New 29 gallon aquarium

[Evangeline]

I just bought a 29 gallon aquarium. Right now I just have the tank up and cycling no fish yet. I rather understock the tank as I dont want a high maintenance aquarium I constantlly have to clean as I am very buisy. This is what I want to stock:
1 female betta
6 neon tetras
6 corydoras
2 african dwarf frogs

What do you think.

[twoisplenty]

African dwarf frogs can be high maintenance when placed in a tank with other fish. What usually happens is those fish eat the food right away before the frogs have a chance getting to it. The frogs then die due to starvation. Also I would not place the frogs with the neon tetras, as they will try to eat them.

I would ditch the frogs and keep everything else :) How are you cycling the tank?

[swolek]

Yeah, I don't recommend the frogs for the same reason, especially for a low-maintenance tank (man are they a pain to feed!).

Personally, I'd re-consider the neon tetras in favor of a hardier spaces. Neons are indeed easy once acclimated but that's the thing...they're kind of sensitive and don't tolerate "new" tanks very well. They can be hit or miss...it depends on how healthy they are initially, how your local water is (if it's hard don't bother), how they're acclimated, etc. In the past they were often recommended for beginners but that's no longer the case. Inbreeding has made them weak. If you're dead-set on them, go for it. Just don't add them until everything is PERFECT. I used to have a school and they were nice fish...they just don't seem to be as hardy as they used to be :(. Cardinal tetras, which are pretty similar, are a bit more adaptable. I'm also a fan of pristella tetras...the gold ones often sold are gorgeous and easy to care for.

We also had a betta eat a couple of neon tetras so that's something to keep in mind. That's not common but it can happen so get adults and watch the betta carefully.

[Evangeline]

ok I will not get the frogs then. Is it ok to have a bare bottom tank, no substrate. It has three hiding big caves and a bunch of artificial plants weighted down so there are lots of hiding places. I just filled the tank tonight put in the the cycle chemical and the other one and put in the freshwater aquarium salt and started the filter system. How long do I wate until I test the water with the ph strips and when can I start adding fish.

[twoisplenty]

There are two ways to cycle a fish tank. One is with fish and the other is called a fishless cycle. You can not cycle a tank with chemicals from a bottle, trust me it doesnt work.
Here is a great article on how to properly cycle a fish tank How to Cycle a Fish Tank - Oscarfishlover.com

You need a test kit that tests Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. pH strips mean nothing during a cycle.

[Evangeline]

Well I cant decide what kind of fish to get. I think I would get bored with the little fish. Is there one large or interesting fish I could put in a 29 gallon aquarium and maybe one bottom dweller. I have had puffers, cichlids,koi,goldfish in the past but they were much larger tanks. Any suggestions or options for stocking the 29 gallon.

[swolek]

ok I will not get the frogs then. Is it ok to have a bare bottom tank, no substrate. It has three hiding big caves and a bunch of artificial plants weighted down so there are lots of hiding places. I just filled the tank tonight put in the the cycle chemical and the other one and put in the freshwater aquarium salt and started the filter system. How long do I wate until I test the water with the ph strips and when can I start adding fish.

You were given some info on cycling but yeah, you can't just dump in stuff from a bottle. Also, aquarium salt doesn't cycle an aquarium. In fact, it shouldn't be added unless you have a specific reason...it can harm certain fish (cory cats are sensitive to salt, by the way). It can work in treating for certain parasites and bacteria but it works by changing the salinity. So by adding it regularly, it won't work when you need it. I know it's a bit late but just don't add any more.

Bare bottom tanks are fine. They're technically a little less stable since a lot of the beneficial bacteria live in the substrate. But provided you don't change all of the filter media at once you should be fine :).

Well I cant decide what kind of fish to get. I think I would get bored with the little fish. Is there one large or interesting fish I could put in a 29 gallon aquarium and maybe one bottom dweller. I have had puffers, cichlids,koi,goldfish in the past but they were much larger tanks. Any suggestions or options for stocking the 29 gallon.

Some ideas:

-A pair of Bolivian Rams and a group of Cory Cats or a Bristlenose Pleco
-5 female Bettas (maybe with some small Cory Cats or a single Bristlenose Pleco)
-A small to medium Gourami species (Pearl, Opaline, Gold, Kissing, etc.), single or a pair (depends on species), along with the aforementioned bottom-dwellers
-Brackish set-up with Figure-8 Puffer and a Knight Goby or two

[Evangeline]

I did read the article on cycling. Are there any fish that are aggressive and interesting like the Oscar but only smaller that could live singly in a 29 gallon. I use to have big parrot cichlids in my one tank and they had so much personality, I could hand feed them and they would go running up at the glass when you came in the room.

[swolek]

I did read the article on cycling. Are there any fish that are aggressive and interesting like the Oscar but only smaller that could live singly in a 29 gallon. I use to have big parrot cichlids in my one tank and they had so much personality, I could hand feed them and they would go running up at the glass when you came in the room.

How about a Figure-8 or Green Spotted Puffer? Both would need brackish water but that's easily achieved with some marine salt mix. Puffers, as you probably know from keeping them, have a ton of personality and are very intelligent.

Most of the big predators available just wouldn't fit :(. That's why I suggest the betta and gourami species...those guys are predators, will recognize you, etc. but are small. The Bolivian Rams are cichlids.

[Evangeline]

I loved having puffers but dont really want to get back into buying the marine salt, buying snails, frozen food. I already have female and male bettas. Bolivian rams dont do anything for me. I no I am extremely picky. I will go to the fish store on the weekend just to see whats available and what are my options. Out of all of the fish I have had puffers by far are my favorite. I love the way they buzz around in the tank. Who nows maybe I will end up geting one. If I did decide to get a figure eight puffer. Would the aquarium salt I already added hurt the puffer because I have to add the marine salt solution.