5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 29-Gallon Aquarium
Most people start with smaller aquariums to keep nano fish like guppies and bettas. You might be interested in moving up to the next class of fish. These aquariums, which are 29- to 30-gallon (110 to 114 liters), allow you access to medium-sized species. You can also create elaborate aquascapes with these tanks. Find out our top 5 fish stocking tips that fit into this category.
1. The South American Aquarium
Amazon rainforest is home of many wonderful species. Why not make it a place that celebrates this biodiversity? This setup should have soft water, low GH, pH between 6.8-7.4, and warm temperatures of 80-82degF (27 to 28 degC). For the bottom level of the tank, pick your favorite species of Apistogramma dwarf cichlids (or apistos) and get a male-female pair that will hopefully breed for you. They can be shy so you might want to add aquarium plants to cover them, catappa leaves to color the water, and apisto caves to allow for egg laying.
The apistos will feel more relaxed and ready for spawn when a school cardinal tetras acts as dither fish. These stunning tetras feature bright blue and red stripes that run horizontally down their sides and will actively swim back and forth in the middle of the tank. Finally, as long as you have a tight-fitting lid to prevent jumping, you can add a school of hatchetfish to fill in the top stratum of the aquarium. This triple-layered arrangement works well for tall aquariums like a 29-gallon tank with 18 inches (46 cm), height.
From left to right: Apistogramma sternicla common hatchetfish (Gasteropelecus cacatuoides), cockatoo dwarf-cichlid (Apistogramma californica), and cardinal tetras.
2. The Angelfish Breeding Project
The aquarium hobby is full of exciting things, including the possibility to breed fish. A 29-gallon tank could open up many new opportunities. Angelfish can be bred easily, so make sure to get a good-looking male or female for this species-only arrangement. Their eggs are best laid on vertical supports such as a piece or slate against the wall, a filter pipe, or an Amazon sword leaf. It may take the angelfish a few tries to figure out that they should not eat their own eggs, but over time, they usually learn to raise up their own offspring. It can be very satisfying for your family to watch the parents carefully manage a bunch of babies. You can feed the fry various foods such as Hikari First Bite and baby brine shrimp. Be prepared to purchase additional aquariums for the growing family. Read our complete care guide for angelfish.
Gold Angelfish (Pterophyllum Scalare) protecting eggs
3. The Unheated Aquarium
Cold water fish are cool because they can live in lower temperatures, whether it’s in a chilly office building, basement, or living room tank with no aquarium heater. The Longfin Rosy Barbs are a favorite because they are calm and won’t harm your fish tank. While the males tend to have a reddish color, the females are golden in appearance. Get a school of four to six fish because they are a very active species and will eventually grow to 3.5-4 inches (9-10 cm) long. A group of salt and pepper cory catsfish can be used to fill the tank’s bottom. This Corydoras species is capable of living in cooler water. This simple, but stunning work of art can be complemented by live aquatic plants. Find out more about coldwater species by visiting our top 10 list.
Longfin rose barb (Pethia contonius) and salt-and-pepper cory catfish Corydoras palatus
4. The GloFish tank
GloFish, which glow under blue light and are bright neon colors, are a popular pet store staple. GloFish tetras are black skirt tetras. GloFish barbars are tiger barbs. If you’re looking for a wide range of activities, choose GloFish barbs or GloFish Tetras. They grow to 2.5-3 inches (6-8cm) so it is a good idea to start with six to ten fish of the same species. One GloFish shark (rainbow shark), can be added to a 30-gallon aquarium. It has a 3-foot (91cm) longer footprint. If GloFish don’t appeal to you, there are always the regular-colored versions. Most of these fish are semi-aggressive. Make sure you have plenty of tall decorations to obscure line of sight, and cover weaker fish. To learn more about GloFish and where they get their fluorescent hues, read the full article.
GloFish Tetra (Gymnocorymbus Ternetzi) and GloFish Barb (Puntius Tetrazona).
5. The Fancy Goldfish Aquarium
Many beginners are surprised to learn that their pet goldfish can grow up to 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long, which is why they should skip the small glass bowl and upgrade to a 30-gallon aquarium. Because of the fish’s larger size, we recommend choosing only one fancy goldfish for this setup. Because of their large bodies and long tails, they are slow swimmers. So we recommend using gentle filtering like sponge filters. Also, water quality issues can arise from their heavy waste load, so do not add too many tank mates unless you plan to upgrade to a 40- to 55-gallon tank. They are known for eating aquatic plants and removing them. If you want to beautify your aquarium with goldfish-safe plants, then make sure the water is purified. Keep the water temperature at 50-70degF (10-21degC), for optimal health. For more information on the care of your pets, please refer to our Care Guide.
Fancy goldfish (Carassius auratus)
For more fish stocking ideas and inspiration, check out our article on 7 Popular Fish You Should Try in a 20-Gallon Aquarium.
