# changing to a community tank



## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

I have had ciclids for about a year now and am over them, 2 of the 3 just hid all the time enless there was food. And the other one just stayed at one side or another. So Im thinking of starting a community tank. 

First my water cemistry is PH of 7.6, 0 Nitrites, 10ppm nitrates, 0 ammonia, 6 kh. lost my gh stuff.

I am thinking about getting 6-7 cardinal tetra's, 6-7 rummy nose, 3-4 cory's, 4-5 black skirt, and 2 groumi's(sp) in a 29 gallon. Do yall think that will be over loaded. Also I am slowly planting the tank, as of right now I have 2 live plants in it.


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## philipboucharddavies (Jan 27, 2010)

That would be over stocked, if i were you it pick between either the cardinals or the rummy noses' that should make it right. Also possibly get 2-3 more corys.

Phil


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

Check out my 29 gallon on the aquarium tab right above my status. I think live plants are the key to allowing me to stock my tank so heavilly. I have 6 Cardinal tetras, 10 rasbora espei, 6 hatchet fish, 3 striped ottocinclus, 1 siamese algae eater, 3 kuhli loaches, and coming soon 2 German Dwarf Rams.

Also on the Gourami's...i'd skip them personally in this kind of community tank. They are not very active IMO and can seem kinda stressed by all the schooling activity, plus when i had more than one....one got killed..:-(.


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

On a side note; i always try to layer my schools of fish within my tank. Like a school that swims on the top (my hatchets), and then middle schoolers(like your rummies), and fish that stay mostly on the bottom third. If you already know this then i'm sorry for the overkill.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

what do yall think of each? minus the gourami's

This is my tank now, all but 2 are fake and will be replaced with real plants as i can afford em


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

I had rummy nose before, and i can tell you that they're pretty sensitive to water quality and require frequent water changes. Cardinal tetras i absolutely love, but they can be sensitive also, but beautiful fish with colors that really pop. My Cards really school tightly together and i have only 6 right now, but thinking of adding a few more soon. I"ve personally never kept corys or black skirts though, so i have no knowledge base there.


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

Is that an airstone in there? If you have an air pump and you plan on having live plants, you'll probably want to turn it off. If you don't your plants won't be able to get the CO2 they need to thrive. As the airstone adds oxygen to the water(which your plants will do, so the airstone doesn't have to)


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

thanks for the info, yes that is a air stone and I will go shut it off right now


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

well after talking to my gf and the kids they really like the stone. Its really not putting out a lot of bubbles, so Im going to see what happeneds. I have had one plant in there for 3 months or so with no ill affects. Ill just watch them and if they start to look bad ill stop it then

But thanks for the info


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

It's your tank . I"m sure it will be great! I think you'll love your new community tank. But, if you plant heavily and notice your plants aren't reaching their full potential it might be time to remove it, but that may be a long time down the road, if ever. I know where you're coming from, i had 3 airstones in mine before i planted it, and now i don't miss them at all. I just admire the natural beauty of the plants and the colors of my fish.


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## cbirk (Feb 5, 2010)

I like your tank setup, Is that a yellow lab? I agree you will love your communbity tank I think. I have a 55, 30, and 10 communioty tank, and they are always moving around there. More active and fun for my 5 year old and guests to watch. They leave my other tanks to me hehe.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

Ya thats what I think Im going to do, just wait and see what happeneds. Heck it may just help me from having my plants take over the tank lol.

Ya thats my thinking, my GF, my son, and my GFs daughter will hang out in GF's daughters room and watch her 10 gallon tank but could careless about my 29 LOL. I have had to many people come in and say "nice tank when are you going to get fish". Makes me laugh and then I have to hunt to point out the three

Oh and ya thats a yellow lab. Tends to swim around more then the others


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## philipboucharddavies (Jan 27, 2010)

Also consider adding a "centerpiece" to your tank i find it just make the tank look better for some reason!

Phil


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

as in a center piece fish? or decoration? If fish what would you suggest?


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## philipboucharddavies (Jan 27, 2010)

Fish and i would recomend either a red tailed shark or if you keep up on your water changes a gourami or maybe a betta depending on what kind of fish you have, fast and dont nip fins.


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## eileen (Feb 24, 2009)

I have a community 55 gal tank. I was told by someone to get 1 angelfish as a baby. It will grow up with the smaller fish and be ok. I went ahead and bought 1 baby angel and it was fine with my 6 harleqen rasboras. Harleqen rasboras are really hardy fish. I've had my 6 for a long tiime. My 1 Angelfish lived for a long time and grew to about 6" in size. I bought it when it was about the size of a nickel. It died recenty and I was given 2 small angelfish and they are fine with my smaller fish. They have a personallity and come to the front of the tank when they see you walk by or look into the tank. They are so cute. Maybe get 1 angelfish as your big center peice fish. Certain tetras are sensitive sometimes to water qty. I've heard that zebra danios are really hardy as some people cycle their tanks with them.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

wont an angel get to big for a 29


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## philipboucharddavies (Jan 27, 2010)

It wont get to big but they are a really big bioload in my experience


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

welp I just picked up 4 cory's, 6 red-eye'd tetras, and 6 neons. I will be getting more 2-3 more of each of those. The red eye's seem to be picking on the neons and Im hoping that numbers will calm that down. Hoping to get some cardinals next week(guy said they may go on sale). Im also thinking of getting a few otto's

So final numbers Im thinking are going to be 
7 corys
8 red eyes
10 neons
5 cardinals
4 ottos

Does that sound like to much for a 29 gallon?


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

oh also picked up 3 potted combo plants. Have no idea what kind they are though. Ill take a picture and post it up for yall to tell me


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

welp change of plans, my GF's daughter told me she doesnt want her neons anymore and she wants a betta in her 10 gallon. So I just moved her 9 neons to my tank now totaling 15 neons, 6 red eyes, 4 corys. I will be adding a few more corys and some ottos and calling it a day


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

I think that's probably a better idea anyway, as neons and cardinals are pretty similar looking fish in the first place yet generally don't school together and prefer different temperatures.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

My neons are staying in the middle at the bottom hiding in a couple of plants. I think my 5 red eye's are bullying my 15 neons lol. The RE's are quite abit bigger then the neons and were chasing them round the tank to start with but have since quit.


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## philipboucharddavies (Jan 27, 2010)

In my experience red eyes are a weird fish to keep, some days they bully all the other fish and other days they are really peaceful. Also Every time I get them they seem to just randomly die with no signs or reason, like they will die off but all the other fish will be absolutely fine. It's really weird.

Phil


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