30 gallon long new tank for warm water fish. Help!

[Naughts]

2 GBR
6-8 sterbai
8-10 cardinals

 

[Colin_T]

Well, now I'm confused. LOL I thought GBRs liked soft water?

Blue rams/ German blue rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) come from soft acid water and do best in tanks with a pH around 7.0 or below, and a GH below 150ppm.

 

[Essjay]

A centerpiece type fish. Gourami? Suggestions welcome.

GBRs are usually considered to be a centrepiece fish

 

[MammaBearinTN]

GBRs are usually considered to be a centrepiece fish

I know. LOL I think they're gorgeous. I was thinking about one lone fish that would stay more in the mid-upper part of the water column, although my tank isn't really that tall.

 

[Fish4dawin]

2 GBR
6-8 sterbai
8-10 cardinals

This is a good start. Could probs increase cardinals to 15 maybe and 10 sterbais.

 

[mcordelia]

I would be careful to not overstock the tank, but what @Naughts suggested sounds reasonable to me, with the caveat that I'm not very familiar with these species. I am personally planning on getting some sterbais for my tank as well since they will be able to tolerate my parameters (relatively high GH, higher than acidic pH), so I can't comment on their fit for your params but I do like them a lot as a species!!

 

[Fish4dawin]

I would be careful to not overstock the tank, but what @Naughts suggested sounds reasonable to me, with the caveat that I'm not very familiar with these species. I am personally planning on getting some sterbais for my tank as well since they will be able to tolerate my parameters (relatively high GH, higher than acidic pH), so I can't comment on their fit for your params but I do like them a lot as a species!!

I agree with you @mcordelia. Probably 6 sterbais is good and I think I was wrong suggesting 15 cardinals. 10-12 is a better number.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

I would be careful to not overstock the tank, but what @Naughts suggested sounds reasonable to me, with the caveat that I'm not very familiar with these species. I am personally planning on getting some sterbais for my tank as well since they will be able to tolerate my parameters (relatively high GH, higher than acidic pH), so I can't comment on their fit for your params but I do like them a lot as a species!!

I agree with you @mcordelia. Probably 6 sterbais is good and I think I was wrong suggesting 15 cardinals. 10-12 is a better number.

Yes, I'm definitely going to keep just enough for them to feel safe in the tank. I hope 6 sterbais works out. Same for the cardinals. Probably 10.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

I would be careful to not overstock the tank, but what @Naughts suggested sounds reasonable to me, with the caveat that I'm not very familiar with these species. I am personally planning on getting some sterbais for my tank as well since they will be able to tolerate my parameters (relatively high GH, higher than acidic pH), so I can't comment on their fit for your params but I do like them a lot as a species!!

So, what other fish are you stocking?

 

[mcordelia]

I personally have 10 Black skirt tetras in quarantine right now, when they get moved to the 125 we will probably get 7 sterbais, and then after that probably another type of tetra, and then maybe blood parrot cichlids or firemouths. Kind of deciding as we go depending how everything starts to look and come together.

 

[Fish4dawin]

I personally have 10 Black skirt tetras in quarantine right now, when they get moved to the 125 we will probably get 7 sterbais, and then after that probably another type of tetra, and then maybe blood parrot cichlids or firemouths. Kind of deciding as we go depending how everything starts to look and come together.

Have you thought of blue acaras? They are usually quite peaceful but will defend their fry by chasing away inspecting fish.

 

[mcordelia]

Yes! EBA's are definitely on the list!