29 Gallon Tank How Many Fish To Add At One Time?

[Florence]

Hello,

I have a planted 29 gallon (amazon swords, anubias) aquarium that I've had up and running for two months now. I'm using a Sunsun hw-302 canister filter which I've filled with established media from one of my other tanks in order to jump start the process. Everything is in the acceptable range for parameters.

I apologize for the info dump, now to my question. I plan on stocking this tank with 12 rummy nose tetras, and hopefully 1 angelfish. The angelfish is not set in stone as I would like to observe the rummy noses become established first. My LFS put in an order for rummy noses, and I would like to get them home before they come into contact with the stores tanks and become ill. Would I be able to introduce all 12 at once into my tank? I would be able to perform a 50% water change should any dramatic changes occur. I have a 10 gallon quarantine tank set up with the same parameters as the display tank, so I would be able to split the group into 2 if I must. I would rather deal with the impact of 12 fish in the 29 as opposed to 6 in the 10, since the 29 gallon allows more room for error. The tanks at my LFS are a death trap for fish, otherwise I would have purchased them in smaller groups over time and added them slowly.

Sorry for the long post, I usually find my answers on other threads, but I wasn't so lucky this time. Any help would be appreciated. : )

 

[nikm128]

I'd do 6 in the 10 for a few days to a week(depends on how the cycle is affected in the 29), while the other 6 go in the 29

 

[BraedonB]

Assuming the 10 gallon is properly cycled as well, I would split the group. If you were stocking a slightly hardier fish, then I would probably say keep them together but I have heard (no firsthand experience) that rummy nose tetras are on the sensitive side.

 

[Florence]

The 10 gallon is cycled and is planted with wisteria and some amazon swords. I'll split the group, but my only fear is adding 6 rummy nose to the 10 at once, as I've had a ten gallon crash after adding 6 neons at once which resulted in their death. Could I add 9 to the 29 and 3 to the 10? If I did it this way would a week be sufficient enough time before adding the other 3 tetras to the 29?

 

[rks]

How long ago did you add the media to the filter? Are there any fish in the 29 right now, or did you just fill it with water and run the filter.

Plants will not start a cycle, unless you have a bunch of decaying ones in there.

 

[Florence]

How long ago did you add the media to the filter? Are there any fish in the 29 right now, or did you just fill it with water and run the filter.

Plants will not start a cycle, unless you have a bunch of decaying ones in there.

I've answered these questions in my first post on the thread. No there are no fish in either of the tanks mentioned.

 

[rks]

I've answered these questions in my first post on the thread. No there are no fish in either of the tanks mentioned.

If there are no fish in the tank, your beneficial bacteria will have died off. You don't have a cycled tank.

 

[mattgirl]

If you keep a very close eye on the perimeters and do water changes as needed and have prime on hand to neutralize any possible ammonia spike then if it were me I would go ahead and put all of them in their permanent home. As always just my humble opinion.

 

[Florence]

If there are no fish in the tank, your beneficial bacteria will have died off. You don't have a cycled tank.

I have two mystery snails and a few nerites in the tank. I drop a few bits of fish food in every once in a while to add a source to the tank until I have the fish, I also feed algae wafers to the snails. I check the parmeters frequently to make sure, and the bacteria has not died of as ive had consistent reads.

 

[Florence]

If you keep a very close eye on the perimeters and do water changes as needed and have prime on hand to neutralize any possible ammonia spike then if it were me I would go ahead and put all of them in their permanent home. As always just my humble opinion.

I have the ability to perform as many changes as needed to achieve the correct levels. I don't have prime, as nowhere near me sells it, but I have API stresscoat plus. Would this work as well?

 

[Logan.t.Foster]

Could you test your ammonia and nitrite and nitrate please?
Just to make sure it is cycled.

 

[mattgirl]

I have the ability to perform as many changes as needed to achieve the correct levels. I don't have prime, as nowhere near me sells it, but I have API stresscoat plus. Would this work as well?

The reason I always recommend Prime is because it is not just a water conditioner but also detoxes low amounts of ammonia. I am not sure it is necessary in your case though. I feel sure you will be able to control it with water changes. It is very possible that you won't even see an ammonia spike in this cycled tank though.

When there is no ammonia, any of the many water conditioners will work just fine.

Oh, and where are my manners.

Welcome to fishlore

 

[Florence]

The reason I always recommend Prime is because it is not just a water conditioner but also detoxes low amounts of ammonia. I am not sure it is necessary in your case though. I feel sure you will be able to control it with water changes. It is very possible that you won't even see an ammonia spike in this cycled tank though.

When there is no ammonia, any of the many water conditioners will work just fine.

Oh, and where are my manners.

Welcome to fishlore

Thank you! Its heavily planted so I don't know if the plants will have an impact on the introduction of the fish or not, its mostly amazon swords.

 

[Florence]

Could you test your ammonia and nitrite and nitrate please?
Just to make sure it is cycled.

I test once a week on this tank to ensure it stays cycled. I have had no issues with parameters.

pH-7.2
Amm-0
Nitrate-0
Nitrate-0

 

[nikm128]

Any plants in the tank?

 

[mattgirl]

Thank you! Its heavily planted so I don't know if the plants will have an impact on the introduction of the fish or not, its mostly amazon swords.

If it does have an impact I feel sure it will be a good one. Your new water pets should start feeling right at home very quickly.

 

[Florence]

Any plants in the tank?

Yes. In my initial post I explain what is in the tank.

 

[nikm128]

Yes. In my initial post I explain what is in the tank.

My bad, must've forgot. In that case yes I agree that it is cycled, and since you're able to maintain the cycle, you can add them all at once.