bolivianbaby

Found two 29 gallon aquariums on Craigslist. One included fish and was cycled and the other is cycling now using ammonia and cycled media (stuck on ammonia for two weeks, but I'll be patient.

The one with fish contains three albino corys, one peppered cory, 5 neon tetras, 3 pristella tetras, 3 guppies, 3 black phantom tetras, and two mickey mouse platys. It also came with a pleco, but I re-homed him since he was going to be 20" full grown.

I've moved the neons, corys and the guppies into my 20 gallon and taken my bolivian rams and my julii corys and put them in the cycled 29.

Once the 2nd 29 gallon cycles, I would like to "up the tetra schools" to 5 instead of three and distribute them between the two aquariums, have the pristella tetras in one and the black phantom tetras in the other.

In one of the 29 gallons, I would like an angelfish. What ideas does everyone have for a "centerpiece" fish in the other? I don't want anything in there that will outgrow the tank. I'll be putting a school of panda corys in one and keeping my julii corys in the other.

Thanks for any advice

Amanda

A Pearl Gourami makes a nice centerpiece fish

harpua2002

Oh I agree! Pearl gouramis are beautiful fish, and more peaceful than some other gourami species. If you would rather go for a cichlid as a centerpiece, I think a keyhole cichlid (or a pair) would be a great choice for a 29 gallon.

MissMTS

I agree with the Pearl Gourami suggestion as well! Keyholes are great fish, but are a little drab as far as coloring if you are looking for bright colors in a centerpiece fish. If you can find them, a pair of A. Hongsloi would be a great addition. I have a male in my 70 gallon and even though he is the smallest fish in the tank, he is the most stunning, and deffinetly the centerpiece of the tank as far as I'm concerned

bolivianbaby

This is why I ask you all! You come up with things I never even thought of

Keep the great suggestions coming I've got about a month (I'm guessing) before I have to make up my mind. I'm finishing off my schools once this other 29 gallon cycles. AND my not so close LFS (30 minute drive) says they can order anything (if it's the right season), so I am no longer restricted (by much).

Thanks you all!

bolivianbaby

I found the Apistogramma Hongsloi (red-strip dwarf cichlid, right?), but they're like $35 each around here. I do like the looks of them, but are they that expensive everywhere?

I kinda like the look of the keyhole cichlid as well, but I have a concern. My research says they get up to 5" each and you should keep them in pairs. With the tetras and corys in the tank, it would have me at about 40" of fish in a 29 gallon aquarium. How close is that to pushing the limits on a tank that just cycled? I'm going to be stocking slowly, so I feel okay about 35, but 40 is scaring me a little. What do you all think?

harpua2002

You don't have to keep the keyhole cichlid in pairs, and in my opinion it's doubtful that it will reach 5 inches. I won't say much about the inch per gallon thing except that it's never a useful guideline for me, but I do agree that you shouldn't push the bioload too heavily in a newly-cycled tank. Your tank can be cycled, but at the same time can take months to mature- you'll need to stock slowly after you've finished cycling. If you wait a week or two in between additions, and add new fish in small increments, you'll be fine.

Regarding the apistogramma, I've found that prices are very much dependent on your area. I got the a. steindachneri pair I used to have for about $20 total, because they were so small that the store couldn't ID them. I had to grow them out to find out what I had bought. For larger specimens with a proper ID, I would expect them to cost more. Maybe your LFS would work out a deal with you if you bought a pair? $70 is high, but then again Live Aquaria sells many apisto species for $50 or so a pair, and then you have to pay shipping on top of that.

bolivianbaby

If my LFS won't work out a deal, maybe I should leave the apistos alone for the moment. I can always get them later when dropping that kind of cash is no big deal. It's an excuse for another tank

So it seems like the keyholes are back in the running with the gourami. Kinda like the sound of that

fishboy97

i agree with everyone else for a pearl gourami

click

I just got about 5 days ago a pair of pearl gouramis for my 29g . They are so elegant and they get along just fine with my guppies and corries. I should post some pics soon. They were shy in the first day or so, but now they swim all over the place and study every single corner of my tank. They look amazing although they are still young. They are not picky on food at all, unlike my guppies, who turn the other way when they see the color enhancing flakes

You could consider a blue ram too. I know I had.

harpua2002

Um, this thread is from June... I'm sure she has the tanks all sorted out by now, lol.

click

lol, I didn't check the previous posts, it came up in the "new posts" section.