30 gal

[sieski]

I have my 30 gal tank about to be set up.

I'm looking for stocking ideas. I intend to keep about 5 male guppies in there and 3 mollies. I'd like 1-3 large colourful fish to go in with them.

Thinking of shrimp instead of plants as my apple snails just demolish what ever plants i put in my 15g!

How do I do the substrate for a planted tank? i Do want it graveled
Suggestions on a post card!

 

[DragonFish71]

Stocking: With guppies and mollies I go with dwarf gouramis. They aren't too big, but have great color and for the tank size they should be fine.

Shrimp: I'm preferable to ghost shrimp or bamboo shrimp. Bamboos are filter feeders, they filter stuff out of the water. They don't damage plants or attack fish.

Substrate: Activ-Flora is good, so is eco- complete, they are pre-conditioned for planted tanks. Or you can go with regular gravel, which does have more color choices. Even sand will work for planted tanks, but then it's a question of what type of filtration you're using.

 

[taylorodw]

I'll second the DGs. They're labyrinth fish so they're active, moving from top to bottom of the tank and back again. Will look good as they're a different shape from guppies and mollies.

I'll let other posters talk to you about Molly water conditions as I've never kept them, but I believe they are intended for brackish water.

 

[sieski]

I'll second the DGs. They're labyrinth fish so they're active, moving from top to bottom of the tank and back again. Will look good as they're a different shape from guppies and mollies.

I'll let other posters talk to you about Molly water conditions as I've never kept them, but I believe they are intended for brackish water.

Well I got em in freshwater at the moment and they growing fine. Apart from one. I got them off a bloke who advertised them and this is his 7th batch of babies and he keeps his mollies in freshwater no salt.

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere about adding salt for health reasons, but if I was to be shown not to researched enough I'd add salt. Only had them 3 weeks myself though.

 

[mfdrookie516]

i always keep some aquarium salt in my community tank... from what ive heard, its good for pretty much all fish, especially mollies... i have guppies, mollies, tetras, platties, and cory cats in mine and they all are growing exceptionally well and way more active since i added the aquarium salt... but if you do add salt, make sure its aquarium salt, not saltwater salt... and dissolve it in a container and add slowly...

 

[HN1]

Aqaurium salt is useless IMO. FW fish do not need salt of any type. It's an added sale for the LFS only. This myth is as bad as the "inch per gallon" garbage that continually pops up. JMO.

As far as the Dwarf Gouramies go... I'd skip them. They are great fish, but unless you can get them from an actual breeder the chances are high that they will die within a few months time. The stock is terrible because of hormones used to create males which are the more colorful. I'd be willing to bet that nearly every (if not 100%) of the DGs available at the major chain stores are males. Also, regardless of the color variant (blue neon, red flame, magical electric aqua super-made up name, etc.) they are in fact the same species, colisa lalia. They do not do well with other gourami unless you can find females and create a MFF trio.

I'd suggest 2-3 apistos or rams, a pearl gourami, etc. as a centerpiece fish for a 30G. They would also keep any fry population in check.

 

[sieski]

Aqaurium salt is useless IMO. FW fish do not need salt of any type. It's an added sale for the LFS only. This myth is as bad as the "inch per gallon" garbage that continually pops up. JMO.

As far as the Dwarf Gouramies go... I'd skip them. They are great fish, but unless you can get them from an actual breeder the chances are high that they will die within a few months time. The stock is terrible because of hormones used to create males which are the more colorful. I'd be willing to bet that nearly every (if not 100%) of the DGs available at the major chain stores are males. Also, regardless of the color variant (blue neon, red flame, magical electric aqua super-made up name, etc.) they are in fact the same species, colisa lalia. They do not do well with other gourami unless you can find females and create a MFF trio.

I'd suggest 2-3 apistos or rams, a pearl gourami, etc. as a centerpiece fish for a 30G. They would also keep any fry population in check.

Is this hormone issue a USA thing. We don't have glo fish in the UK as its practice is deemed illegal. I know My LFS will NOT buy dyed fish and are quite strict on asking about tank, tank mates and water sample before selling fish. These are the type of LFS we need more of IMO

As for your suggestions I'll take them onboard thanks.

As for the salt issue another case of 2 different opinions nothing concrete though lol. Oh well I'll have to keep and eye on them and see how they doing.

 

[mfdrookie516]

sieski, id take the word of HN1, hes been doing this way longer than me, im still new at it, that was just my opinion, who knows, maybe it wasnt the salt that perked them up? if he says its not necessary, dont waste the money on it... i trust his judgement way better than mine

 

[HN1]

Is this hormone issue a USA thing. We don't have glo fish in the UK as its practice is deemed illegal. I know My LFS will NOT buy dyed fish and are quite strict on asking about tank, tank mates and water sample before selling fish. These are the type of LFS we need more of IMO

As for your suggestions I'll take them onboard thanks.

As for the salt issue another case of 2 different opinions nothing concrete though lol. Oh well I'll have to keep and eye on them and see how they doing.

The hormones are used in the Asian farms that produce most of the fish for the hobby. I can't speak to UK laws at all, but I'd suspect their import is allowed there as well. AFAIK though, the E.U. does seem a bit ahead of the US where it comes to most animal rights and protection so who knows... The salt thing is actually proven. It irritates the fish and that in turn promotes them to create slime coat to ward off the irritation. It's that which produces any benefit at all. To me though, it's like someone constantly seeking out a minor cold to try to strengthen their immune system.

sieski, id take the word of HN1, hes been doing this way longer than me, im still new at it, that was just my opinion, who knows, maybe it wasnt the salt that perked them up? if he says its not necessary, dont waste the money on it... i trust his judgement way better than mine

No worries mfd. It just happens that DGs and aquarium salt are two of the areas that I started with the hobby and have read the most on. I'm still a total rookie with a lot of stuff... that's the great thing about aquaria, there's always more to learn and enjoy!

 

[FishEggs]

i've never used salt myself (except in the treatment of ich in a quarantine tank) and all my fish are doing great. i figure if it's not necessary why use it. much like those cure all elixirs that were sold in the early 1900's.

 

[artgalnj]

I just read an interesting article in Practical Fishkeeping magazine about dwarf gouramis. According to the article, some stores are choosing not to sell the fish because some of the imported fish seem to be carrying some type of virus. The magaizine states "in the case of gouramis the problem may lie with a virus". Seems as though Australian scientists bought a large bactch of dwarf gouramis from aquariums shops, where the gouramis had been imported from Singapore. They found that nearly a quarter of them were harbouring a new virus now known as dwarf gourami Iridovirus. It apparently causes lethargy, loss of appetite and darkening of color. They say the virus seems to be able to be passed on to other fish via the water column and gouramis are not the only ones susceptible to the disease.

Personally, I never had any luck with gouramis, they also seemed to die rather quickly.