30 gallon ideas? Fish interactions?InquiringMindWantsToKnow!

[mgkaelen]

hey guys; just thought i would list what kind of fish i want/have... maybe you can tell me if there will be bad interactions with them or not. i know i need to do some reading on my own, but i like to have some friends to talk about fish with! i'm pretty sure that loaches and plecos like shrimp sometimes, but i don't knowfor sure. so far i only have 3 danios and 10 tetras that i'm going to sell back to my lfs:

freshwater, 29 gallon tank:
1 black ghost knifefish
1 school white danios (about 5)
2 kuhli loaches
1 or 2 shrimp
1 or 2 small african frogs
1 electric blue crayfish
2 plecos of some sort eventually (unless i can find some other bottom feeders i like)
and some bright fishies that are red or orange for some color

i think i've overcrowded it a lot, but i am just guessing that some of these fish aren't going to get along.. i've read that knifefish are peaceful, but also that they make fish "disappear". haha. thanks in advance for your help.

 

[ferret]

Black Ghost Knife is one of the smaller knife fish but still will grow too large for your tank I believe. The smallest ghost knives I know of are 8 inches, I believe. Can't remember if those are the Blacks or the Browns, but a 29 gallon is still a bit small for an 8 inch fish to get around efficently.

Electric blue crayfish will eat the african frogs for sure, and anything else it can catch that sits still for extended amounts of time (PLECOS).

Look at my signature for some suggestions

EDIT: Oh btw, don't entirely trust my signature The pink kissing gourami is a 'visitor' and will leave the tank eventually. He grows to 12 inches, but is still under four at this time.

 

[e-cat]

your knife will out grow the tank and eat every one that is in the tank, most likely at night.

 

[madasafish]

Yep, BGKs aren't actually that small when fully grown. Most reach 15+ inches. Some sites say about 18 inches max (www.fishbase.org, www.liveaquaria.com).

=pretty big!!

 

[tkos]

Khulie loaches need at least a group of 3 if not more. Make sure to get a dwarf pleco as the common ones will grow to 18 inches or more. Look for something like a bristlenose pleco. Get rid of the crayfish or get another tank just for him. They are cool but can end up being more of a problem then are worth.

A good, cheap and fun to watch orange fish is a platy. Get a couple of them. Don't get goldfish.

 

[Tigerlily]

For zippy orange fish - can't beat the tiger barbs! I have a school of 10 in my 29 gal, and they are so much fun! You'd have to be careful with tankmates though. Nothing with long fins. You'd be OK with the danios and I doubt they'd be interested in the loaches or a pleco either. If you get tigers, get a school of at least 6, they'll be much happier.