29 gallon stocking

[Annemarie]

Hi! After a long wait I’ve finally convinced all those I live with to allow me to keep a larger tank. It’s goimg to be a 29 long and I was going to take a look at filters later depending on how the stocking idea proceeds. I’ll have smooth pebble substrate for the loach (mentioned later) and I think that’s all I have for now.

Anyway here are my ideas:
3+ Neon Green Rasboras
5+ Celestial Pearl Danios
3+ Neon Tetra
3+ Rainbow shiner
1+ Dwarf Pufferfish
1+ Honey/Dwarf gourami
3+ Kuhli Loach

The + after each fish implies that I’d be willing to get more if needed. I know for some of these there may be issues. The rainbow shiners should be fine in a 25 gallon but my main worry is agression. I found a sweet spot that serves as a temp all would be fine with. The plant would be fairly planted to ease agression but I’ve heard that some of these can be pretty mean (Dwarf Pufferfish, gourami, etc...). If anyone has any feedback about this or any suggestions if they disagree with one type of fish I’d be happy to hear it! I just want all of them to be as happy as possible. Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

Pufferfish should always be kept in a single species tank because they either eat the other inhabitants or get stressed and release poison into the water and kill everything.

Rasboras, tetras, danios and loaches do best in groups of at least 6 and preferably 10 or more.

Don't buy dwarf gouramis (Trichogaster lalius) or any of their colour forms because they carry 2 main diseases, the Iridovirus and Tuberculosis, neither of which can be treated. Other gouramis can carry these diseases too but dwarf gouramis are the most commonly affected. Honey dwarfs/ honey gouramis are normally free of these diseases. If you get small gouramis get a pr (male and female).

I can't comment on shiners because they don't occur in my country.

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Before you get any fish you should find out what the general hardness (GH) and pH of the water is. You can normally get this information from your water company's website or by telephoning them. If they don't have the info take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and ask them to test it for you. Write the results (in numbers) down when they do the test. You should also ask what the GH test is done in (eg: ppm or dGH).

 

[Annemarie]

Thats kind of what I expected with the pufferfish and dwarf gourami. Thanks though! If anyone else has any comments I’d be open to hearing them

 

[Byron]

I agree with Colin's post #2. Additionally, on the Celestial Pearl Danios, this species is best on its own in a group of 12-15. Very carefully selected tankmates are possible, more info here:
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/celestichthys-margaritatus/

If you stay with kuhlii loaches (and increase the group to 5-6 minimum) I would have sand, not pebbles. They like to bury and sand allows this.

 

[Annemarie]

Okay. I love the idea of sand (smooth gravel is my worst case scenario) but I’m worried about filters. I don’t want the filter to get clogged and I wake up to a bunch of dead fish. Thanks for your info though!

 

[Byron]

Okay. I love the idea of sand (smooth gravel is my worst case scenario) but I’m worried about filters. I don’t want the filter to get clogged and I wake up to a bunch of dead fish. Thanks for your info though!

You intend live plants, so you only need minimal filtration. I would use a dual sponge filter; I have this in my 20g, 29g and 40g tanks. Strong currents are disliked by most of the fish mentioned, all actually.

 

[Colin_T]

... I love the idea of sand (smooth gravel is my worst case scenario) but I’m worried about filters. I don’t want the filter to get clogged and I wake up to a bunch of dead fish...

If you have an external power filter, put a round sponge over the intake strainer and raise the intake tube up so it isn't as close to the sand.

If you have an internal power filter, put it on a rock or hang it in the top half of the tank to stop sand being picked up.