbels and that's not good for them. Any opinion on this?

As for loaches I haven't looked much into them. How important is current to them? Don't have a good power head.

 

[Laeris]

Depends on the loach. Hillstream require good flow, smaller ones don't care about flow as much. My kuhlis could take it or leave it.

 

[littlefish4]

Depends on the loach. Hillstream require good flow, smaller ones don't care about flow as much. My kuhlis could take it or leave it.

Okay, I'll have to look into it.

Any specific stocking suggestions Laeris?

 

[RackinRocky]

Dojo loaches! I love them to death. Such clowns, and they become tame very easily. But alas, a 29 gallon is really kind of small for them. I have six in my 55, and believe that is a good size for them, as they are quite active. Kuhli loaches would be a better choice, since they don't get as big as Dojos. Get several though. No fewer than 5, as they will be very shy, and you will never see them if their number is too small. They become much braver with greater numbers. And yes, I can't keep cories as I have the "natural" gravel that you get at Lowe's or Home Depot, and it wore off my cories' barbels, and they eventually died.

 

[littlefish4]

Dojo loaches! I love them to death. Such clowns, and they become tame very easily. But alas, a 29 gallon is really kind of small for them. I have six in my 55, and believe that is a good size for them, as they are quite active. Kuhli loaches would be a better choice, since they don't get as big as Dojos. Get several though. No fewer than 5, as they will be very shy, and you will never see them if their number is too small. They become much braver with greater numbers. And yes, I can't keep cories as I have the "natural" gravel that you get at Lowe's or Home Depot, and it wore off my cories' barbels, and they eventually died.

Thanks for the response!

Diving into kuhli's, what would I feed them? Veggie wafer? Freeze dried bloodworms?

 

[sinibotia]

Clown loaches need at least a 125 gallon. In a tropical 29 gallon with normal filtration I would stick with kuhli loaches or zebra loaches if you are interested in loaches. ANything else gets too big and/or is inappropriate for higher temperature ranges.

 

[littlefish4]

Clown loaches need at least a 125 gallon. In a tropical 29 gallon with normal filtration I would stick with kuhli loaches or zebra loaches if you are interested in loaches. ANything else gets too big and/or is inappropriate for higher temperature ranges.

Thanks for contributing sinibotia. Your reputation precedes as expert of loaches. Will a semi sharp gravel damage kuhli's? I have fluorite.

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

If it's a lighter gravel I wouldn't recommend kuhli as they like to burrow in gravel and would cut themselves up on it. What about something like shrimp?


Keep calm and rock on

 

[littlefish4]

If it's a lighter gravel I wouldn't recommend kuhli as they like to burrow in gravel and would cut themselves up on it. What about something like shrimp?


Keep calm and rock on

Between my angel and gourami I can't have most shrimp. If I put a 1/2 inch layer of larger grade round gravel on top of my fluorite could that solve the problem?

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

I'm not sure if that'd solve it entirely but it should help the case tremendously. You could add sand to fill in the cracks and add enough for a layer on top


Keep calm and rock on

 

[littlefish4]

So this is what I've devised as a stocking plan.

Will adjust substrate like we've discussed before adding kuhli's.

Thoughts?

 

[littlefish4]

Lol, didn't notice that I had a text notification... Oops

 

[Trainer_Ruby_]

You'd have to make sure that the water quality stays good as kuhli are finicky about that. Also remember kuhli are nocturnal and may not come out during the day at first


Keep calm and rock on

 

[sinibotia]

Y'know, I sort of break from common thought here, but I wouldn't worry too much about sharp substrate unless we're talking about basically broken glass shards. I think that a lot of injuries that people chalk up to sharp gravel are actually caused by poor gravel maintenance and water quality. If you vacuum your substrate well it should be fine IMO. And I've had many kuhlis do quite well in "rough" gravel.

 

[littlefish4]

Y'know, I sort of break from common thought here, but I wouldn't worry too much about sharp substrate unless we're talking about basically broken glass shards. I think that a lot of injuries that people chalk up to sharp gravel are actually caused by poor gravel maintenance and water quality. If you vacuum your substrate well it should be fine IMO. And I've had many kuhlis do quite well in "rough" gravel.

That would be much more convenient. Would save money that I could invest into more hiding places.

 

[littlefish4]

Leaving for vacation in a week so I won't be adding anything till I return.

Plan is to add BH tetras in 3-4 weeks and add kuhli's in 5-7. Gonna quarantine each for a week and I'm gonna add kuhli's last because they're shy fish and it ought to be as established a tank as possible.

Will post pics when I acquire tetras and until then thanks to all for the help!

 

[Fresh2o]

Thumbs up for quarantining!
Bleeding hearts are gorgeous fish and are on the larger side when it comes to tetras (probably what is driving up the stocking percentage in AqAdvisor). You may want to consider other tetras species like phantom or rummy nose tetras (anything larger than neons).


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[littlefish4]

Thumbs up for quarantining!
Bleeding hearts are gorgeous fish and are on the larger side when it comes to tetras (probably what is driving up the stocking percentage in AqAdvisor). You may want to consider other tetras species like phantom or rummy nose tetras (anything larger than neons).


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Hey Fresh2o! Thanks for replying!

Hadn't looked at phantoms, good looking tetras. AqAdvisor suggests that they'll fin nip my angel. Also says rummy nose will be bullied by gourami.

Settled on bleeding hearts honestly because they were they only ones that I found without any drawbacks. Except the bio load of course.

Would this be a significant issue even with routine water changing? Would I be wiser to do 5?

Thanks again!