Fish for 30 gallon tank

[raquelds]

Hello all! So I have my 30 gallon tank set up with some fish in it already. It's a SeaClear acrylic aquarium with an Eclipse 3 hood (filter, biowheel, and lights).

Here's what is in it so far (please forgive my mixing of common names and scientific names):

1 rosy barb
2 yellow barbs ("banana" barbs?)
3 brilliant rasboras
1 yellow labidochromis
1 brichardi
1 satanoperca jurupari
1 tretocephalus

And here is a picture of the tank's setup/decorations:

After I take a water sample and make sure it's reasonable to add more fish, what kinds would you recommend? I want a greater number of smaller fish, rather than a few big fish. But not as small as the rasboras. Also, I never seem to know how many plants to put in... Does this look like enough? Thanks!

 

[yvez9]

You could try tetras. Glowlights, black phantom
You could maybe try rams also, although i wouldn't recommend more than 4

 

[keane]

am i being daft here (??) a little off topic i know but that looks small for a 30 gallon tank. what are the dimensions?

my tank is 4 ft long, 1 ft deep and 15" high and i keep getting told that mine is 30 gallon!

any advices??

tbr

 

[rich]

There's a facility on this site to calculate exactly that. It's the volume calculator on the home page.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

1 rosy barb
2 yellow barbs ("banana" barbs?)
3 brilliant rasboras
1 yellow labidochromis
1 brichardi
1 satanoperca jurupari
1 tretocephalus

(approx.) final sizes:
rosy barb -- 2 inches
golden barb? -- 2 inches
brilliant rasbora -- 3 inches
yellow lab -- 4 inches and can be aggressive
brichardi -- between 5 and 3.5 inches, depending on the precise species
satanoperca jurupari -- 6 inches, possibly more (Demon Eartheater?!?)
tretocephalus -- 5.5 inches

so eventually you will have 35 inches of fish, more or less. you'll be plenty stocked, especially with those four chiclids (although it looks like "Demon Eartheater" is a bit of a misnomer.)

however, you probably have two or three years before those final sizes will be reached. in the meantime, you could add some smaller, short-lived fish. guppies would probably work well, as would two or three bumblebee gobies. (warning: bumblebees are impossibly cute, but have very small mouths and picky appetites. they are quite difficult to feed sometimes.)

also: zebra/leopard danios, platys, or mollies (sail-fins grow to 5 inches!)

i must congratulate you on your choices in color -- those are some very attractive chiclids you've selected. subtle, but very pretty. (i love both varieties of brichardis, beautiful highlights. )

 

[sylvia]

I don't think some of those cichlids make good community fish. Particularly the malawian yellow labs - I don't think any tetras will last particularly long and any new additions need to be able to handle aggression (so no rams or guppies etc). Also, the water requirements of all those fish are vastly different... I don't think you should add more fish though anyway. Just wait and see what happens. You may have room for new fish pretty soon from my experiences.

 

[littlefishie]

I agree.. shouldn't the yellow labidochromis be in a species tank?

 

[FrAnK3333]

Not really a species tank, an african cichlid tank. And the tank in the picture doesnt look to me to be a 30 gallon.

 

[littlefishie]

That's what I meant, actually.. My apologies, it's been a stressful day.

Best bet is to either go all cichlid tank [make sure you only buy species from one lake, as they'll fight otherwise], or trade your cichlids in at the LFS and go for a nice, peaceful community tank.

Probably the number one suggestion for a community is a school of 6 harlequin rasboras. You could also consider corydoras catfish. I have pandas in my tank [I only have two because one died, but my LFS just got in a new batch so I might get another tomorrow] but they're rather sensitive. Peppered cories might be a nice choice. A friend of mine has three in a 25 gallon and they're tied as his favourite fish.

Have you considered any other type of tetra? I know of people who've cycled with bleeding heart tetras, as well as red-eyed and rummynose tetras, and they've proven to be hardy. Another friend cycled with bleeding hearts and she still has them 2 years later.

Good luck!

 

[Teelie]

Looks more like a 10 or 15 gallon to me. Too small for the chiclids at least and they are an aggressive fish.

 

[raquelds]

Thank you all for your suggestions. As for the size of the tank, it is an actual 30 gallon (not 29 gallon). The measurements are 30"W x 12.5"D x 18"H. I have my 10 gallon next to it, and I can assure you, it's definitely not the same size!

I was going for a semi-aggressive tank. I've definitely heard some conflicting opinions on keeping cichlids from the same lake only, and others who say all semi aggressives are fine with all other semi aggressives. Your suggestions have been really helpful though, and I will do some more research and let you know how it turns out.

 

[snorkel]

Hello all! So I have my 30 gallon tank set up with some fish in it already. It's a SeaClear acrylic aquarium with an Eclipse 3 hood (filter, biowheel, and lights).

Hi,
I just ordered a SeaClear 40 gal tall eclipse compatible, I won't get it for two weeks, but I can't find any pictures of what it looks like without the top.
Does it have a solid top with cut outs for the eclipse hardware?

Thanks,

Snorkel

 

[raquelds]

Nope, the whole top is open. By "Eclipse compatible" they mean that its a standard aquarium size so the Eclipse hoods should fit on them. Mine is all open except a piece of acrylic at the top in the middle, running from the front to the back of the tank (for support I guess).

 

[metfan581]

Hi
raquelds
you have a nice looking tank
however
if i were you i would
berry th bottom
of the plants
in the gravel
otherwise it looks GREAT

 

[Fishy411]

am i being daft here (??) a little off topic i know but that looks small for a 30 gallon tank. what are the dimensions?

my tank is 4 ft long, 1 ft deep and 15" high and i keep getting told that mine is 30 gallon!

any advices??

tbr

yurs is 37.4 gallons.