A centerpiece fish?

[DepotFish]

I finally redid my 30 gallon driftwood tank. I'd been letting it age not-so-gracefully as I haven't had time for it. I now have stocked...
3 blackskirt tetras
4 buenos aires tetras
2 female bettas
1 kuhli loach
1 zebra danio
2 checkered barbs

I don't plan to get more barbs or danios as they didn't thrill me, and loaches are hard to find in our area.

I do want some sort of larger fish though. Maybe a catfish species or shark. I had a 6" rainbow shark, but it died. Is there any type of whiskery catfish that would do well in this tank?

 

[TCTFish]

Catfish that have small mouths would suit the tank like cory cats. They like to be in groups of at least three. Best to stick with a group of the same species rather than mixed. Looks more balanced that way too, IMO. Kind of neat to see a school of the same little guys swimming together.

Unfortunately, not much for choice in compatable whiskery catfish for the fish you have. Corys do have some whiskers, but not like silver tip sharks and pictus cats, both which are not suitable for a 30 nor for the fish you have. Most have big mouths and whatever can fit, will eventually go in...even if it takes the thing a few years to dine on his roommate...lol...gotta love fish...

Rainbow sharks and other similar loaches get too big for a 30 gallon. Best to avoid.

Some nice "show" fish or centerpiece fish:

*A male dwarf gourami would make an excellent choice. Varying colors to choose from too.

*A single angelfish would be nice and compatable (single rather than paired to avoid spawns that can create mass hysteria to the other fish...angels will thin the population to protect their eggs and fry).

*Neon blue rainbowfish are beautiful and would make a very nice addition to any friendly tank. Males and females can be sexed easily (red fins = male/yellow fins = female). Adult size is just 4".

*golden wonder killifish are another top dwelling species and the males are vividly colorful. Absolutely gorgeous.

*Rams!!...yes rams Blue rams, yellow rams, longfin blue and yellow rams and balloon rams also long fin balloon rams...lol...great fish. Very pretty. I highly recommend german blues...the males are stunning. Do make sure water quality is pristine for these fish. Hardy so long as their water specifications are met, which is fairly easy to maintain. You have driftwood, so half the help is already there to help maintain a nice soft to neutral pH and a few plants would make them very happy.

Do keep in mind that you have plenty of middle swimming fish. The cory cats would nicely fill in the bottom portion. A small species of pleco like a little bushy nose or rubber lip would do fine too (and nice for peaceful algae control). The gouramis would fill in the top portion of the tank. Rams defend territory toward the bottom, but encounters are rarely fatal. They do a lot of chasing from their very immediate surroundings and is the bulk of their bite.

Do note: Bolivian rams are one of the hardier species of rams, but because they are bigger than the others, a single adult would be best rather than paired.

Selecting species that occupy different areas of the tank can help you maximize population capacity...but make sure there is enough porous media and good water flow to keep nitrifying bacteria in top shape for the waste load and avoid over feeding.

The tank's water volume will limit your choices and population capacity. You are almost at full capacity...largely due to the buenos aires tetras. They are a larger sized tetra...I have seen four inchers...but I think that may be the max.

Always read about the fish you are interested in before purchasing and make decisions based on the capacity of the tank rather than your love for fish. Otherwise you just may need to get yet another tank

HTH

 

[bs6749]

*Rams!!...yes rams Blue rams, yellow rams, longfin blue and yellow rams and balloon rams also long fin balloon rams...lol...great fish. Very pretty. I highly recommend german blues...the males are stunning. Do make sure water quality is pristine for these fish. Hardy so long as their water specifications are met, which is fairly easy to maintain. You have driftwood, so half the help is already there to help maintain a nice soft to neutral pH and a few plants would make them very happy.

Do note: Bolivian rams are one of the hardier species of rams, but because they are bigger than the others, a single adult would be best rather than paired.

All or those Rams you mentioned in the first paragraph are the exact same species: mikrogeophagus ramerizi. They are different morphs of the same species. Never seen the long finned balloon Rams.

As for the driftwood neutralizing the pH, it depends on the type and amount of wood present in the tank. As a rule I don't count on it to help stablize all that much. I agree with the plants suggestion...I would go with live plants, they just look that much better.

Bolivians are one of the more hardy Ram species but I would put TWO in the tank and not just a single one. A pair would be better suited in that tank. I have 4 pairs of GBR's in my 55 gallon tank with no issues. Bolivians get slightly larger than GBR's but that all depends on the quality of the fish. My GBR's are healthier and larger than a lot of Bolivians I have seen. Quality of fish also comes in to play with water conditions of the tank. Tank params do NOT need to be "pristine" as many say, this coming from having 4 pairs for well over a year with "unpristine" conditions. Others have kept GBR's in "pristine" water but haven't been able to keep them alive for 6 months....it's about the quality of the fish. You pay for a fish that is injected with hormones and imported to the US from Asia...the fish isn't going to last long. I suggest buying from a breeder locally or online with this species. I bought mine online and it was actually CHEAPER and I received BETTER stock. I paid ~$45 for 4 breeding pairs... the fish would have been $9 each locally.

 

[TCTFish]

All or those Rams you mentioned in the first paragraph are the exact same species: mikrogeophagus ramerizi. They are different morphs of the same species. Never seen the long finned balloon Rams.

I am very well aware of that. I was just having fun listing all the different variations, because there are so many.

A nice chunk of driftwood will help keep the water soft being it is an organic substance and the tank is only sized at 30 gallons. Alone...of course not, but half the trouble is taken care of from that piece. Peat moss in the filter helps greatly and perhaps the best way to bring the pH down if needed. Very effective and better than chemical additives.

Pairing Bolivian rams with other smaller fish in the tank can be dangerous for the other fish. A pair without the crowd, yes...fine...perfect. But with all those fish...I'd never take the chance. They are a cichlid and cichlids are fiercely protective over their eggs and fry.

Tank params do NOT need to be "pristine" as many say

Pristine means:

0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrates < 30 ppm. pH 6.5 to 7.0

When it comes to the initial introduction to a tank...it makes a world of difference with any fish, but just about imperative for sensitive species like rams. Especially being there are so many variations of rams they are most likely going to be more sensitive to sudden changes and if they go from good water to water with traces of ammonia, nitrite and high nitrate, they can become sick and usually happens within the first two weeks.

Do note Depotfish...a QT for those first two weeks would be ideal...and a good practice for all new fish. Makes a good hospital tank too if ever needed. For the fish you have, a five gallon with a heater, thermometer, a non porous cave and a simple sponge filter is all you really need. Best if no substrate...helps if fish break out with ich or other parasites.

Most fish, once in a system could survive not so pristine quality if they acclimate to the differences over a period of time, but it is not good practice to introduce new fish if any of the parameters mentioned above are off.

I wholeheartedly agree to look for quality. German blues from Germany I've found to be the best stock...or domestic bred by a reputable source. Do ask your LFS or source where their stocks come from. There does seem to be a major problem with livestock from Asian countries, mostly China (and an increaase of these problems over the past two to three years) and it's no wonder due to their really poor water over there. It can be just as deadly to a fish going from bad water to good as it is going from good to bad. I avoid all fish from China now until their water issues get better.

I'm nervous about online orders, but that's just me. I prefer to examine livestock myself before purchase, but I hear about good online sources, so going that route, just do your homework for quality. Not all online sources will have good stock, just as not all LFS will.

bs6749...you scored a great deal for your GBRs!! Right on. Where did you get them?

 

[bs6749]

As for the params, unless you are getting wild stock you shouldn't have to worry about a whole lot. I have heard of them doing "okay" in levels of NO3- @25ppm (20ppm seems to be considered "pristine" by many...). The pH shouldn't be much of an issue either as long as it remains relatively constant and even if it didn't I don't know how large of an effect it would have. Members on here have bread GBR's in a pH of 8.2 PLUS, WELL out of the recommended 6.0-7.2 for them. I keep mine @ 7.0-7.2.

True, Bolivians ARE a cichlid, but they are more docile than their GBR cousins despite being larger. My GBR's quarrel with one another from time to time and they defend their spawns to the best of their ability but adding a pair of Bolivians to that setup should be no problem IMO. If they DID spawn what you would most likely see is a pair guarding eggs at one end of the tank and the other tankmates being chased away toward the other end. The Rams are only going to go after stuff they feel is a threat and not something that is already on the other end of the tank.

I got mine from www.aquabid.com I too was wary about ordering online but the pics of them were fantastic and they didn't even do them justice to be honest.

 

[MyCatsDrool]

I have to put in a vote for a school of neon rainbows or some apistogrammas.

You should try to find a few more kuhlis...they really do prefer a school of about 3+

 

[TCTFish]

Alot of breeders have taken on breeding low pH species in high pH water...even discus, successfully (mainly in places where tap ater is high in pH like here in So. Cal., but the majority of the fish out there are still bred in their natural settings. Acclimation needs to be done slowly with any pH level for that just in case, because you might not know what pH value they were hatched in.

I still just prefer on a personal level not to pair cichlids in community tanks unless they are small like the GBRs and apistogrammas...even little African shell dwellers They're so cute...lol.

 

[DepotFish]

My ph is 8.6. Don't faint. I test the water that the stores send home with the fish in and its all high ph. I assume they are quite used to it and bred in the same ph as they come from apet inc. Even the loaches came from hard water.
The driftwood now is hardwood. I had grapevine for its looks, but the tanins never go away with that stuff. I also had some plants, but the buenos aires tetras made short work of them.
I didn't think of apistos. You think they would get along with everything?
I really wish I had a bigger tank for something like pictus cats. Beautiful. But my next huge tank is going for a midas cichlid.

 

[TCTFish]

I didn't think of apistos. You think they would get along with everything?

They should do fine, but I'd recommend getting a pair that aren't so small or juvenile so they can stand up to any bullying at first from the buenos aires tetras (depending on their size as well...if the buenos are small, then don't worry about it much).

I personally love the double orange apistos...great color on the males

OOooo...a red devil...lol...yeah...they do need a big tank for their big attitudes...LOL...very impressive fish to say the least.

BTW...it would be a good idea to tame the pH a bit. The water here where I'm at is high like that and yes, some fish are bred in high pH water...but very few and may or may not have affects on longevity. I'm sure there's still alot left to learn about acclimating fish to a different pH level than what they are evolved to withstand. Long acclimations for newbie fish with that high of a pH value I'd recommend. Try to get it at least down to 7.6 or 7.8. 8.6 is higher than marine and more like African cichlid water (there's a thought...). Neural Regulator is good or peat moss in the filter.

 

[fishb0ne]

Don't mean to thread hijack, but do dwarf gouramis go with neon tetras?

 

[TCTFish]

Don't mean to thread hijack, but do dwarf gouramis go with neon tetras?

Typically, they can go very well with each other, but I would highly recommend introducing the gourami after the neons are well established or gourami and neons introduced at the same time. This will lessen any risk of unwanted predation.

FYI...I have found the order of introduction (lesser aggressives in first) can make a huge difference between fish getting along with the newbie fish or newbie fish getting eaten or beaten up upon introduction.

Using this method, I've actually been able to have neons live with Angels without the neons being preyed upon. so if I can do that between angels and neons, you should do just fine with a dwarf gourami and neons

Do note...this is not fool proof...there are always exceptions, but I have found it to be very effective with most fish.