30gal stocking

[Nic W]

k, so, got this 30gal, all it has in it is 6 pristella tetras...
what should I do?
I was thinking adding 6 more Pristellas... but, what should I add as the centerpiece fish??

**Edit** I was looking at these golden pristellas and theyre pretty cool looking, thinking of adding 6 of thoe to throw some variety into the school...

[Nic W]

Well, I added a trio of gouramis today... as well as 4 golden pristellas.... any thing else? what about corydoras hastatus (sp?)

[Cholly]

Cories would give you some movement at the bottom, if that's what you're looking for.

Edit: What kind of gouramis? Some get quite large, kissers for example, get up to 12-14 inches.

[Nic W]

now Chol.. you know I know my gouramis, lol... these are the gold color variation of the ever popular three-spot gouramis... I was going to get some T. leeri, but, they were out, I love my pearls, but, I have no patience lol

[ekltestevez]

Hi Nic,
I have a leopard bush fish. Gourami's are listed as tankmates for them, but My bush fish gets up to 5-6 in.
What kind of gourami's are at least 4 in. when full grown?

[Nic W]

hmmm, 3 spots (come in blue, gold, or opaline coloration), moonlights would be good, pearls also, there ya go

[ekltestevez]

Cool ...
whatever I choose, would 1 be ok or should I buy a couple?

I've heard you should buy more than one, but then i heard they will pick on each other?
and I don't want to over stock my tank. Its a 55 with a bush fish  and I still have to get some cory's and a small algea eater. I have a 170 filter on it.

[Nic W]

you want atleast 3, with one male, and two females... Im the king of over stocking, but, all my fish are healthy so, Im fine lol

you could also do dwarfs, you have regular, powder blue, flame, etc.... those 3 types can be found at Petsmart, but, they only have males... they are more peaceful than theyre larger cousins, so, you could keep 3 or 4 males together in a tank of that size with out issues, theyll just stake out theyre own real estate basicaly...
keep me updated, I love my gouramis....

oh, and, incase you dont know... never mix labrynth fish, you never want bettas, gouramis, paradise fish, etc in the same tank, just one or the other

[Nic W]

So, I know this post is dead as all get out... BUT since the 30 is running beautifuly, I guess I could do an update. no?
Lets see.... there are:
9 pristellas, 6 reg, 3 gold
1 orange von rio flame tetra (he schools with the pristellas, he seems happy, and Ive had him for, 4 or 5 years now and have grown quite attached to him)
2 multies, tryin gto pawn these off on someone, but he wont answer my PM
1 j. regani kipili
2 gold (3 spot gouramis)
uhhhhhhhh.... I think thats it, I have the light off, so Im not sure but Im pretty sure that is it...


now for good news... the 55 in storage is singing to me...
oh ever what shall I do to it?

I was thinking a species tetra tank...
either cardinals or b. briggitae (sp?)
probably do it planted with low groung cover plants completely covering the bottom and a few huge driftwood pieces on each end... sound delicious? any and all suggestions will be taken and weighed...

[Yipee]

Oh so a species tetra tank? The problem with cardinals is that no matter how I look at them, they don't look like any sort of center piece, just calefares in a movie(even though they're cute). Mosquito rasboras are kinda cool and I feel they are those fish who do great in a species tank because they are tiny and inappropriate teammates might just devour them. You could mix them with some otos or corydoras hasbrosus. Have you considered using riccia as foreground and crypts as midground? Then you could have a ludwigia forest or a vallies forest at the back. A driftwood in the center wood look great. Some big aquarium decor might also look great if put in the center. I like the idea of hude driftwood on each end. Rather than placing one hude driftwood, maybe you could gather lots of small pieces and silicone them together to make some sort of mega caves containing lots of crevices.