Andrewj2112
New Member
I am relatively new to salt water aquariums and have never had one on my own. My tank is running and everything tests right. What fish are ideal for a 29 gallon tank with coral skeletons?
New 29 gallon salt water aquarium
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Jesterrace
Active Member
Normally I would jump right into the fish, but given this is your first saltwater setup and the cycling process is where most of the headaches happen for saltwater newbies, we should clarify that your tank has properly cycled. You stated that everything tests right, are your Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrites all 0 and have you had your brown algae bloom? Also what sort of water and salt mix are you using?
If all that checks out then the first thing to know about saltwater fish is that you have to be very careful about matching fish of a similar temperament. Saltwater fish are generally far more active than freshwater fish and as such you are going to be dealing with territorial issues far more than you would with freshwater. You also will not be able to pack it full of fish like you can with freshwater (I would say about 4-5 fish max for your size of tank). Each fish also has individual personality traits and quirks that may not fit the norm for the species. I have a Diamond Watchman Goby, generally considered a peaceful fish that stays on the bottom sifting sand, that is very territorial and will actually chase my scissortail up to near the top of the tank when he feels like it and will challenge any new fish added to the tank. For your size of tank, you can either go with a Peaceful demeanor setup or a Semi-Aggressive setup. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
The Pros of Peaceful Fish
1. Will generally get along well with one another and not bother each other
2. Won't nibble on your corals or clean up crew (ie Snails and Crabs)
3. Will probably leave shrimp alone (ie Cleaner Shrimp)
The Cons of Peaceful Fish
1. Generally aren't as brightly colored or spectacular as Semi-Aggressive or Aggressive Fish (Firefish and a few Gobies being the exception for your size of tank)
2. Are easily startled and will go into hiding at the drop of a hat, and may stay there for hours on end. This means you can have a near vacant tank if you are stocked with these sorts of fish
3. For your size of a tank will generally be pretty small in size and could look dinky in the tank
4. Many species are prone to jumping out of a tank and will need a tight fitting lid to help prevent this
The Pros of Semi-Aggressive Fish
1. Larger selection of brightly colored and very active fish
2. Many of them will help deal with nuisance pests (ie Bristleworms, Fireworms, Pyramidallid Snails) that can develop on your live rock/sand
3. Tend to be much more visible and easier to observe at all times and not very likely to hide
The Cons of Semi-Aggressive fish
1. Can be territorial aggressive buttheads
2. May end up eating snails, crabs and shrimp
Given the fact that you have a 29 gallon tank, I would say you should be okay with any fish listed as a 30 gallon minimum or less for tank size. If you go with a semi-aggressive setup I suggest going with a lighter stock (ie 3 fish) in order to keep the territorial aggression down to a minimum.
If all that checks out then the first thing to know about saltwater fish is that you have to be very careful about matching fish of a similar temperament. Saltwater fish are generally far more active than freshwater fish and as such you are going to be dealing with territorial issues far more than you would with freshwater. You also will not be able to pack it full of fish like you can with freshwater (I would say about 4-5 fish max for your size of tank). Each fish also has individual personality traits and quirks that may not fit the norm for the species. I have a Diamond Watchman Goby, generally considered a peaceful fish that stays on the bottom sifting sand, that is very territorial and will actually chase my scissortail up to near the top of the tank when he feels like it and will challenge any new fish added to the tank. For your size of tank, you can either go with a Peaceful demeanor setup or a Semi-Aggressive setup. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
The Pros of Peaceful Fish
1. Will generally get along well with one another and not bother each other
2. Won't nibble on your corals or clean up crew (ie Snails and Crabs)
3. Will probably leave shrimp alone (ie Cleaner Shrimp)
The Cons of Peaceful Fish
1. Generally aren't as brightly colored or spectacular as Semi-Aggressive or Aggressive Fish (Firefish and a few Gobies being the exception for your size of tank)
2. Are easily startled and will go into hiding at the drop of a hat, and may stay there for hours on end. This means you can have a near vacant tank if you are stocked with these sorts of fish
3. For your size of a tank will generally be pretty small in size and could look dinky in the tank
4. Many species are prone to jumping out of a tank and will need a tight fitting lid to help prevent this
The Pros of Semi-Aggressive Fish
1. Larger selection of brightly colored and very active fish
2. Many of them will help deal with nuisance pests (ie Bristleworms, Fireworms, Pyramidallid Snails) that can develop on your live rock/sand
3. Tend to be much more visible and easier to observe at all times and not very likely to hide
The Cons of Semi-Aggressive fish
1. Can be territorial aggressive buttheads
2. May end up eating snails, crabs and shrimp
Given the fact that you have a 29 gallon tank, I would say you should be okay with any fish listed as a 30 gallon minimum or less for tank size. If you go with a semi-aggressive setup I suggest going with a lighter stock (ie 3 fish) in order to keep the territorial aggression down to a minimum.
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Andrewj2112
New Member
I should clarify that i have run saltwater tanks with my dad before but never on my own. I put something called Stabilizer in my water that is essentially Stress Zyme. That got my ammonia and such to 0. It says on the bottle that it is supposed to prevent "new aquarium syndrome"
Jesterrace
Active Member
You should never put any chemical in during the cycling process (barring seed bacteria) as it impedes the live rock's ability to go through a natural die off/stabilization process. Are you using Tap Water, RO/RODI, what kind of salt have you added? How much live rock and live sand do you have in your tank?
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Andrewj2112
New Member
I have no live rock or sand in my tank. this chemical's bottle says it is really bacteria and i have noticed water clarity and it has brought my ammonia levels down to 0.
Jesterrace
Active Member
Big Mistake. Live Rock and Live Sand is a crucial natural filter for saltwater tanks and is the primary filter. Without them you will get Ammonia and Nitrate, Nitrite spikes like no other after adding fish and feeding the tank. That and you are depriving the majority of saltwater fish of their natural environment. Even if you don't do corals, you still want live rock and live sand for the reasons just listed. I wouldn't add any fish until you get the aforementioned. If you want to go a bit cheaper, then get some dry live rock and a piece of live rock and then let the tank cycle (although it will take longer). It is recommended to have at least 1lb of live rock and live sand for every gallon of tank. Are you using RO/RODI water? Also what kind of salt are you using?
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