12 Great Fish For 29 & 30 Gallon Tanks (With Pictures)

If you’re a first-time aquarist, you may think a 29—or 30-gallon tank is ideal for your new pets. Once you have decided on the aquarium size, you will need to figure out which fish to put in it.

Of course, your tank size will determine the type(s) and number of fish you can keep.

How Many Fish Can I House in a 29–30 Gallon Tank?

If you are getting into the world of aquariums, you probably want to start fairly small. After all, you don’t want to invest in a massive tank, but 30 gallons is still quite sizeable. It’s a good size that doesn’t take up too much space yet is large enough to fit several fish.

In terms of how much space your fish need, remember that most species follow the 1 gallon per inch of fish rule. So, a 5-inch fish would require 5 gallons of water.

However, active swimmers and territorial fish may benefit from having up to 2 gallons of tank space per inch of fish. As you can see, the type of fish determines how many you can house in a 29- to 30-gallon tank.

The 12 Fish That Are Great For 29–30 Gallon Tanks

Let’s take a look at some of the best fish you can get for 29- and 30-gallon tanks.

1. Guppies

Guppies are small and peaceful fish that display very bright colors. They can grow up to 2 inches long, and therefore, each guppy should have at least 2 gallons of tank space.

Following the 1 gallon per inch of fish rule, you can fit 15 guppies in a 30-gallon tank, although you may want to give them a little more space to be comfortable.

Guppies are easy to care for fish that are not overly sensitive to water parameters and conditions, and they aren’t picky eaters. Guppies also make peaceful tank mates that get along well with others.

2. Neon Tetras

The neon tetra is another tiny aquarium fish, usually growing to around 1.5 inches long. Each neon tetra should have roughly 1.5 gallons of tank space or maybe 2 gallons per fish if you want to make them feel at home.

A 30-gallon tank can hold up to 20 neon tetras, which is great because these are schooling fish. They spend all of their time in the school, they are peaceful, and they make great community tank fish. Neon tetras like heavily planted tanks with slightly acidic and soft water, complete with a fairly high temperature. Overall, they are very low-maintenance fish.

3. Platies

The Platy is a beautiful fish that can come in a variety of colors. Platies can grow to around 3 inches long, and following the general rule, each platy should have 3 gallons of tank size. Therefore, in a 30-gallon tank, you could fit up to 10 Platies.

They like warm waters, low currents, a lot of vegetation, and somewhat basic and hard water. They like eating a variety of insects, larvae, and veggies. They are also very low-maintenance fish that are quite hardy and not overly prone to disease. They also get along with other fish in community tanks.

4. Cory Catfish

If you are looking for a fish that makes a great community tank mate, a bottom dweller that keeps to itself and likes to feed on debris in the aquarium, the Cory catfish is ideal.

They can grow to 2.5 inches long, and each cory catfish needs 2.5 gallons of tank space. Therefore, a 30-gallon tank could hold 12 of these fish at most, although 10 is better.

However, Cory catfish are sensitive to water parameters and tank conditions. They require the water to be immaculately clean as they are fairly prone to illness.

5. Molly Fish

Mollies are available in 40 varieties, and the most popular have solid black, silver, or bright yellow bodies. Depending on the exact type of fish you get, it could grow to around 4.5 inches in size.

They are schooling fish and should be kept in groups of four or more. Regarding their tank size, each molly will require 4.5 gallons of tank space at the very least, so you could fit up to six of them in a 30-gallon tank.

They are peaceful fish that don’t cause any problems in community tanks. They are low maintenance and can handle varying water temperatures, pH levels, and hardness levels. Plus, they are omnivores that are not picky in the least. As long as the water is clean, these fish will be fine.

6. Bristlenose Plecos

Here we have yet another great fish to house in a community tank. Bristlenose Plecos are peaceful bottom feeders that prefer to stay to themselves. However, they are scavengers that clean up all sorts of debris, and they enjoy eating algae.

Bristlenose plecos are low-maintenance fish that can survive in a wide range of water temperatures, pH levels, and water hardness levels. They are fairly large fish that can grow up to 5 inches long. Therefore, each of them needs at least 5 gallons of tank space. So, a 30-gallon tank could hold up to six at a time.

7. Cherry Barbs

Cherry barbs are tiny fish that can grow up to 2 inches long, but some are only around 1½ inches long. You can fit 15 of them in a 30-gallon tank. This is ideal because cherry barbs are schooling fish that prefer to be kept in large groups. They are known as one of the most peaceful aquarium fish, and they never cause problems with others.

Cherry barbs are beginner-friendly fish because they are very hardy, not prone to disease, aren’t picky eaters, and can survive in a wide range of water conditions. As long as the tank is moderately clean, cherry barbs will do fine.

8. Rainbowfish

Rainbowfish are a beautiful species with vibrant colors. However, you must be careful when it comes to 30-gallon tanks. You should stick with the smaller types since some can get very large. They’re schooling fish, so they cannot be kept alone.

The smallest type of Rainbowfish is around 4.4 inches long, and you can fit six of them in a 30-gallon tank. Six fish is the minimum number to create a decent school.

They require clean water and exact water parameters and conditions and can be picky eaters. Therefore, they’re not ideal for first-time owners.

9. Goldfish

Although you might see people housing goldfish in small gallon bowls, they’re unsuitable habitats. A Fancy goldfish requires 10 to 20 gallons of tank space, whereas a Common goldfish needs closer to 30 gallons.

Therefore, whether we are talking about a 29-gallon or 30-gallon tank, you can only fit a single common goldfish, but you could technically squeeze in up to three fancy goldfish. Even the smaller Fancy goldfish can reach up to 12 inches.

Besides their relatively large tank requirements, goldfish are not hard to care for. They are not aggressive and do well in community tanks, but they should not be kept with small fish that can fit in their mouths, as they are likely to eat them.

10. Killifish

Killifish are fairly small and usually reach around 2 inches. They are fairly active swimmers, so they like having a good deal of space. They are also schooling fish that want to be kept in groups.

Three killifish should have about 10 gallons of tank space; in a 30-gallon tank, you can keep about 10 of them. Their small size makes it easy to keep pretty large numbers in a tank with limited space.

Generally speaking, killifish are peaceful, although they can be aggressive toward other male killifish, particularly during mating season. They require fairly specific water parameters, especially regarding the water temperature and pH, but they are relatively easy to care for in general.

11. Angelfish

The Angelfish is known for being an aggressive cichlid. They grow to 6 inches long and 8 inches tall, making them quite large. The minimum tank size for the angelfish is 10 gallons, with most recommending 15 or even 20 gallons per fish. They are aggressive, territorial, and fairly active swimmers.

If you want to keep a pair of angelfish together, you will need a 30-gallon tank. Although they are not peaceful, they don’t have special requirements. They are not very picky eaters and can easily survive in a wide range of water conditions and parameters. Just keep in mind that an Angelfish will eat other fish that are small enough to fit in its mouth.

12. Kuhli Loach

If you want bottom feeders that will help keep your tank clean, the Kuhli loach is a good option. This fish will grow up to 2.75 inches long and love to explore. They are happiest in groups of at least four or five.

If you don’t keep them in groups, they will likely hide away most of the time. In a 30-gallon tank, you could fit up to nine or maybe 10 Kuhli loaches.

They are peaceful fish that don’t cause problems in community tanks. Moreover, they need fairly warm water that is soft and acidic, with a good amount of lighting.

29- and 30-Gallon Tank Stocking Ideas

Here are some examples of tank stocking combinations for a 30-gallon tank.

What’s the Best Single Fish for 29-Gallon Tanks?

Many consider the Angelfish one of the best single-fish choices for 29-gallon tanks. They are Cichlids that can grow up to 6 inches long and 8 inches tall. Cichlids are aggressive toward other fish and need plenty of tank space. Providing at least 10 or 15 gallons for a single Angelfish is best.

They like having a lot of space and prefer tall tanks. Other good single fish for 29-gallon tanks include Pearl gouramis and Swordtails.

What’s the Ideal Schooling Fish for 29-Gallon Tanks?

The ideal schooling fish for a 29-gallon tank are Neon tetras. There are several tetras, but Neon tetras are the most popular species. As noted before, they usually grow to around 1.5 inches long. Neon tetras are ideal schooling fish for 29-gallon tanks because you could fit up to 19 or 20 of them.

They are also very peaceful, fairly hardy, and pretty low-maintenance. And let’s not forget that a school of fast swimming and colorful Neon tetras also looks amazing!

Best Bottom Feeders for 30 Gallon-Tank

There are quite a few bottom-feeding fis that are ideal for 30-gallon tanks, so let’s take a quick look at some of the best ones.

Final Thoughts

When it comes down to it, although 30 gallons may sound like a lot, it’s actually not that large. In terms of keeping fish in a tank of this size, you must be selective and thoughtful, as the limited space will fill up quickly. Choose wisely because the happiness of the aquarium’s inhabitants depends on it!

You Might Also Be Interested In:

• 30 Cold Water Fish for Your Aquarium
• 8 Best Fish for a 20-Gallon Tank

Featured Image Credit: Tony Stock, Shutterstock