Help a noob out choosing fish for a 30 gal

[BagelDog]

I think the best way to go about picking fish for your tank is to first establish what you are going to make your tank look like. Some tanks have tons of rock work, some have a lush garden of aquatic plants, some have gobs of tacky manmade decorations and some are practically bare bottom. (My first tank had an Obi Wan Kenobi action figure in it, so I was guilty of that too)

Certain fish thrive in certain conditions just like certain fish thrive with agreeable tank mates. Or like someone suggested earlier, pick your "centerpiece" fish and work the tank and other fish around that.

So, what'll it be?

 

[RDTigger]

I think the best way to go about picking fish for your tank is to first establish what you are going to make your tank look like. Some tanks have tons of rock work, some have a lush garden of aquatic plants, some have gobs of tacky manmade decorations and some are practically bare bottom. (My first tank had an Obi Wan Kenobi action figure in it, so I was guilty of that too)

Certain fish thrive in certain conditions just like certain fish thrive with agreeable tank mates. Or like someone suggested earlier, pick your "centerpiece" fish and work the tank and other fish around that.

So, what'll it be?

If he chooses a harry Potter figurine as his centerpiece and puts glo-fish in it...society is doomed....:duh:


PS-Obi-Wan Kenobi is awesome, but R2-D2 is the shiznit...Carry on...:Angel:

 

[froglover007]

I would do an apistogramma species, some small south american tetra species, and a small pleco species. Not sure about the bottom dwellers, but corys would work if you got at least three. Now all you have to do is find your "centerpiece"

 

[RDTigger]

I would do an apistogramma species, some small south american tetra species, and a small pleco species. Not sure about the bottom dwellers, but corys would work if you got at least three. Now all you have to do is find your "centerpiece"

Speaking of smaller CA/SA Cichlids.. How bout some ram's!!!

GBRams... "I am colorful and small!"

 

[fork]

So in an interesting turn of fate, I found a good deal on a complete tank setup. 29 gallon, stand, filter, 2 old filters, extra light, heater oh and 1 adult male and a complete brood of about 20 firemouth cichlids :nilly:

Heres some crappy phone pics



I know this is way too many for the tank, but I think they're doing fine since they grew up this way. I'm surprised at how much of a size difference there is between the ones that were all born at the same time. They range from about 1.25" to 3" The daddy is pretty cool looking. Oh and there is also a bristle nose pleco.

I'm still trying to decide if I want to get rid of them all and start from scratch, git rid of most and add other fish. I'm concerned if I get rid of all but 1-3, they will torment whatever I add because they've already established their territory. Any way I'm happy with it, the driftwood in the tank is really cool, and the gravel is kind of bad, just looks like a dirty brown color.

Here a question how much/ how often should I feed them. I've got omega one small cichlid pellets. Also some other food that says grow pellets with spirulina, could this be for the pleco. I'm going to ask the previous owner tomorrow.

 

[FindingBlemo]

The usual, feed them twice a day feeding them as much as they can eat in 5 minutes, scoop out all uneaten food. Make sure with cichlids, that you clean the substrate more frequently then with other fish. Big fish, big feces.

 

[RDTigger]

The usual, feed them twice a day feeding them as much as they can eat in 5 minutes, scoop out all uneaten food. Make sure with cichlids, that you clean the substrate more frequently then with other fish. Big fish, big feces.

True dat.. They look severely stressed tho. Mine are much darker, the largest being almost black.


And LOL, Harry Potter. Love the sig....:clap:

 

[fork]

Yeah I saw some glo fish at the store today, they're not for me. But I am still going to put my harry potter action figure in there.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

In my opinion a 29 with adult firemouthes in it makes adding more fish a bit of a stretch. The parents are awfully small for firemouthes too. At least, I thought they got about 6 inches? Of course, I find my biggest problem with getting fish is a reliable source where I can get a large variety of healthy fish, as opposed to fish that die well within the guarrantee. So you already have some good healthy fish.

If I were you I would trade in/sell the young firemouthes, and the adults as well if you aren't planning to get semi agressive tankmates. A free bristlenose is an awesome deal, they're tough, easy on the eyes, love algae and breed readily in material as cheap as 1.5" PVC. I would get a couple more, or if it's old enough to be sexed, a mate. The young are easy and fun to raise, and easy to sell.

As for colourful fish, I love my ember tetras, and they've been through hell. Not even 1" long but taller bodied than neons and the like. They kind of glow like embers, which is obviously how they got their name. Quite cheap as well. I seem to never see embers any more, only flame tetras, which are vaguely similar I believe. Sharper colours, more silver to them, a bit larger. Microrasboras are nice, I think they're supposed to fair pretty well but I haven't got any experience with healthy ones to back that up.

As for cories, peppered, bronze, sterbai, panda, any of the species sold under "leopard" are all hardy fish (if you can find healthy pandas that is). Pygmies are nice too, but are very shy. Other bottom feeders you might consider are upsidedown catfish (who get about 4") or raphael catfish (you wouldn't see them much, but they're some of the few bottom feeders that don't need schools. They may snag small fish though). Cherry shrimp are nice, small and colourful. A bit too small for firemouths, but fine with anything else. As there are probably more people breeding them than there are not keeping them, you'll find them for sale in the classifieds ranging from 0.50$ to 1$.

Good luck with your tank, make sure you plant it and don't put in a Harry Potter figure that can leak toxins in and kill your fish

 

[Jspigs]

Good luck with your tank, make sure you plant it and don't put in a Harry Potter figure that can leak toxins in and kill your fish

:iagree:

Make sure anything you put in your tank is fish safe.



Also if you decide to start from scratch and clean out the tank DON'T USE SOAP IT IS TOXIC TO FISH!