How many fish in a 29 gallon tank?
A school of 12 small fish plus 6 corydoras, or a pair of dwarf cichlids with a school.
A 29 gallon tank has the same 30 x 12 inch footprint as a 20 gallon long, just 6 inches taller. The extra water lets you keep more fish, but not longer ones.
Stockings that work in a 29 gallon tank
Each mix has been run through the stocking calculator and comes out with no problems or warnings.
- Cardinal tetras and bronze corydoras92% stocked
12 × Cardinal tetra, 6 × Bronze cory.
- Honey gouramis with harlequin rasboras61% stocked
4 × Honey gourami, 8 × Harlequin rasbora.
- Platies and panda corydoras63% stocked
6 × Platy, 6 × Panda cory.
- Guppies with a bristlenose pleco79% stocked
8 × Guppy, 1 × Bristlenose pleco.
- A pair of kribensis with ember tetras47% stocked
2 × Kribensis, 10 × Ember tetra. This tank is under the recommended minimum for Kribensis (a 24 x 15 in footprint).
Why not one inch of fish per gallon
That old rule says to allow one inch of adult fish per gallon. It is easy to remember and works well for small, slim fish like tetras and rasboras.
It breaks down for bigger and messier fish. A fish twice as long weighs several times as much, and goldfish and plecos make far more waste than their length suggests. Our calculator keeps the inch rule for fish under three inches and counts larger fish for more.
Because the floor space is the same as a 20 long, fish that need a 36 inch tank still do not fit here. The gain is in numbers and in fish that use the height, such as gouramis.
One kind of fish, nothing else
The most of each that suits a 29 gallon on its own.
| Neon tetra | up to 31 |
|---|---|
| Guppy | up to 15 |
| Harlequin rasbora | up to 21 |
| Cherry barb | up to 19 |
| Platy | up to 19 |
| Panda cory | up to 19 |
| Bronze cory | up to 12 |
| Honey gourami | up to 6 |
| Pearl gourami | up to 4 * |
| Tiger barb | up to 15 |
| Fancy goldfish | 1 only |
| Bristlenose pleco | 1 only |
| Electric yellow lab | up to 6 * |
* Fits by volume, but the footprint is under what Seriously Fish recommends for the species.
Before you add the last fish
- Add fish slowly. A new tank needs weeks to grow the bacteria that process waste, so add a few fish at a time.
- Count the minimum group. Schooling fish are stressed alone, so plan around the smallest group before the tank total.
- Plan for adult size. Fish in the shop are usually young.
- Match the filter. Look for one rated for 116 to 174 gallons per hour.
A full tank is not a target. One at 60 to 80% is easier to keep clean and gives fish room to settle.
Sizes and weight: 29 gallon tank dimensions.
Common questions
How many fish can live in a 29 gallon tank?
A school of 12 small fish plus 6 corydoras, or a pair of dwarf cichlids with a school. The example mixes on this page come out between 47% and 92% stocked by our calculator, with no warnings.
How many neon tetras fit in a 29 gallon tank?
Up to 31 neon tetras in a 29 gallon with nothing else in it. Add other species and that number comes down.
Is one inch of fish per gallon a good rule?
It works for slim fish under about three inches, such as tetras and rasboras. It fails for larger or messier fish, because a fish twice as long has several times the body mass. Count big fish for more.
What size filter does a 29 gallon tank need?
One rated for 116 to 174 gallons per hour, which turns the water over four to six times an hour.
Gear for a 29 gallon tank
Searches on Amazon for the right size. Check the tank size or flow rating on the listing before you buy.
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