What Would You Do With A 29 Gallon Tank?

[Elrohirthehasty]

The title is self explanatory.  I have a 29 gallon tank that currently only has 4 kuhlii loaches and 2 lemon tetras left (all of which are easily 6+ years old).  The two tetras are pretty ragged looking and will probably die soon.  SO.  I'm gonna totally redo my tank once I move in to my new place. FWIW it's also a moderately planted tank.
 
What would you do with a 29 gallon tank?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hmm, I'd densely plant this tank, add a nice shoal of small fish, maybe 2 species. Cories and shrimps too
 
If that does not appeal, how about a blackwater type of setup would be cool, no plants, branchy wood, lots of almond leaves and maybe add Sparkling gourami, Trichopsis pumila and some Copper / Lambchop Rasboras, Trigonostigma espei

 

[Byron]

A 29g, assuming the "basic" dimensions with a length of 30 inches, is actually a very versatile "smallish" tank [by which I mean those under 4 feet in length].  I've re-scaped mine a couple times in the five years I've had it (my other six tanks have been with me much longer).  If you can give us your water parameters (GH, KH and pH) of your source water, we could probably offer some ideas.
 
I'll add photos of a couple of the versions mine has gone through.  I have very soft water, which is required for the species I have, but there are others that are less fussy.  The first is a SE Asian lagoon theme, the second more of a community mix, and the third (which I only finished this past Saturday) a true Amazonian blackwater lagoon.
 
Byron.

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Thanks guys.  Maybe a trichogaster gourami only tank.  Those are what...pearl, moonlight, and blue?  I could put in 5? 6?

 

[Byron]

Thanks guys.  Maybe a trichogaster gourami only tank.  Those are what...pearl, moonlight, and blue?  I could put in 5? 6?

 
Only the Pearls (Trichopodus leerii, the genus has changed, see below) would probably work here (the tank size), and I would suggest a group of six with two males and four females.  This wouldn't leave much space, so if other fish are contemplated, one male and two females.  "Other fish" could include some of the medium rasbora species, like the common Harlequin (Trigonostigma heteromorpha) in a group of 7-8.
 
The blue gourami, Trichopodus trichopterus, is a much more aggressive species by comparison, and a bit larger.  And larger still is the Moonlight, Trichopodus microlepis, at six inches and also territorial and feisty (for a gourami).
 
To the genus name change, or correction to be more accurate; I know some aquarists do appreciate knowing the taxonomy.  This is a synopsis from a series of profiles I authored a few years back, so I can cut/paste it.
 
Until 1923, Trichogaster [derives from the Greek thrix (hair) and gaster (belly)] was used as the genus for the small gourami species and Trichopodus [from the Greek thrix (hair) and pous (foot), a reference to the pectoral feelers] for the larger species. When the genus Trichopodus was established by Lacepede in 1801, it was not usual to designate a type species (as it is now), and later ichthyologists frequently designated one. A "type species" is the species that exhibits all the scientific characteristics for that genus, normally today the first such species to be described, and all species assigned to that genus will also share those characteristics. Topfer & Schindler (2009) detail the matter of the type species designations and errors respecting Trichogaster and Trichopodus; the end result was that in 1923, Dr. George S. Meyers incorrectly assumed the type species earlier assigned for Trichogaster and consequently established Trichogaster as the true genus in place of Trichopodus (which name became a synonym for Trichogaster) for the larger gourami species. Colisa was then selected as the genus for the small (dwarf) species previously assigned to Trichogaster.
 
This state remained (although in the literature there was frequent confusion) until 1997 when E. Derijst pointed out the error of the assumed type species by Meyers [see Topfer 2008]. R. Britz (2004) obsoleted the name Colisa, but its popularity continued in the literature. In 2008, J. Topfer thoroughly investigated the issue and recommended renaming of the species and K.-H. Rossmann (2008) followed. In 2009, Topfer & Schindler established Trichopodus as a currently valid genus of Osphronemidae, which includes the four large gourami species, Trichopodus trichopterus, T. leerii, T. microlepis and T. cantoris. The Colisa species reverted back to the genus Trichogaster as Trichogaster chuna, T. fasciata, T. labiosa, T. lalius, and T. bejeus. The species epithets of this genus were also corrected grammatically in accordance with the rules of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature [Schindler 2009]. The California Academy of Sciences--Ichthyology [W.N. Eschmeyer] has adopted the afore-mentioned revisions which means they are now valid.

 

[Elrohirthehasty]

Awesome, thanks for the info.  I think a species tank of the 6 pearls would be pretty awesome.