# Suggestions?



## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

I set up a 29 gallon tank a fewdays ago, and I'm trying to plan it out. It is going to be a planted tank with a few pieces of driftwood. I need some help deciding on fish to put in it. I'm planning on a few african butterfly fish, some tetras, and maybe some gouramis. Any ideas/suggestions?


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## LincolnS (Dec 24, 2007)

personally id get 2 angels, some kind of larger tetra, corys or otos and a pleco..

Also as a side not i dont believe you can put a few abf into a 29 gallon...they are kind of territorial with their own i believe...have someone crosscheck this please.


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

There was an article about them in Aquarium fish magazine that said they take kindly to their own kind, that's where I was coming from.


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## LincolnS (Dec 24, 2007)

ahhh i see..well then take the magazines advice not mine


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

Lol, if you insist!


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## Holly (Feb 28, 2007)

Gouramies are cool to see. I wouldn't go with angels since a 29g is on the small since for them. I have a 55g and did a lot of research on angels. My end result was even the 55 is too small for them to be really happy or to have more than 2-3. [/list]


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

Ok, I think I've decided: 2 african butterflyfish, a few tetras, couple barbs, and some corys. Any invertebrates I could include?


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

what kind of barbs? Unless they are cherry barbs then they will likely become very nippy if you keep only a couple. Barbs are nippy by nature but less so in groups of 6 or more, as this is the amount of fish they need to be happiest.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I'd worry about barbs nipping at the ABF, and them responding by eating the barbs. I've heard that ABF are fine with bottom dwellers, as they really don't leave the top of the tank, so you shouldn't have any trouble adding a few cool shrimp. Plus, good cleanup crew!

What sort of substrate are you thinking? What do you plan on feeding the ABF? Cooooool


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

I'll be feeding him freeze-dried blood worms and such. After your suggestion, I will most likely be doing cherry barbs, or a large group of tiger barbs, I'm not sure. And The substrate is Eco-Complete planted tank substrate, and I've got a feww bulbs in it already. Also, I will most likely add a few shrimp, maybe a cobalt blue lobster, I'm not sure, plus sme freshwater clams.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

i would think about either corys or kuhli loaches.  and i would get some rainbow fish or gouramis for the middle layer. just to even it out. plus i think a few larger fish would be nice. but if you are still getting the barbs AND tetras then skip the rainbowfish and gouramis. personally i would get the ABF, kuhli loaches, tetras, and rainbow fish. i think that would be a nice combo. if you arent into snake-like fish then replace the kuhlis with some corys. :wink:


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

If you're interested in rainbows be careful...alot of rainbows will not work in a 29. Praecox or Threadfins could work. But Boesemani, Red Irian, Australian I wouldn't put in anything smaller than a 55. My Boesemani are very active swimmers and use every inch of my 4 ft tank!


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

in replace of the rainbows you could use gouramis or clown rasboras. :wink:


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

No, I'm not very interested in rainbowfish. How does this sound:

2 African Buttlerfly Fish
4 Cherry Barbs
2 Dwarf Gouramis
a few corys, not sure what kind
a few freshwater clams
some shrimp or a blue lobster
and what are kuhli loaches? snake-like fish is always a good adjective in my eyes, and definitely catches my interest.


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

ok, I just looked up some pics of kuhli loaches, and I love them! How many could I include in this tank and what are some care requirements?


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I would worry a lot about keeping the ABF with Dwarf Gourami. The ABF's will prey on pretty much all other surface dwelling fish. As for invertebrates, I'd avoid the Blue Lobster, as he'll beat on the other bottom dwellers, but you should be just fine with shrimp, and there are some really colourful ones if that's what you're looking for.

Kuhli's are awesome. They aren't very tricky fish. A soft substrate and as big a group as you can fit is mostly what they need to survive. Also, sinking pellets, as they definitely won't survive off of algae. They like lots of plants and caves to hide in. I'd drop the corys, as it will be crowding your bottom level to keep two different creatures that live best in groups. I'd say you can get away with 4-6 loaches (especially if you drop the gourami). You could also probably put a cool pleco in that doesn't grow very large.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

i didnt know ABF were so agressive. but i think it would be a really good idea to add kuhli loaches. they are so cool arent they? here is some more info on them :wink: 

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Kuhli Loaches.htm


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Hehe, Kuhlis are awesome, and I love them. However, the more you keep, the less shy, and more interesting they will be, so keep as many a possible!

We are talking about the African Butterfly Fish, right? Pantodon buchholzi?

Here's a good article on them:
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/Gallo_Butterflyfish.html


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

Yes, the African Butterflyfish is the fish I'm talking about. I fell in love with them when I saw the in Aquarium Fish Magazine. Ok, does this sound like a good lineup?

2 ABF
6 kuhli loaches (I love them!)
Bushy Nose Pleco
4-6 Cherry Barbs
A few shrimp

Are there any other middle-layer fish I could include?


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

maybe you could get some.... rainbowfish, platies, killifish(dont know how they will do with the butterflys), penguinfish, hatchet fish, rummynoses, black neons, clown or harlequin rasboras, white clouds and maybe a small shark of some type. (i dont know much about the ABF so let me know if any of these fish will be a problem with them).


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I'd keep it at that list, at least for now. It sounds like a good setup! It's hard to calculate how many inches you have, as kuhlis are so skinny, but without them you have close to 20 inches of fish. No need to overcrowd!


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

do kuhlis count for as many inches as they actually are since they stay still and hidden most of the time? i thought they would but wasnt sure.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I'm under the impression that they can be kept in larger numbers than the inch rule dictates. Not because of how much they hide, but because, since they are so skinny, their bio load is lower. 

Fish4All just started a thread on this:
http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13634


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## Falina (Feb 25, 2007)

Kuhlis like to be in groups so I would make sure there are at least 4-6 of them.

The blue lobster shouldn't be kept with fish as it is an ambush predatr and eventually is likely to eat all your fish. Not sure about the clam as I've heard mixed reviews on them.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

yeah stay away from the lobster :wink:


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

Ok, my OCD changed my mind about my lineup. I don't want to have fish from more than one continent, so I've decided to only have fish from Asia in my tank. My new lineup is:
6 kuhli loaches
6 cherry barbs
4 rasboras
2 dwarf gouramis
maybe some shrimp, but I doubt it. What are some cleaners from Asia I could use?

(Sorry to change so much mid-stream, btw, I just...changed.)


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

what kind of rasboras will you be getting?


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## scottven (Nov 20, 2007)

You could get Amano shrimp (usually sold as _Caridina Japonica_ but properly called _C. multidentata_.) They're pretty cool looking, are from Japan, and are excellent alge eaters.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I second that, Amanos are really cool, and pretty good cleaners too.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes, I would reccomend Amano Shrimp for an aquarium as well. I have one in my 6, and he is an amazing cleaner.


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## AWSskater (Jan 4, 2008)

I'll be getting harlequin rasboras. Does that sound like a good list?


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

i think that will be just fine. you have chosen some really nice fish :wink:


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