Stocking a 29 gallon

[shannonly22]

I am trying to be patient while fishless cycling my 29 gallon. So I'm planning.. I'd like to do a larger school of some type of tetra, and two smaller schools of Rasbora and Danios, with some Cory on the bottom. How many of each can I get by with? Tank is 30" long, gravel substrate with a combo of river rock and live plants. Thanks! Also... I was thinking of ordering online instead of the local chain pet store, hoping the fish would be healthier?

[Boundava]

Online fish aren't always healthier then in-store fish. If you can having a quarantine tub/tank to keep them in for a few weeks is always a good idea. If you are starting a new tank (100% stock is new) then you can stock 100% of the fish for the tank at one time and use the 29 as a a kind of QT tank that becomes your main tank after a few weeks of some basic meds like Prazipro. However depending on how quickly you want to stock, medicating 10 gallons is cheaper than 29 gallons, so QT in a smaller tank/tub is beneficial in that respect.

[WhistlingBadger]

Hi, Shannon. (And Natalia!)

As for stocking, there are so many possible combinations of cories, tetras, and rasboras/danios, it's hard to know where to begin.

I've kept panda cories in a 29g. They are active, pretty, and interesting. So maybe start with a school of 10.
Neon tetras are a classic choice for a tank this size. You could easily do a school of 25 or 30.
Round it out with 20 espei rasboras. Harlequins would be good too, though they're slightly bigger. Maybe 10 or 15.
If you like inverts, add in 5-10 amano shrimp or a few snails.

According to AqAdvisor.com (strongly recommended for beginners; even most of us grizzled veterans still use it as a starting point when planning a new tank), that would put you at a good capacity for the tank: Lots of color and activity, but not overcrowded.

Be aware that a lot of rasboras and danios are VERY active (I had zebra and giant danios for a while, and they drove me crazy), so they take a lot of space and can actually stress out more mellow fish like neons. In a tank this size, that can be a real problem. So keep doing your research (seriouslyfish.com is a GREAT resource for requirements and compatibility) and choose wisely.

Good luck! Thomas

[The Cichlid Keeper]

Possible Warning:
I think you have to put in some extra filtration if you're going to put that many inches of fish in there. Oxygen is limited in small amounts of water especially since there are a few downside factors for this tank size: small water volume, rocks take up water volume so there are not exactly 29 gallons anymore, lots of fish take up lots of oxygen possibly killing any beneficial bacteria. Stocking a lot of fish also mean lots of ammonia and Nitrite, that's asking for trouble. You're going to want to consider doing larger water changes with this many fish. Although small it could end up deadly unless you make sure the water changes are regular. Let me know what you decide for stocking please.

[Slaphppy7]

Extra filtration aside, none of this applies to a properly cycled tank.

[WhistlingBadger]

Possible Warning:
I think you have to put in some extra filtration if you're going to put that many inches of fish in there. Oxygen is limited in small amounts of water especially since there are a few downside factors for this tank size: small water volume, rocks take up water volume so there are not exactly 29 gallons anymore, lots of fish take up lots of oxygen possibly killing any beneficial bacteria. Stocking a lot of fish also mean lots of ammonia and Nitrite, that's asking for trouble. You're going to want to consider doing larger water changes with this many fish. Although small it could end up deadly unless you make sure the water changes are regular. Let me know what you decide for stocking please.

It isn't really about how many inches of fish; it's about biomass and waste production. A school of 25 neon tetras (25 inches of fish, but very little biomass) doesn't produce nearly as much waste as a single 10" goldfish. The suggestions I made are all small species, so even though it's a lot of inches, there's no problem as long as the filter is cycled.

On the other hand, extra filtration is almost never a bad idea. :)

[SueD]

Online fish aren't always healthier then in-store fish. If you can having a quarantine tub/tank to keep them in for a few weeks is always a good idea. If you are starting a new tank (100% stock is new) then you can stock 100% of the fish for the tank at one time and use the 29 as a a kind of QT tank that becomes your main tank after a few weeks of some basic meds like Prazipro. However depending on how quickly you want to stock, medicating 10 gallons is cheaper than 29 gallons, so QT in a smaller tank/tub is beneficial in that respect.

I agree with this assessment of on-line vs local purchase of fish. First, know where you're buying from whether it's local or on-line; check reviews/references if available. A couple of points to consider. Buying locally gives you the opportunity to visit the store, see how it's maintained, are the employees knowledgeable, do the fish look healthy and well cared for, are there dead fish in the tanks, do they carry the species you're looking for or can they special order if requested? You'll actually see the fish you're buying and a well run store with knowledgeable staff can be a valuable resource to you as you progress in the hobby. Plus no shipping costs (can be very steep) and less stress to the fish you're getting as they're not jostled around in a box for a couple of days. Don't rule out even Petsmart or Petco stores. Each is run differently and some are better than others - use your judgement when viewing the tanks and fish.

Having said all of the above - and being lucky to have a wonderful LFS - I have also bought fish through on-line sources with great results. Often, it's just an impulse buy (lol) when I see a particular species I haven't seen locally before. But when I look at a $40+ shipping charge for $25 worth of fish, I have to think twice. Personally, I like to stock slowly - one, maybe two species at a time depending on tank size and current stocking - leaving room for something I might not be thinking of at the time of a particular purchase. Multiple on-line purchases will get very expensive with shipping added in. With a good local store, multiple trips is easy and you get to check out any new stock that came in since your last visit.

This is not to discourage on-line buying. As stated, I've done it several times and was more than happy with the results.