Stocking Questions

[Joshua W.]

Hello everyone! 

I am a few weeks away from finishing the cycle of my planted tank but I have been watching a ton of videos on stocking ideas for my 29 Gallon planted tank. 

I really like the idea of getting either a single or mated pair of Apistogrammas for the tank. But as I study and listen to videos on ideas I like many options but I am just so uncertain about what would go well. 

I'd like to have a clean up crew in addition to a small community tank with the Apistogrammas' being the "centerpiece fish" Just wondering about stocking ideas as I monitor the tank for cycling. 

 

Thank you in Advance!  

[Kirsten]

I haven't kept apistos, though I want to! I think some very small fish like neon tetras or endlers could do well with them, to stay mostly above while the apistos lurk below. I'd recommend nerite snails for any algae that gets on the glass and malaysian trumpet snails to keep the sand aerated.

[Colu]

2 Bristlenose pleco and 10 ember tetras or x-rays tetras and pair apistogramma  panduro

[CorydorasEthan]

13 minutes ago, Joshua W. said:

Hello everyone! 

I am a few weeks away from finishing the cycle of my planted tank but I have been watching a ton of videos on stocking ideas for my 29 Gallon planted tank. 

I really like the idea of getting either a single or mated pair of Apistogrammas for the tank. But as I study and listen to videos on ideas I like many options but I am just so uncertain about what would go well. 

I'd like to have a clean up crew in addition to a small community tank with the Apistogrammas' being the "centerpiece fish" Just wondering about stocking ideas as I monitor the tank for cycling. 

 

Thank you in Advance!  

Hey there @Joshua W.. Welcome to the forum! Although no fish are can truly be considered a clean-up crew, I have a few suggestions on what you might be looking for.

• Corydoras: These guys are peaceful little catfish that won't harm anyone else in the aquarium. They will root around in the substrate looking for morsels of food. There are many different species - in fact, the genus Corydoras is the largest genus of freshwater fishes in the Neotropical realm (North and South America). This means that in there is never a shortage of options to choose from for your aquarium. Most common ones will fit into a 29 gallon tank, just make sure that they are housed in a school of around 5 or 6 of the same species, as cories are social fish.
• Kuhli Loaches: These fish are eel-like creatures that fill the same role as cories. They are also a social fish, so get a group of around 5 fish. They also will bury themselves in the substrate, keeping it clean.
• Bristlenose Pleco: A sturdy pleco that can stand its own in any aquarium, but also small enough to fit in a 29 gallon. They are great at eating algaes that grow on rocks or the sides of the glass.

Edit: For other fish, I would recommend midwater schooling fish of some sort. Tetras such as the neon, cardinal, rummynose, ember, glowlight, and pristella tetras work well with dwarf cichlids. Rasboras like the harlequin would work, and cherry barbs would probably work fine as well.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Edited March 14, 2021 by CorydorasEthan