Stocking levels for 29 gallon

[Rasbi]

So I just set up a 29 gallon and I’m thinking about stocking. I currently have a fluval 307 canister filter on the tank, it has been previously used on another tank. Still waiting on my perimeters to get to where I want but when they do I’m thinking about adding. 
x6 furcata rainbow fish

x10 golden white cloud minnows 

x6 panda Cory or some other variants not sure

x10 cherry shrimp

I do weekly water changes and it’s pretty heavily planted. Would this be overstocked already or could I possible add some oto cats,1-3 hill stream loach’s, or a smaller pleco variety. 
would love some feedback or recommendations. I’m just looking for some activity at all levels since it’s a pretty tall tank. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

You can do anything you want to if you’re willing to do the water changes necessary!

The stocking sounds like a fun tank. The only thing that sticks out to me is the Oto’s, Hillstream loaches, and Pleco. Feeding all 3 of those types could be difficult. Personally, I would just do one of them. Pick your favorite 

Edited February 22 by AllFishNoBrakes

[Rasbi]

Ope I meant i would like to do one of those three either 

1 smaller pleco idk what kinds OR

1-3 hillstream loaches OR

A small group of otos 

So you think if I do 20% water changes weekly that stocking with one of those from above  should be fine?  

Edited February 22 by Rasbi

[lefty o]

id probably opt for a small pleco. a clown or rubber lip pleco. they stay small. the matter of overstocked, well you are only overstocked if the tanks maintenance requirements exceed what you are willing to do. start with 1 group of fish, give it some time, then add another, then another et. youll figure out when its enough.

[Tony s]

To get an idea where you could get an idea for stocking levels. Try aqadvisor.com. It's actually really fun to play with your ideas there. it gives you basic info on compatibility also.

[Rasbi]

On 2/21/2024 at 11:12 PM, Tony s said:

To get an idea where you could get an idea for stocking levels. Try aqadvisor.com. It's actually really fun to play with your ideas there. it gives you basic info on compatibility also.

I used that website and it said 86% capacity, is it fairly accurate? 

[Tony s]

yes. actually, can be relatively conservative. I usually go to 120%. the higher percent may just add a bit of maintenance.

[AllFishNoBrakes]

On 2/21/2024 at 8:38 PM, Rasbi said:

Ope I meant i would like to do one of those three either 

I read your post again and now see what you meant. Apologies for misreading that!

On 2/21/2024 at 8:38 PM, Rasbi said:

So you think if I do 20% water changes weekly that stocking with one of those from above  should be fine?

The best answer I can give is, probably? Seems completely fine to me, but it all depends on how much you feed, current plant load, etc. Test often and make sure that puts you where you want to be, but it makes sense to me. 

[Rasbi]

On 2/21/2024 at 11:22 PM, Tony s said:

yes. actually, can be relatively conservative. I usually go to 120%. the higher percent may just add a bit of maintenance.

Sweet! So with the 

x6 furcata rainbows, x10 golden white clouds, x6 Cory variety, x10 cherry shrimp and either 1 clown pleco or 3 hillstream loaches are all 94% and if I did 6 otos instead of the pleco or loach it would be 105%. 

 

On 2/21/2024 at 11:26 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

I read your post again and now see what you meant. Apologies for misreading that!

The best answer I can give is, probably? Seems completely fine to me, but it all depends on how much you feed, current plant load, etc. Test often and make sure that puts you where you want to be, but it makes sense to me. 

Sounds good to me thanks for the info guys!  

Edited February 22 by Rasbi

[Tony s]

and if it doesn't warn you on compatibility and water issues like temp . you should be good. but... you still have to research your fish. like the oto. complete vegetarian. will need to be supplemented by fresh veggies. possible blanched zucchini rounds. that kind of thing

[Tony s]

Sorry, wasn't trying to rain on your parade. I love otos. was just using them as an example.🙂

[beastie]

I was just going to mention the temps, while whiteclouds can handle higher temps, they tend to live less long. And higher temp=less oxygen, so hillstreams wont like it. I would go with the pleco, make sure you have a cave or a tunnel space for it, skip the oversensitive otos and overexpensive hillstreams and enjoy the tank 

The substrate looks a bit rough for the corydoras, same as the stones, did you check the egdes?

[Lennie]

Plecos commonly like higher temps. You will be very unlikely to see a clown pleco in a tank and it will have a considerably big bioload, I would skip personally. It will take place of a fish, or better to say many fish, you can easily and commonly see all the time in terms of maintenance and bioload. Borneo suckers or hillstream loaches can be fun oddballs in these temps. As well as panda garras. You can also try one bristlenose pleco, I find them very tolerant of low 20Cs and water parameters. 

Furcatus also like higher temps of 24-26C. I currently have my luminatus and gertrudaes at room temp of 20-22C, and they don't look happy and as active as they were in higher temps during warmer months. 

As long as the fish aren't wildcaught/very sensitive or has very specific conditions like super soft 4.0ph water, and if I don't aim to breed, I don't check ph, gh and kh a lot unless it is on the very extreme sides. I would rather focus on the tank setup, is it planted, a rocky biome, what kind of substrate, do these fish share similar flow and temperature liking, etc.

 

One downside that comes to my mind is, in a colder tank, it is hard to find a common centerpiece fish. @beastie exactly has a tank with white clouds, panda garras, and  hillstreams. But we cannot easily find her tank a centerpiece fish. Paradise gourami had to be rehomed as it is not very peaceful. and very common gouramis, dwarf cichlids, bettas, etc. that are kept as centerpiece in these tanksizes are tropical fish that require higher temps usually. If you are not planning such centerpiece than it should be okay. But I thought it is worth mentioning that majority of centerpiece options will be eliminated if you focus on lower temp tank for a 29g.

If I were you, I would instead go for fish that likes mid 20Cs. Which would give you more options. And many people want that one centerpiece fish that is characteristic and has a name in general. 

I would do  the following:

- a school of 10 mid size (like cardinal tetra or rummynose) OR 15-20 small size schooling fish(like ember tetras or similar size)- mid column.

- 20 pygmy/hastatus/habrosus cories; OR, 10 panda cories

- centerpiece fish. I think one male apisto, OR one bolivian ram, OR either one m or 1m:2f honey gouramis

- 3 hillsteam loaches OR 4-5 borneo loaches, AND/OR 4 panda garras, AND 2 nerites (all after the tank matures a bit to sustain grazing surfaces)

- one mystery snail of the color you like

- neocaridinas of the color you like

 

[Lennie]

Btw. I think that tank looks great for pea puffers too. They are very interesting fish to keep. I have mine tankbred, so if you think you can find a group of healthy tankbred ones, and you can keep cultures like grindal worm, white worms, pest snail, daphnia and hatch artemia, or keep frozen foods around if they show interest like bloodworms etc., then you can consider them too.

But consider if you can keep cultures and buy frozen food around to feed them. Also, they are usually not known to welcome tankmates. But mine live together with shrimp and 2 juveniles bristlenoses and one random guppy baby that transferred with floating plants. It was a newborn and grew up there. I saw some people trying other tankmates or so but its pure chance based I guess and involves second plans. Snails are a big no tho

[Cinnebuns]

On 2/21/2024 at 9:30 PM, Rasbi said:

So I just set up a 29 gallon and I’m thinking about stocking. I currently have a fluval 307 canister filter on the tank, it has been previously used on another tank. Still waiting on my perimeters to get to where I want but when they do I’m thinking about adding. 
x6 furcata rainbow fish

x10 golden white cloud minnows 

x6 panda Cory or some other variants not sure

x10 cherry shrimp

I do weekly water changes and it’s pretty heavily planted. Would this be overstocked already or could I possible add some oto cats,1-3 hill stream loach’s, or a smaller pleco variety. 
would love some feedback or recommendations. I’m just looking for some activity at all levels since it’s a pretty tall tank. 

Tbh this seems like 2 different directions at the same time. White clouds like colder temps. Hillstreams and panda cories can go colder or warmer. Furcata however like it warmer. Then with cherry shrimp I don't think they will survive in that tank at all. Personally, I think you have 2 decisions to make:

1.  Either furcata or white clouds but not both. This will dircate which temp you go with the tank. 

2.  A different cleaner. What temp you pick can help with this decision a bit. I would suggest either a snail (mystery + nerite is a good combo or there are many other options) or amano shrimp since they get larger.

I had a pretty similar tank to what you've described in the past and tbh still have it pretty similar. I had furcata, thick-lipped gourami, panda cories, hillstream loaches, 2 otos, mystery and nerite snails. Currently that stocking is slightly different and is luminatus, thick-lipped gourami, panda cories, hillstream loaches, otos and amano shrimp. 

Edited February 22 by Cinnebuns

[Rasbi]

On 2/22/2024 at 6:12 AM, Lennie said:

Plecos commonly like higher temps. You will be very unlikely to see a clown pleco in a tank and it will have a considerably big bioload, I would skip personally. It will take place of a fish, or better to say many fish, you can easily and commonly see all the time in terms of maintenance and bioload. Borneo suckers or hillstream loaches can be fun oddballs in these temps. As well as panda garras. You can also try one bristlenose pleco, I find them very tolerant of low 20Cs and water parameters. 

Furcatus also like higher temps of 24-26C. I currently have my luminatus and gertrudaes at room temp of 20-22C, and they don't look happy and as active as they were in higher temps during warmer months. 

As long as the fish aren't wildcaught/very sensitive or has very specific conditions like super soft 4.0ph water, and if I don't aim to breed, I don't check ph, gh and kh a lot unless it is on the very extreme sides. I would rather focus on the tank setup, is it planted, a rocky biome, what kind of substrate, do these fish share similar flow and temperature liking, etc.

 

One downside that comes to my mind is, in a colder tank, it is hard to find a common centerpiece fish. @beastie exactly has a tank with white clouds, panda garras, and  hillstreams. But we cannot easily find her tank a centerpiece fish. Paradise gourami had to be rehomed as it is not very peaceful. and very common gouramis, dwarf cichlids, bettas, etc. that are kept as centerpiece in these tanksizes are tropical fish that require higher temps usually. If you are not planning such centerpiece than it should be okay. But I thought it is worth mentioning that majority of centerpiece options will be eliminated if you focus on lower temp tank for a 29g.

If I were you, I would instead go for fish that likes mid 20Cs. Which would give you more options. And many people want that one centerpiece fish that is characteristic and has a name in general. 

I would do  the following:

- a school of 10 mid size (like cardinal tetra or rummynose) OR 15-20 small size schooling fish(like ember tetras or similar size)- mid column.

- 20 pygmy/hastatus/habrosus cories; OR, 10 panda cories

- centerpiece fish. I think one male apisto, OR one bolivian ram, OR either one m or 1m:2f honey gouramis

- 3 hillsteam loaches OR 4-5 borneo loaches, AND/OR 4 panda garras, AND 2 nerites (all after the tank matures a bit to sustain grazing surfaces)

- one mystery snail of the color you like

- neocaridinas of the color you like

 

Thanks for the Insight, I currently have 6 of the white clouds in a 10 gallon that I planned on transferring over. So I will prob stick with them and opt to not add the furcata. Also those habrosus corries are adorable so I might do those. And as for centerpiece I’m not 100% I want one I was kinda just looking for some schooling fish that will move around the tank a lot at all levels. 

 

On 2/22/2024 at 6:20 AM, Lennie said:

Btw. I think that tank looks great for pea puffers too. They are very interesting fish to keep. I have mine tankbred, so if you think you can find a group of healthy tankbred ones, and you can keep cultures like grindal worm, white worms, pest snail, daphnia and hatch artemia, or keep frozen foods around if they show interest like bloodworms etc., then you can consider them too.

But consider if you can keep cultures and buy frozen food around to feed them. Also, they are usually not known to welcome tankmates. But mine live together with shrimp and 2 juveniles bristlenoses and one random guppy baby that transferred with floating plants. It was a newborn and grew up there. I saw some people trying other tankmates or so but its pure chance based I guess and involves second plans. Snails are a big no tho

Pea puffers are pretty sweet too, I just don’t know if I wanna commit to their unique feeding regimen. 

[Rasbi]

On 2/21/2024 at 11:36 PM, Tony s said:

and if it doesn't warn you on compatibility and water issues like temp . you should be good. but... you still have to research your fish. like the oto. complete vegetarian. will need to be supplemented by fresh veggies. possible blanched zucchini rounds. that kind of thing

Yaaaaa I think i might opt to not have the otos. And might just go with amaño shrimp instead, I’m looking for a decent cleanup crew. 

[beastie]

On 2/22/2024 at 1:31 PM, Rasbi said:

Yaaaaa I think i might opt to not have the otos. And might just go with amaño shrimp instead, I’m looking for a decent cleanup crew. 

Well amanos will clean any pellet that a fish is trying to eat, that is for sure 🙂 they steal even from my bolivian rams

Edited February 22 by beastie

[Pepere]

On 2/22/2024 at 6:12 AM, Lennie said:

One downside that comes to my mind is, in a colder tank, it is hard to find a common centerpiece fish.

A male American Flagfish can fill that bill.  Of course a couple of females would be welcomed by him and encourage him to color up more and display…

Edited February 22 by Pepere

[Rasbi]

On 2/22/2024 at 8:06 AM, Pepere said:

A male American Flagfish can fill that bill.  Of course a couple of females would be welcomed by him and encourage him to color up more and display…

Those American flag fish are awesome lookin, and very cool they are tolerate of 64-72. Definitely might consider this guy. 

[Tony s]

On 2/22/2024 at 7:31 AM, Rasbi said:

I’m looking for a decent cleanup crew. 

Mystery snails 

[Lennie]

On 2/22/2024 at 4:06 PM, Pepere said:

A male American Flagfish can fill that bill.  Of course a couple of females would be welcomed by him and encourage him to color up more and display…

I have never seen them available in my country. I dont think beastie also has access to them. I bet they are just common in the US? I dont know anyone who keeps them around here

[Tony s]

On 2/22/2024 at 9:13 AM, Lennie said:

I have never seen them available in my country. I dont think beastie also has access to them. I bet they are just common in the US? I dont know anyone who keeps them around here

Yeah, I’ve never seen them for sale anywhere around me either. Available online though. If you have something like that you can use 

[Gannon]

That souds like a fun stocking that'll probably have all kinds of babies swimming around. Let us know how it goes!

[Rasbi]

On 2/22/2024 at 9:13 AM, Lennie said:

I have never seen them available in my country. I dont think beastie also has access to them. I bet they are just common in the US? I dont know anyone who keeps them around here

 

On 2/22/2024 at 9:18 AM, Tony s said:

Yeah, I’ve never seen them for sale anywhere around me either. Available online though. If you have something like that you can use 

Ya, just called two of my locals stores and they do not have them but they recommended to me instead of the furcata rainbows to do a clown(rocket) killifish. They are pretty similar in size and are tolerate of water from 68-74 f. Which should work with the white clouds, corries, and shrimp.