Starting new 30 gallon tank!

Just picked up a used 30 gallon that was a GREAT deal and got it set up ... now just have to wait for it to cycle, which is good, because even though waiting sucks I am having a hard time picking out fish. There are just so many.

RIght now I am thinking:

Tiger barbs and red wag tails

or

Cherry barbs and white skirt tetras

I also really like the little cardinal tetras and then I was thinking of 1-2 of something a little larger but I don't know what! Gouramis maybe.

Oh and maybe some kind of algae eater? Not sure.

 

Cherry barbs are pretty colorful fish. Keep them in a school (5+) plus a school of the tetras with a school of corydoras catfish (bottom feeder). That puts you at (maybe over....) your tank limit... Good luck!

 

Are catfish school fish? I was thinking of getting just one so I could have some other fish too.

What about snails?

ETA: Just read that they are schoolers. Can I get away with just 1 or 2, or will they be unhappy?

 

cory cat fish are schoolers but you could get a single bristle nose or something of the sort. Heres lists
tiger barbs - 6fish-3inches each-18inches
red wag platies- 3 fish- 2inches each-6 inches
that is 24 inches of fish, which leaves 6 inches for an algae eater

OR......

cherry barbs- 6 fish-2inches each-12 inches
White skirt tetras-6 fish- 2inches each-12 inches
That is 24 which again leaves 6 for an algae eater

OR.......

cardinal tetra- 6 fish - 2 inches each- 12 inches
pair of angels, trio (mff) of red rainbows, and 3 spot gourami with 3 more cardinals would work as well.

 

Hi!

Here are my ides as far as numbers are concerned:

6 Tiger barbs
3 Red wagtail platys
1 BN

8 Cherry barbs
8 WS tetras
1 BN

You can't really add more fish to a small tank like that.

EDIT: Corys CANNOT be kept in numbers under 6.

 

Cool thanks guys. I will have to decide, which is hard, because they are all so pretty.

What about snails as algae eaters?

 

angels are awesome, didn't think about that!

 

I just got 4 white skirt tetras and I love them. They really are quite a beautiful and graceful fish. I would highly reccomend them Have fun stocking your tank. It's good that you are putting a lot of thought into it and reading up on information instead of just going to the LFS and coming home with impulse buys (that never turns out good). I wouldn't do gouramis with the tetras because they are semi-aggressive fish and will bully the peaceful tetras. Here are a couple suggestions of what I would do:

1 Angel (6 in)
5 White Skirts (10 in)
5 Cherry Barbs (10 in)
1 Bristlenose Catfish (6 in)
This puts you about 2 inches over the limit, but the inch per gallon rule is just a general guideline. As long as you keep up on your water changes you should be fine.

6 Tiger Barbs (18 inches)
2 Gouramis (10 inches)
1 SMALL Algae eater

Have fun setting up your tank!

 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention something important.... Don't keep tiger barbs with platies. Tiger barbs are semi-aggressive and will harass the peaceful platies.

 

Hi!

Do they? If Tiger barbs are kept in a school - their aggression problems will be dramatically lowered.

 

if kept in a big school as I said in my tank list their aggression will turn into playfulness. and newbeefishlover I wouldnt keep one angel they are actually a schooling fish and a buddy would be much appriciated. If they turn out to be a pair all the better! pond snails can be good algae eaters as long as your tank isn't planted because they will eat the plants instead of algae. Most people see pond snails as a pest but as long as you do 'population control' they work very well.

 

I have a 30 gal/tall, and as you can see in my aquarium info, what is in the tank. Also, I have to take exception to an earlier post about cories only being kept 6 or more...I have 3 and they do just fine. My tank is very harmonious

 

If you put two angelfish in, you would be very lucky to happen to get a compatible m/f pair. If they're not compatible there will be trouble.

Oh and maybe some kind of algae eater?

A bristlenose pleco would be fine.

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

Bristlenose or Bushy Nose Plecos would be great for that size tank, or a school of 6 Otos. Plecos would work better if you get other fish that are bigger. The fish that you listed would all do best in groups of 6 or more. You have 30" (adult size) that can go in that tank.

 

My fiance really likes the Plecos. They have all kinds of varieties that I saw on Live Aquaria, some of which are smaller (5" or less). I will let him pick it out since he really likes the strange looking fish, and I prefer colorful ones

What about a KuhlI Loach?
https://www.fishlore.com/aquariummagazine/sept07/kuhliloach.htm

 

KuhlI loaches are very cool and would do fine in a 30 gallon tank.

I find the best source for plecos here in Denver is the fish club (colorado aquarium society) since you can get them from other aquarium keepers like us who've often raised them from eggs. We bought some beautiful albino bushy nose pleco babies last meeting.. unfortunately a heater breaking cooked their whole Q. tank. :'(

 

I have seen some ads on Craigslist but was worried about the quality/health of getting fish from some random person.

I was going to check out the Fish Den on 44th, do they have a good selection of healthy fish?

I will check out the aquarium society too. Do they have a web site or anything?

 

is the CAS website. The Feb meeting was just last Friday so the next meeting is the first friday in March. The big auction is coming up in April (2x a year). We bought a car-full of stuff at the last auction.

I've been in the Fish Den a couple times and I think overall they have healthier fish than the chain stores and more selection.

 

I like Gouramis, Goldfish, and Oscars. Not together! But in general.

 

as far as corys go, I would say at least 3. I have 4 and they all are very happy.

 

EDIT: Corys CANNOT be kept in numbers under 6.

Correction: Corydoras CAN be kept in numbers under 6.

It is preferable to keep them in numbers above 6.

 

True. Even 2 or 3 is ok, but they're more fun and show more shoaling behavior in groups of 6 or more.

Correction: Corydoras CAN be kept in numbers under 6.

It is preferable to keep them in numbers above 6.

 

True. Even 2 or 3 is ok, but they're more fun and show more shoaling behavior in groups of 6 or more.

Hi!

Not with me is isn't. In my world - corys are a schooling fish like Neon tetras - and I always respect that.

 

you could try a whiptail I got one in my tank hes great and only grows to about 6"s

 

Well the ammonia is at 0 and the nitrites and nitrates have peaked and are dropping. So hopefully it won't be too much longer. I guess I could start doing partial water changes now? Will that speed up the process?

Anyway, I thought I'd get a couple of rainbow fish to start with. They were on the list of good first fish. Then maybe some tetras ... it's so hard to choose.

 

Hi!

With rainbowfish - I recommend Dwarf neon rainbows. In proper conditions, their entire body in neon coloured! Also, they only grow to 6cm. Top marks! Get 6 Dwarf neons first, 2 weeks later go for 6 Serpae tetras. That would be a colourful and active tank.

 

BosemanI rainbows are very cool. Or maybe some killifish?

 

Hmmm, haven't looked at killifish much before. They look pretty cool, lots of colors!

I haven't seen dwarf neon rainbows at the fish store ... I wonder if they can order them in?

 

Hi!

Shop around at all your LFS's - you'll most likely bump into them.

 

There aren't very many, I don't think. Except Petsmart/Petco. I will check around in other areas. The one that is relatively close to our house is pretty nice so we like to go there when we can.

I really like the way the silvertip tetras looked while swimming around. The silver tips on their fins really stands out in tank lighting!

 

I really like the way the silvertip tetras looked while swimming around. The silver tips on their fins really stands out in tank lighting!

Hi!

Silver tips are nice. My favourite tetra is the Serpae - I really love their colouration and markings.

 

YAY! water finally cycled! getting fish today Going to start with a couple of rainbowfish maybe. Then some platies or swordtails and then some tetras. Add a bristlenose pleco and I'll be fully (maybe slightly over) stocked.

 

Hi!

What numbers are you going to get? Don't overstock the tank.

 

No, I won't overstock. I said "maybe a little over" only because what exactly is overstocked is so subjective depending on who you ask.

I haven't really decided yet. Going to go to the store tonight and see what I decide to get ... I think the rainbowfish to start with for sure.

 

I agree that overstocked is quite subjective depending on the person who is keeping the tanks managed. What I did with my wife was go to the LFS, see what she liked, then came home and researched them all and made the best arrangements I could out of that. We're very happy with them so far.

 

Hi!

Well, personally in my 47gal I'm 6" overstocked. However, it's a planted tank with lots of plants which eat so much nitrate it all works fine.

FLcommunityfans, your daughter's tank however is overstocked, in a bad way. (No offence. I do remember advising you about this before...) BN plecos will outgrow a 10gal, they need at least 20gal, and GloFish need schools of at least 6. I think 6 Glofish would be great in there, may I advise you to give the Platys and BN back to the LFS, or give in to the bite of MTS?

 

If you go by the 1" per gallon I can get 30" of fish ... if you go by the 1/2" per gallon I can get 15" of fish. I was going to split the difference. I think if I go by my (subject to change!) current favorites I'll end up with about 20" of fish ... And I have plants, so that should help.

We'll see. I'm going to get them a few at a time and see how it goes.