# fish plans for 30g need advice please



## Mattatbest (Sep 14, 2009)

ive been visisting my lfs to see what would be availabe to me and so far ive found some fish that i want to add to my planted tank, i just dont know if they are all compatible or too much. 

2german blue rams
1powder blue dwarf guarmi
1flame red dwarf guarmi 
neon tetras (dont know how much to get)
black phantom tetras (dont know how much to get)
spotted corys (dont know how much to get)
1 betta

this is what my wish list looks like so far so i can use some help if this sounds ok or not.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I'm not sure of the betta, but the others, I think, are fine.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Mattatbest said:


> 2german blue rams
> 1powder blue dwarf guarmi
> 1flame red dwarf guarmi
> neon tetras (dont know how much to get)
> ...


Get a M/F pair of rams.
I'd get one gourami, either color variety. They are bred for that color and are all males. 2 will likely annoy each other. 
Black phantoms I'd get at least 6 for a nice school. Beautiful fish, great choice!
Neons you can do 6-10 or so.
Cories I'd say 4-6.
I'd nix the betta because both him and the gourami are labyrinthfish and will likely not get along (betta will end up with torn fins).

Cycle with the black phantoms.

HTH!
GL!
Liz


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Do not cycle with fish. 

The fishless cycle will grow more than enough nitrifying bacteria to handle a full load of fish, all at the same time. 

Ditto the comments about Labyrinth fish. In a 30 gallon tank pick only one. A Betta could work, many do make good community fish as long as he has the top to himself. A single Gouramis is OK, but do not add more Gouramis or Bettas. 

In a 30 gallon I would go with:
(1) Show fish (Betta, Gourami...)
(1) School of mid-tank swimmers. The Black Phantoms (8-10) OR the Neon Tetras (12+).
Double check the temperature requirements, though. Neon Tetras are cooler water fish (low 70s), Dwarf Gouramis and Bettas are warm water fish (upper 70s to 80*F). 
(1) School of bottom fish. Cories are good. In a 30 gallon tank 5 would be fine.


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

Mattatbest- Though I agree cycling with fish can be rough on the fish, it's the best way to learn how to keep a fish tank. Learning curves are meant to help you learn. Fishless cycling takes away that. Unless you've kept fish tanks previously and understand stocking really well, I wouldn't recommend fish-less cycling. Just my $.02


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## Mattatbest (Sep 14, 2009)

thanks for the advice everyone im somewhat new to the freshwater scene ive had some success in reef tanks. i like the mix of fish Six and diana K suggested but i would still like to have german blue rams, is there a reason why you excluded them Diana k?


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## Six (May 29, 2006)

There's a HUGE difference between fishless cycling in reef and FW tanks. Reef tanks have bacteria colonies already implanted via live rock. That goes a looong way. FW tanks can be "seeded" with bacteria laden media, but it's no where near as foolproof an endeavor as using liverock in a reef. 

If you want to fish-less cycle a FW tank, try using bacteria laden media (don't use those products that say they are live bacteria colonies- it isn't the same and is likely old and dead due to being on the shelf). You still want to start with your most hardy fish (phantoms).

GL!


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I cycle with feeder guppies. The ones I get from my lfs carry endlers hybrids as feeder guppies, so at least they are not ugly fish. I pick them up for 12 for 1.50. You always get extras. While I do feel bad about the deaths, I'll end up keeping the survivors in the end.

Plus any that look really nice go right to my guppy tank!

Booyaaaa


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## demen45 (Mar 6, 2009)

I would eliminate the betta and the gouramis. The betta kill chase and beat the crap out of your other fish. Gouramis are know diggers so they'll uproot your plants. just my $.02


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## Mattatbest (Sep 14, 2009)

do angelfish and GBR get along?


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Mattatbest said:


> do angelfish and GBR get along?


Probally not.

I would not put a betta in a 30 gal tank, bettas have been breed and raised in those little bowls for a long time and putting one in 30 gals of water would wear him out and he will get sick and die! Everytime I put a betta in more that 3 gals of water it would get sick and die, maybe that's just my luck though. Perhaps if you worked him up to it, start small and slowly put him in a bigger and bigger tank, but that's a lot of work...I used to keep a lot of bettas, most that you can buy at your LFS are just from really crappy stock and would always die, after my fav one died, that had for about a year, I quite buying them and have not lost a fish since! Save yourself the 3 or 4 bucks and get somethng else. Or slperge and buy the betta a nano setup


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## Mattatbest (Sep 14, 2009)

thanks for you input PlantLady ive been hearing alot of that so i will decide to skip on the betta so far my stock list looks like this:
10 neon tetras
6 black phantoms
2 german blue rams
3 cory's
and maybe a few shrimps of some sort

any other recommendations would be much appreaciated


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