Need Help setting up tank

So I’m getting a 29 gallon tank.
I already have 3 fish. 1 rainbow shark, 1 white skirt tetra, and 1 panda platy.

I want to have live plants to help oxygenate the water so I need help on what’s the best plant for my tank and fish?

what should I use to plant the plants? Should it be sand? Can they live in sand?

I also plan on getting a couple more fish? How many tetras and Platys should I add?

please help I need Ideas!

 

So I’m getting a 29 gallon tank.
I already have 3 fish. 1 rainbow shark, 1 white skirt tetra, and 1 panda platy.

I want to have live plants to help oxygenate the water so I need help on what’s the best plant for my tank and fish?

what should I use to plant the plants? Should it be sand? Can they live in sand?

I also plan on getting a couple more fish? How many tetras and Platys should I add?

please help I need Ideas!

ok... so... here we go...

- tetras usually do better in larger groups, so I would try to make a group of 6-7
- im sorry, but I don't know much about Platys
- I WOULD GO WITH SAND---IMO--- I love it because it looks so much more natural, and you don't have to worry about gravel getting lodged in their throats. If you do get sand though, turn it over every once in a while to prevent ammonia bubbles from building up.

also-what decor do you already have in your tank? can u post a picture?

 

As mentioned above tetras do better in schools. Platys can be alone but prefer friends, you could add another platy. Do you know if you have a male or female? If you don’t want babies it’d be easiest to have 3 females. Don’t know anything about the rainbow shark, sorry.

Plants are completely up to you. There’s tons. If you want easy to care for, beginners plants there’s hornwort, anubias, java fern, swords... tons more if you just look up “low tech aquatic plants”.

Substrate is 50/50 as to whether plants do well in sand. Most seem to think plants will do fine in sand with root tabs, and honestly it’s better to have root tabs in any type of substrate. Again, not sure what rainbow sharks want, but I think they are bottom dwellers so make sure the substrate is okay for them. Some fish (like corydoras) prefer sand, for example.

 

Can I use pebbles for the fish and plants?

 

My 29. I use regular gravel. Plants grow . Some plants like root tabs I use osmacoat. Also I use api co2 booster which is a liquid and flourish ferts.
Rainbow sharks are known to be aggressive. Can get to 6” so not the best choice.
Tetras should be with others. In that tank you could do 10. Another platy should be fine but keep it the same sex. If not you’ll have hundreds. I’d return the rainbow shark and get a red tail shark or some sae. SAE are the only ones you could get 2 of. Also can get to 6” but most get to about 4” and there not aggressive.

 

That rainbow shark is going to outgrow a 29-needs a 55. It is a territorial fish and might become a problem if you don't stock properly.

Best to not have bottom dwellers if you keep the shark. Provide lots of rocks, and driftwood. Bolbitis and anubias are good plant choices and can be tied to decor as opposed to planting.

Finally on the shark, if you keep it. Put it in the new tank after everyone else gets established.

 

So I’m getting a 29 gallon tank.
I already have 3 fish. 1 rainbow shark, 1 white skirt tetra, and 1 panda platy.

I want to have live plants to help oxygenate the water so I need help on what’s the best plant for my tank and fish?

what should I use to plant the plants? Should it be sand? Can they live in sand?

I also plan on getting a couple more fish? How many tetras and Platys should I add?

please help I need Ideas!

29 gallon tank is pretty big but I would go with bigger for the shark. Add 5-6 more tetras, if the platy is fine alone then leave it(swimming eating active etc.). Housing plates alone isn't really an issue normally. If you want plants i would highly suggest getting stuff like hornwort and frogbit since not only do you not need substrate, it is very hardy and really good at sucking up nutrients which will help with water quality. I would use sand since you can find it for very cheap and its pretty easy to clean, also looks nicer imo.

 

Can I use pebbles for the fish and plants?

yes, as long as they are good to go in your tank (are they from the pet store or outside) and that they are large enough not to be eaten

 

I have gravel in my tank and un known to me at the time rainbow sharks live in a sand environment but the gravel will not hurt....they are territorial very much so and will eat smaller fish,mine has....I have 3 rainbow sharks out of ignorance and the last was the store accidentally putting him in with my tetras...hes an albino and was so small I could not see him lol, do not put them together...it does not work..aggression spreads through numbers.
When I get my 200 gal. tank for my bala shark I am going to attempt to get more rainbows and out them together in my 55.
Get a wave maker...rainbows are river fish and like a current.

 

Will this sand work with plants and the fish?

 

I think that’s for salt water.

 

So I’m getting a 29 gallon tank.
I already have 3 fish. 1 rainbow shark, 1 white skirt tetra, and 1 panda platy.

what should I use to plant the plants?

I also plan on getting a couple more fish? How many tetras and Platys should I add?

please help I need Ideas!

I would get just a few more tetras and platys. Plantwise I would say that you could try java moss, hornwort, or Marimo moss balls. Those are all beginner plants. I would look out for the platys and tetras getting bullied by the rainbow shark.

 

Will this sand work with plants and the fish?

That's for salt water I believe , look up freshwater substrate on google and it will point you in the right direction

 

Will this sand work with plants and the fish?

You could try this. Note: the 20 pound bag is prolly too little for your tank so you could go for a 50 and have some left over for the future. You need about a pound of substrate per gallon.

 

Caribsea makes some nice freshwater sands-I think one is called Sunset gold. But they are pricey. Pool filter sand is super cheap but only comes in one "look". Google "substrate calculator" and you can find out how much you need for a 29g.