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I want to upgrade my current 10 gallon to a 29 gallon tank. 29 is the largest I can go without putting a deposit down here at my apartment complex (which would mean no money for the tank). Everything from my current 10 would have to go into the 29 because my boyfriend would be taking the 10 and turning it into a DP tank.

Current (crowded) residents:
Six pygmy cories
One lonely WCMM he’s about ¾-1 inch long (hitch hiked with the last batch of cories)
Two ottos
Two momma guppies
Two 6.5 week old fry
Ten 3 week old fry
And who knows how many fry that were dropped yesterday

I know that I am severely overstocked right now… but I want to let the fry grow out for a while because I lost the daddy guppy to dropsy and I want to see if there will be a “Speedy” replacement. After that I can take them to the LFS.

What filter would you guys recommend?
What wattage of heater?
Lights I don’t know yet because I think that I would eventually like it to be a planted tank…I’ll post over the in the other forum.

And last but not least stocking….
I know that if I want to keep the WCMM he would need a school other than upping cories, I have no clue what to add to the guys that would be already in there. I don’t want a tank that is over run with guppies either (aka what I have now) What would you guys do?

Amanda

Congrats on the pending upgrade

For a filter, i'd recommend a filter such as a Penguin Bio-Wheel 170 a Whisper 2 or equivilant ( i think they call 'em 40's now ) or an Aquaclear 200 or 300.

Heating -- you ideally want 5 watts of heating power per gallon, so a 150 watt heater is what you want.

Stocking -- Ideally it's up to you, but i'd suggest what you're suggesting.. upping the cories and the minnows, and then what do YOU like? I personally would stick some harlequin rasboras or praecox rainbows in it, but it'll depend on availability, personal tastes, and your water quality.

Speaking of water quality, be sure to run the old filter on your new 29 while using all the old water and using the gravel as well. If you plan on switching gravel, at least put a handful or two in a nylon filter bag or a nylon stocking and let it hang in the back. Looks dumb i know, but it will help establish your new tank and curb any stress related deaths. If you have an ornament with some algae on it, transfer that for otos, as they like used water and food

Good luck
Tim

1 angel = no fry
the greatest fry removing tetras r black widows they get fry faster then my young rbp