Stocking question for 29 gallons

[CapnSmee]

I have a stocking question. Maybe I should write out all my current questions and cram them into one post.
The people on this site never cease to amaze me with their knowledge.
I repicked up this hobby two months ago with a 15ish year break. BUT this time around I'm not a teenager and open to suggestions. (Not all teens, just me)
I'm in a rural area, and the nearest larger city has 2 chain pet stores with fish. I'm not having the best luck and also still playing catchup.
I've been told tank is too small for 4 betta, 6 Cory's, and 6 otos. I have the 4 betta, 4 Cory's (just added 2 today) and 1 oto. I had 3 otos but 2 died. The store stock seems hit or miss on survivability. Both stores claimed otos would be restocked next week, but don't always get what they've ordered.
My big question. IF I did try for 4 betta, 6 oto, and 6 Cory's (oops forgot shelldon the snail) would it be an overload in 29 gallons?
If it is, would 4 betta, 4 cory, and 4 oto, with the snail be ok?
I don't just want them to survive. I want them to also thrive. I'll do what's necessary.

 

[Sgooosh]

i recommend only a pair of bettas and more otos and no cories
most bettas do better in pairs I THINK
cories are poop machines that can grow bigger than otos
they need atleast 6

what type of betta?
what type of cory?
what type of Sheldon the snail?

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Most people on this forum have the same general idea/opinion, and I am going to give you mine. What is your PH? Cory’s need groups of 4+. As long as your group is over 4 they should do fine. Not poop machines…that would be platys or plecos. As long as they see Betta Sorroritys, or female bettas, they should be fine.

Your tank should be cycled btw.

Hold off on stocking for now plz. You must consider options. Tetras are easy species…betta sororities are tougher IMO. Cory’s are great beginner fish. Tbh I would do 6-8 neon tetras, 6 Cory’s, and another small species of tetra, however, we must know your PH.

 

[Sgooosh]

Most people on this forum have the same general idea/opinion, and I am going to give you mine. What is your PH? Cory’s need groups of 4+. As long as your group is over 4 they should do fine. Not poop machines…that would be platys or plecos. As long as they see Betta Sorroritys, or female bettas, they should be fine.

Your tank should be cycled btw.

Hold off on stocking for now plz. You must consider options. Tetras are easy species…betta sororities are tougher IMO. Cory’s are great beginner fish. Tbh I would do 6-8 neon tetras, 6 Cory’s, and another small species of tetra, however, we must know your PH.

oh.. they probably just stir up the poop in the sand i guess

o yea and also for sororities it's better to buy the female bettas in tanks together rather than cups
i thought OP was talking about wild bettas

 

[Colin_T]

How long has the tank been set up for?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

-------------------------
Otocinclus should not go into tanks that are less than 6 months old. They need algae, biofilm and driftwood otherwise they starve.

Otocinclus catfish are usually starving when you get them. Check their stomachs at the shop and make sure they don't look sunken in.

Don't buy fish that have just come into the shop. Leave the fish at the shop for 1-2 weeks before getting any so the fish can recover from being shipped.

Find out when the shop does water changes and buy fish the day before they get water changed, or at least 4 days after they have been water changed. It is less stressful to the fish if they don't go into a new tank straight after a water change in another tank.

 

[CapnSmee]

Most people on this forum have the same general idea/opinion, and I am going to give you mine. What is your PH? Cory’s need groups of 4+. As long as your group is over 4 they should do fine. Not poop machines…that would be platys or plecos. As long as they see Betta Sorroritys, or female bettas, they should be fine.

Your tank should be cycled btw.

Hold off on stocking for now plz. You must consider options. Tetras are easy species…betta sororities are tougher IMO. Cory’s are great beginner fish. Tbh I would do 6-8 neon tetras, 6 Cory’s, and another small species of tetra, however, we must know your PH.

Too late on holding off
The tank is cycled. I already have 4 female betta(2 elephant ear, 1 koi, and 1 petco special). There are 4 green cories, 1 oto because his mates died, and 1 mystery snail.
I do appreciate your response though. I would look into tetras in the future.
The bettas were the first purchase. And I'm not exactly in the business of rehoming fish.

 

[CapnSmee]

i recommend only a pair of bettas and more otos and no cories
most bettas do better in pairs I THINK
cories are poop machines that can grow bigger than otos
they need atleast 6

what type of betta?
what type of cory?
what type of Sheldon the snail?

Seems I'm off to a bad start. There are already 4 female betta (the minimum sale was 4. Theres 2 elephant ear, 1 koi, and 1 shop special), then there's 4 green cories, 1 lonely oto because the other 2 died, and 1 mystery snail

 

[CapnSmee]

How long has the tank been set up for?

What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, most tetras, barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

-------------------------
Otocinclus should not go into tanks that are less than 6 months old. They need algae, biofilm and driftwood otherwise they starve.

Otocinclus catfish are usually starving when you get them. Check their stomachs at the shop and make sure they don't look sunken in.

Don't buy fish that have just come into the shop. Leave the fish at the shop for 1-2 weeks before getting any so the fish can recover from being shipped.

Find out when the shop does water changes and buy fish the day before they get water changed, or at least 4 days after they have been water changed. It is less stressful to the fish if they don't go into a new tank straight after a water change in another tank.

Maybe I wrote my post wrong. I already have fish in the tank. Its 2 months old. My test strip read ph 8. Kh 180, gh 30. I could take a sample to the store next time I head into town for something more accurate?
Waiting 2 weeks for specific fish in my area is, unfortunately, not an option. Twice now I have made the trip the day after shipments are made and they're already out of stock.
Right now I was hoping it'd be fine to add more otos, because I'm down to one.
But I am very appreciative of your response. It was very informative.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

On your stocking I would just advise not getting more Otto until the aquarium has been running for at least 6-8 months as that is how long it takes to get enough naturally occuring food for them. You can supplement with wafers but ideally they prefer to harvest from the surface of leaves, glass and ornaments. As to the female Betta group, be aware that they might get tetchy with each other or tankmates without alot of warning, so keep an eye out for food hogging using their finnage/tails, occasional snapping round at their tankmates and tankmates becoming shy and timid or turning their back on the Betta's at feeding time as those are sure signs that someone is upsetting everyone else. Cories really feel more secure 6-8+ if there is enough space/volume to increase them

 

[CapnSmee]

Tank dimensions are 30.65" length, 19" height, 13.25" width

 

[CapnSmee]

On your stocking I would just advise not getting more Otto until the aquarium has been running for at least 6-8 months as that is how long it takes to get enough naturally occuring food for them. You can supplement with wafers but ideally they prefer to harvest from the surface of leaves, glass and ornaments. As to the female Betta group, be aware that they might get tetchy with each other or tankmates without alot of warning, so keep an eye out for food hogging using their finnage/tails, occasional snapping round at their tankmates and tankmates becoming shy and timid or turning their back on the Betta's at feeding time as those are sure signs that someone is upsetting everyone else. Cories really feel more secure 6-8+ if there is enough space/volume to increase them

Thank you. Twice now I've seen to wait 6 months for otos and I will take the advice.
If I have the space for 6 cories along with the bettas I would buy 2 more. Its 29 gallons.
I appreciate the advice with the bettas. When I first started out all I heard was encouragement from the shop keepers. I do believe these will be the only ones I have. I think I'll just let them live their life out, and then try something else in the future. So far (and I realize it's only been 2 months) they seem ok.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Thank you. Twice now I've seen to wait 6 months for otos and I will take the advice.
If I have the space for 6 cories along with the bettas I would buy 2 more. Its 29 gallons.
I appreciate the advice with the bettas. When I first started out all I heard was encouragement from the shop keepers. I do believe these will be the only ones I have. I think I'll just let them live their life out, and then try something else in the future. So far (and I realize it's only been 2 months) they seem ok.

Just keep a watchful eye on the Betta foursome, despite what many think, its not just the males who can get bolshy with their tankmates, Betta (or Siamese Fighting Fish) are very much a Jekyll & Hyde personality and they can turn without any provocation. You might be lucky in that they don't have a fit at each other but it is pretty unusual not to get squabbles that turn deadly eventually. The Elephant Ear might get nipped by one or both of the others, so especially watch for any finnage/tail issues

Otto's feast on biofilm and algae, hence the ideal to not have them til the aquarium is really matured at least 6 months, longer the better. It is possibly why you sadly lost two of them...but if you didn't realise, there is no reason to kick yourself about it.

I would think another couple of Cories should be fine in an aquarium of that size, but I personally wouldn't push it higher as they could, once matured, start reproducing when ready.

 

[CapnSmee]

Just keep a watchful eye on the Betta foursome, despite what many think, its not just the males who can get bolshy with their tankmates, Betta (or Siamese Fighting Fish) are very much a Jekyll & Hyde personality and they can turn without any provocation. You might be lucky in that they don't have a fit at each other but it is pretty unusual not to get squabbles that turn deadly eventually. The Elephant Ear might get nipped by one or both of the others, so especially watch for any finnage/tail issues

Otto's feast on biofilm and algae, hence the ideal to not have them til the aquarium is really matured at least 6 months, longer the better. It is possibly why you sadly lost two of them...but if you didn't realise, there is no reason to kick yourself about it.

I would think another couple of Cories should be fine in an aquarium of that size, but I personally wouldn't push it higher as they could, once matured, start reproducing when ready.

Thank you again. I lost 1 oto after 24 hours and another the following week. I was adding algae wafers and hoping they were making a meal out of the diatoms. The 6-8 month time frame makes perfect sense to me now.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Thank you again. I lost 1 oto after 24 hours and another the following week. I was adding algae wafers and hoping they were making a meal out of the diatoms. The 6-8 month time frame makes perfect sense to me now.

No worries matey, happy to help.

There is alot to learn in fishkeeping and tbh you never stop learning cos you'll always have a fish that flies against everything in the book

You're doing fine....enjoy your aquarium and try not to get annoyed with yourself too much when things don't go to plan for any reason, we have all been there

 

[I Like Rare Fish]

Ottos need soft, acidic water.