Stocking Ideas/Advice for 30G High

[hojo]

I recently got a new tank to fit a really interesting custom indoor window like area of our house, and my idea is to make it a Southeast Asian Community Tank. Because it is in our downstairs living room and viewable by so many people, I really want this one to look good. Do any of you have any ideas of how to magnify the already unique window feature of the wall? It would be so cool to make it look like a porthole to an underwater view. Anyways, my initial stocking ideas are as follows:
1 Betta (we already have him, not sure on his temperament with other fish)
8-10 Harlequin Rasboras
3-5 Honey Gouramis
3-5 Kuhli Loaches
3 Clown Loaches
I'm planing on having one large piece of driftwood with Java Vern angled down towards the right with numerous Jungle Val in the background and maybe some smaller plants around the wood. Any thoughts/suggestions for stocking or aquascaping would be awesome!

Thanks so much everyone, this is exciting!

 

[Scottyhorse]

Take out the Clown Loaches, they get much too big sadly Also, a group of honey gouramis would probably fight since petstores usually only carry Males.

 

[flitabout]

I agree clown loaches need a 100g tank. Don't do gouramis and bettas together They are from the same family and will fight, the gouramis will also fight with each other.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I agree clown loaches need a 100g tank. Don't do gouramis and bettas together They are from the same family and will fight, the gouramis will also fight with each other.

I actually keep a male betta and a honey gourami in the same tank. They have their spiffs every once in a while but nothing too serious. It's never more than a 3 second chase. I guess it wouldn't work for everyone, but it works well for me.

 

[Fishperson]

Take out the clown loaches and add a small school of mid level fish. Maybe 6 Rosey Barbs would be good. Also, go with either a honey gourami or a betta.

Then you will be all set!

 

[siva]

I recently got a new tank to fit a really interesting custom indoor window like area of our house, and my idea is to make it a Southeast Asian Community Tank. Because it is in our downstairs living room and viewable by so many people, I really want this one to look good. Do any of you have any ideas of how to magnify the already unique window feature of the wall? It would be so cool to make it look like a porthole to an underwater view. Anyways, my initial stocking ideas are as follows:
1 Betta (we already have him, not sure on his temperament with other fish)
8-10 Harlequin Rasboras
3-5 Honey Gouramis
3-5 Kuhli Loaches
3 Clown Loaches
I'm planing on having one large piece of driftwood with Java Vern angled down towards the right with numerous Jungle Val in the background and maybe some smaller plants around the wood. Any thoughts/suggestions for stocking or aquascaping would be awesome!

Thanks so much everyone, this is exciting!

Clown loaches are an absolute no-go. Tank is WAY too small for them.

If your tank is a 30 XH it has the same footprint of a 20H but is taller. I would not consider mixing a betta with even a single gourami in a tank this size, let alone a group. Keeping a group of honey gouramis is tricky enough, especially if you aren't ordering them from someone who can properly sex them. The betta, harlequin rasboras, and kuhli loaches sound perfect. I'd go for atleast 5 kuhli's, loaches prefer groups atleast this size and will be much more fun to watch this way. Go for a smooth substrate like sand or round stones for the kuhli's. A schooler that will hang out in the lower half of the tank would round out your stock nicely since the rasboras will hang out higher up, something like a neon or glowlight tetra would be perfect. You could add another centerpiece fish as well, possibly a dwarf cichlid.

On a side note, I'm not sure if the betta is already in this specific tank but often times a larger power filter will create a flow that a betta can struggle with, especially male bettas because of their excessive finnage. If you are using a HOB filter you may need to baffle it. If your betta hangs at the bottom a lot and only surfaces when he must to take a breath this can indicate he is struggling too much with the filter.