[driftwoodhunter]

Not sure if I should post this question in this forum, or the general forum, but here goes ~
I'm wondering how many fish can safely be stocked in a 29g? Actual water mass is less, of course - I have some small driftwood pieces, one or two rocks, and 1-1/2 to 2-3/4" of substrate in the tanks (I have two 29s to stock). I have 9 celebes rainbows and 2 black tetras in the 29 now - they are the survivors of a columnaris outbreak I had in a 55 a few months ago. They've been in QT all this time. I would like to add a cory, and more black tetras to make a school, but I don't want to overcrowd the tank, leading to stress (and possibly more columnaris). I have 10 more black tetras in QT, as well as 15 neons. The neons are intended for the other 29, but the black tetras were intended for the one with the rainbows. I'm thinking I bought too many black tetras for the rainbow tank and I should save some of them for a future tank. If I add the 10 black tetras and a cory to this tank, I'll have a total of 22 fish. The celebes are full grown at nearly 2". The black tetras will stay smaller but are a deep bodied fish.
Here is a pic (not updated - there are more plants in it now) of the rainbow tank I want to add black tetras to. Filtration is a Whisper HOB rated for a 40g tank, and I may be adding an airstone to add oxygen, and I'll be keeping the temps under 76 to help curb potential columnaris (once bitten twice shy!).
Thanks!
btw - you can barely see two black tetras in the fist pic, they are blurs in front of the square light colored "rock". That's about as big as mine have ever gotten (I have some in a 40b, too)
Cindy

 

[jedimasterben]

To be honest, those fish are itty bitty, I don't think having 22 of them in a 29gal is a problem, they've got plenty of room to swim and since they are small, they don't produce a lot of waste unlike larger or messier fish. I think you're golden roud:

 

[kamikazi]

I usually try to roughly follow the inch per gallon rule.

if you are dealing with small school fish you can put as jedi said at least 20 or so in a 29.

I have a 29 with 15 fish in it, but those include a Bolivian ram and pair of angelfish.

 

[d.rock]

RE:corydoras. They're quite social and would probably do better in a group than just a single one. Maybe you could get a few smaller corys (~1" pygmy or pandas)?

I know you're concerned about the bioload but it's something to consider.

 

[driftwoodhunter]

Yay! I was hoping folks would say it would be ok - lol.
I didn't realize pygmy & panda cories stayed so small - they would be ideal! I feel badly about my lone green cory in the 40b, and I keep meaning to get it some company. I saw some very tiny corys at the lfs (that I won't shop at). I don't know what kind they were, but they were mighty cute. Basically silverish with black speckling and black shoulders. Another fish to add to my Rachel wishlist ; )
Thanks for the heads up on the corys! Small corys are perfect for what I want. (corys, or cories?)
Cindy

 

[kamikazi]

Yay! I was hoping folks would say it would be ok - lol.
I didn't realize pygmy & panda cories stayed so small - they would be ideal! I feel badly about my lone green cory in the 40b, and I keep meaning to get it some company. I saw some very tiny corys at the lfs (that I won't shop at). I don't know what kind they were, but they were mighty cute. Basically silverish with black speckling and black shoulders. Another fish to add to my Rachel wishlist ; )
Thanks for the heads up on the corys! Small corys are perfect for what I want. (corys, or cories?)
Cindy

the ones you saw at the LFS sound like pepper corys or julii corys.

corys or cories - its short for multiple corydoras, singular would be cory. so plural corys is what I try to use. Although its really interchangeable internet forum speak, so whatever your preference.

 

[driftwoodhunter]

thanks, kamikazi - now that you mention it, I saw both types of cory listed on the front of the tanks. I didn't realize they stayed so small.
I really wish his stuff wasn't always so sick looking. It might be worth getting some fish and QTing them for a month, just to get the BOGO on Mondays & save on shipping. But after you buy meds if you need them, and the worry about what they might carry..it's a shame. And not worth the risk imo. He gets the coolest things in too. Not like the big box stores that always have the same stuff, month after month...I'll just have to learn to be patient and save my $$ for what I want, and order fish. In the meantime, I can fill up with plants! lol