Can I Have More Fish?

[Rediahs]

I have 8 harlequin rasboras (adult size 2 inches), 6 sterbai corydoras (adult size 2-2.5 inches), so that puts me at 28-31 adult inches of fish in a 29 gallon tank... but does that really mean I can't have more? I mean, it looks kinda empty despite this. And I know the inch-per-gallon thing is not an absolutely unbreakable rule... but I am approaching breaking it with trepidation, I mean, I'm new at this, but it looks like my tank could easily have more fish in it. Things I'd like, in the order of how much I want them:

A school of cardinals or neons (really want these...)
A single or a pair of honey gouramis (hopeful)
Cherry shrimp
German ram (??? I saw these in the store and they are very pretty, but I don't know anything about them, haven't done much research)

What more would be suitable? Can I have the school of cardinals or neons? I'm still trying to figure this stuff out, so this is why I'm asking.

In case anyone is wondering, it's been 2 days now with my sterbai corys and they are doing great! And it's been maybe a month with my harlequin rasboras and they are also great. My water stats are still at NH3 0, NO2 0. pH is 7.8.

PS I know I can't have all that list of fish!!! It's just some options I have liked the look of. I am really leaning toward just the school of cardinals and MAYBE 1 honey gourami.

 

[t1tanrush]

In my experience, if you wish to add a small school of cardinals or neons this is very possible. As long as you have adequate filtration and are willing to maybe do some extra water changes, you should have no problems.

 

[natalie265]

In my opinion, you're getting really close to full, but i think you could get away w/adding something more as long as you're doing regular water changes. Cherry shrimp would be fine. They don't add much to the bio load. But you'll definitely have to choose between the other additions. I don't know much about german rams either, but i think either of your other two options would be okay.

 

[indigoj]

I'm going to be contraversial and say you could have 6 cardinals and a pair of honey gourami as long as you also add a bit extra filtration.

 

[bagu]

once a tank is matured, then the 1" per gallon rule doesn't exist, you can afford to stretch it a bit. Make sure you are good with water changes and filtration

i mean i have a 20gallon, and my 1"/gallon rule was non existent for a while

 

[Wills]

I agree with Indigoj I think it will work no conflicting fish there and extra filtration is never a bad thing. And agree with cardinals over neons as they are from better stock or wild usually, or how about green neons? Seem to be hardier than regular neons from what I have read.

 

[JohnRossDele]

your about 7/8 full, id only get a couple more fish

 

[saltynay]

As said in a mature tank with adequate filtration the inch per gallon rule can be stretched with techinically excess filtration. I have a 23" in a 8 gallon tank (guppy males are moved into it prior to selling to seperate from my females) but 10" of fish are only temporary.

 

[Rediahs]

Well as for the filtration, I have an AquaClear 70 running on it? (Rated for a 70 gallon tank, I think it has 300 gph? and a nice amount of space for media, I have it filled up to the brim with ceramic and sponge)

So the general consensus is a bit more fish is okay, yes?

I think I will get the cardinals in a little while, maybe a couple weeks, or do people think I should wait longer? Some say that they are best to be added after 6 months? But I don't know, I'm tempted to try adding them anyway because so far all my fish have been good, excluding a rasbora that died about a day after adding him. And I also just recently removed my betta from the tank, I took him out the same day I added the corys. And ever since I added the corys my stats have still been NH3 0 NO2 0.

The problem is!! I recently found myself attracted to the "bristlenose pleco"... it is so ugly that it's cute! I just love it. But I know that, even if one is okay for my tank, I'd have to choose between the pleco and the cardinals... and I don't really want to have to choose!! Argh!! I also don't know much yet about the bristlenose, and I don't know if they're better in groups? If they are, I guess that completely strikes them off my list... I can't have a group of them!

I guess the only way to fix it is to buy a bigger tank. Haha!!! Too bad that can't happen at this point in my life. In a few years, yes.. right now, no.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Chrissi

I would suggest that you give your most recent addition (the corys) a chance to settle down and let your filter bacteria grow to accommodate them. If your nitrate level is still reasonably low at that time, you could safely add more fish. As the population grows, the nitrate levels will rise. You will not want to add so many fish that you have to do more than one good water change a week to keep it at a comfortable level. The number and size of fish it will take to get to this point will vary with the natural nitrate content in your tap water.

 

[saltynay]

Yeah you can push it to 1.5" per gallon, I would say then wait a couple of months to gain more experience by reading other peoples fishy ailments ect. and you can crank it up again. The six months advisory is to help people who are new to the hobby from getting into problems if your tank has rock solid stats so far then you should be fine adding tetra's its just they are quite sensitive to such issues. Bristlenose are fine alone.

 

[Rediahs]

Well my nitrates are at 10. I thought they'd be higher... but I did the test right, I shook the bottle for 1 minute and shook the test tube for 2 so I did better than the instructions said. So they must be 10. I figured it'd be worse but it seems to be doing good.

So how long should I wait until I add the cardinals? I was hoping to add them in a few weeks? Do people recommend waiting longer, like a few months?

 

[killudead]

If it was me, I would wait and keep testing the water. If the lvls are low, them proceed slowly but accordingly, but I would try to stick to smaller adult fish. Maybe a bumble bee goby or some small fish like that. Also, if you have live plants that will also help absorb some of the excessive nitrates, nitrites, etc..that is added from any fish.
Here is the thing you need to remember.
You are providing a new home for these animals. By choosing to get involved with a hobby like this, you must adhere to certain standards, no matter what you think otherwise. People will often ask for help, ignore all the posted comments that they do not agree with and wait for that one person to say, sure, go for it. Now you feel that you have been given "permission" to move forward. Not always the best choice.
if 80% of the people say the same thing, most likely that is the best route to move towards.
Also, you say that the tank looks empty. Imagine how it would look as the fish begin to become adults. All that room you thought you had, has since disappeared.

 

[Chrs]

Could I crank my 20 gallon to 1.5'' per gallon?

 

[killudead]

sure, you could! but again it depends on what kind of fish they are.
Are they messy fish or neat and tidy.
You could also get a bamboo shrimp. they are like little water filters..