Best freshwater fish for a 29 gallon tank

A 29 gallon freshwater tank holds two schools of small fish over a group of cories, or a livebearer community with a pleco. The extra volume over a 20 gallon also opens up the pearl gourami, Boeseman's rainbowfish, congo tetras and mollies. Every fish here is widely sold, rated for community tanks and lists a minimum tank of 29 gallons or less.

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Tank size: 7–29 gal; 7 gal (25 L) to 29 gal (111 L); half the list needs 18 gal (70 L) or more
Temperature: 72–81°F; 22–27°C, most of the list
pH: 6.0–7.5; Most of the list
Difficulty: 68 easy; 56 medium · 4 difficult
Temperament: 95 peaceful; 33 mostly peaceful

128 species

New at this size

What a 29 gallon adds over a 20

The pearl gourami grows to 4.7 inches (12 cm), lists 29 gallons (111 liters) and is marked easy. Boeseman's rainbowfish lists 29 gallons (108 liters) and wants warm, hard water at 81 to 86°F (27 to 30°C) and pH 7 to 8. Congo tetras list 24 gallons (90 liters) and reach 3.1 inches (8 cm). Black and sailfin mollies list 24 gallons (90 liters) as well and grow to 4.7 inches (12 cm). The rosy barb, marked beginner, is a schooler for cooler water at 61 to 75°F (16 to 24°C). Peppered cories list 21 gallons (80 liters).

Stocking plans

Three ways to stock a 29 gallon tank

Each plan below ran through the stocking calculator, which reads every fish at its adult size against its minimum tank. Open one to change the counts or swap in your own fish.

Two schools over panda cories
Comfortable
LightComfortableFullHeavyOverstocked
These species overlap at 72–77°F (22–25°C), pH 6.5–7.0.
Open this plan in the stocking calculator
Livebearers with a bristlenose
Comfortable
LightComfortableFullHeavyOverstocked
These species overlap at 70–79°F (21–26°C), pH 6.8–7.5.
Open this plan in the stocking calculator
Warm water with blue rams
Full
LightComfortableFullHeavyOverstocked
These species overlap at 81–82°F (27–28°C), pH 6.0–7.0.
Open this plan in the stocking calculator

By the numbers

Smallest

Largest

Easiest to keep

Most peaceful

Fits a 30 gallon tank

FAQ

Common questions

How many fish can go in a 29 gallon tank?

A 29 gallon holds two small schools over a cory group, as the first plan above shows, or livebearers with a pleco. The count rises as adult size falls, so check a planned mix in the stocking calculator. The inch-per-gallon rule undercounts small tetras and overcounts heavy-bodied fish.

Is a 29 gallon tank big enough for angelfish?

Angelfish list 53 gallons (200 liters) and grow to 5.9 inches (15 cm), so a 29 gallon is too small for them. They start on the 55 gallon page.

Can mollies live in a 29 gallon tank?

Black and sailfin mollies list 24 gallons (90 liters) and grow to 4.7 inches (12 cm). A 29 gallon is the first size here for them. They want harder water at pH 7 to 8, which suits platies and swordtails too.

Which cories fit a 29 gallon tank?

The panda, pygmy, peppered, Sterba's, Adolfo's and julii cories all list 29 gallons or less. Keep a group of six of one species, since cories shoal with their own kind.

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