New 30 Gallon Tank

[T-RightFish71196]

Hi everyone!
I recently acquired a 30 gallon tank and need some help stocking it. I am hoping to fill the tank with mid sized cichlids (4-6 inches or so) I am particularly interested in convicts, jewels and blue acaras so my question is: will these 3 fish work in a tank of my size.....
my exact tank measurements are 100X30X40cm so it's actually a bit larger than the average 30 gallon tank.
If you have any useful advice for keeping cichlids or other cichlid set-ups that would be very helpful
I am not however, interested in keeping dwarfs or rift lake species so please don't bother mentioning them. Cichlid pairs are also not an option because i don't know anyone who will be willing to buy the fry from me.
Thanks again...

 

[Wills]

Simple answer is no those three would just end up being one jewel cichlid. Maybe a Blue Acara and a Rainbow Cichlid.

Wills

 

[GShorty1981]

A Jewel couldnt stand up to a Male Convict imo, i wouldnt mix them in a 30g

 

[T-RightFish71196]

Ah okay, slightly disappointed but oh well...
If i removed the jewel from the equation would the convict and blue acara be okay together or should i just scrap the whole idea
I also quite like the look of firemouths, salvinis and sajicas so if you have any interesting set-up ideas including any of them that would be great
Thanks anyway though for the fast replies

 

[onidrase]

The convict will probably destroy the blue acara. Blue acaras tend to be pretty docile. Honestly, it'll be a case to case thing on who would kill who, the convict or jewel. I've had nothing but bad eggs with both species, and they would not get along in a 30 gallon tank. You'll want to follow wills here, get either 2 medium sized docile species, or another idea is to get 1 aggressive species and some things to put around it which won't get killed. 30 gallons s is not enough territory for two aggressive species.

Firemouths IME do not get along well with others. For one, they're unpredictable in temperament, you either get a docile (rare) or a monster. For two, they tend to use bluff tactics when fighting other fish. They have rather weak jaws made for digging. if you pair them with a stronger jawed specimen like a convict, jewel, or otherwise, and they lip lock, you may end up with a broken jawed firemouth eventually causing a dead firemouth.

Salvinis are also nasty fish, I'd honestly avoid them. I don't know anything about sajicas, though.

 

[thereverendturtle]

If the tank is decorated with rocks, wood and some plants, a blue acara, a sajica and either a rainbow cichlid, or a small school of medium size tetras. Say 6 bleeding hearts or red eye tetras. That's my thoughts. Maybe wills can chime in on my suggestions.

 

[GShorty1981]

I would go for a pair of one of the species mentioned, Salvinis look amazing when breeding.

 

[dougie]

I would go for a pair of one of the species mentioned, Salvinis look amazing when breeding.

+1, pick your favourite & go for a pair. You could post it as a journal

 

[T-RightFish71196]

Some interesting ideas here. Thanks!
I would truly love to get a pair of breeding cichlids but unfortunately i have no idea what i would do with the fry, no one would buy them from me...
would two females of the same species work just as well as a pair; obviously i know they wont breed but will they interact and be compatible with eachother.

Thanks again everyone

 

[T-RightFish71196]

Also i have had another idea...
Would a single jack dempsey be able to live happily in a 30 galllon all to himself, or not? From what i have read, i have been geting many mixed opinions so i am a bit confused on what to beleive.
Thanks!

 

[GShorty1981]

No a JD needs a 75g minimum.

 

[dbanner]

There are people on this forum that keeping breeding pairs of jack dempseys in a 55 gallon successfully... If it was me then I wouldn't keep a single JD in anything less than a 55

 

[T-RightFish71196]

No a JD needs a 75g minimum.

Yeah i thought as much but i thought i'd ask anyway
i guess i'll stick to the mid sized ones

 

[star4]

Substitute your convict idea for a flier, same stripy sort of fish but very placid (small mouth too)

 

[T-RightFish71196]

Substitute your convict idea for a flier, same stripy sort of fish but very placid (small mouth too)

Don't fliers grow to about 8 inches? or am i thinking of something else?
8 inches is a bit too big for a 30 gallon with other fish in it aswell isn't it?
Please tell me if i am wrong.