30g Questions

[IDunnoWhy]

Hey Everyone!

I have recently been given a 30g tank, approx dimensions are 36L x 16.5H x 12D (basic 30 )

I got everything with it, stand, hood, filter, heater etc. (just add fish) going to change the substrate though....pink just ain't my thing

Anyway, being that it's still a "small" tank I know my options are limited, but I want to do a species tank here.

What I DON'T want:

Angels (been there, done that)
Kribs (already have em')
Apistos
Rams
Discus (too small anyway)
Cons (already have em' and may end up in this tank anyway, if nothing else)
______________________________________________
What I DO want:

Color (bright, vibrant)
Activity (fun to watch)
Something other that "Dwarf" varieties (if suitable to this tank)

I'm not looking at breeding, if they do...great, if they don't....that's fine too.

OK that's about it, Suggestions?

BTW, your not going to break my heart if you tell me the tank's too small for anything. If nothing else it will make a great Convict home for my quickly maturing juvies

 

[big54bob]

AFRICANS
Gouramis
Pictus cat (the funnest fish to watch)

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Not many africans will fit bob. And i have a feeling since it was posted in the cichlid section that he wants cichlids....not gouramis and pictus cats.

I will think about it IDunno, nothing comes to mind just yet with those specs (Vibrant, fun to watch, and fits in a 30gal)

 

[Helena21]

how about some "dwarf" mbuna??

I LOVE my saulosi species tank, and you can have a small colony in your 30 They are such great fish! Very active and colourful. In most mbuna species the males tend to be very colourful, but the females are normally dull, brown colours, but not with saulosi! the males are blue with black barring and the females are bright yellow (if you didnt already know )

There are some other species of mbuna that could go in your tank such as Ps. demasoni and polits (which im pretty sure can go in a 30g) and they are also good options, although female demasoni are the same colour as the males and i've heard are very agressive. Polits are really nice fish too but the females are brown...

Obviously there are many other options, i was just giving you my favs

(if ive got any of that info wrong, cichlid fanatics, please correct me )

EDIT: Matt, have you forgotten those species! ^^^

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I did forget them yes. Would make a good species tank. The saulosi would give a very good color in the tank, especially with the males being blue while the females are yellow.

 

[IDunnoWhy]

Yes, I had thought about the Saulosi, but for some reason I thought they'd be too big, apparently not

My favorite LFS has a nice collection of those, perhaps I'll go take a closer look.

Any suggestions on total stocking? 4-6 or is that too much for a 30?

Male/female ratio? Best to have just 1 male and the rest female?

 

[SinisterKisses]

Dwarf mbuna: saulosi, demasoni, polits as mentioned...any of the cynotilapia afra species are dwarves that would do okay in a 30gal species tank...

Lake Tanganyika: Alto. calvus or compressiceps, though they're not very active, lol. Shellies/multies, some of the Neolamprologus species (brichardi, pulcher, etc). There are other tangs that will work too, just don't know them off hand.

 

[IDunnoWhy]

Wow, thanks guys! lots of suggestions...time to go research.

Some quick questions

Lake Malawi Mbunas.....Rock piles w/sand substrate is preferred correct?

is it the same style set up for a Lake Tanganyika species tank "aka" calvus and compressiceps habitat?

Also SK, Don't the calvus and compressiceps reach nearly 6" adult size? Would that still be suitable for a 30g or am I all wrong *twirlysmi

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Yes rocks all around. The clavus comps have a compressed body and they can easily get in the rockwork to hide from predetors or prey on the small fish hiding in the rocks.

A pair could live in the 30gal, though if you get them small just hang tight....very slow growers.

Generally speaking the Lake Tang species arn't as colorful but they do make up for it in behavior. So you would be sacraficing color for behavior if you went tang. You can acctually see Tangs thinking things out....i know it sounds strange but you would understand if you've watched them. Malawi tanks are just a busy color interstate....everything always moving and colors flashing.

 

[IDunnoWhy]

Another concern is that apparently both the Calvus and Compressiceps like "very hard" water (Cichlid-Forum Profiles section).....that's WAY not what comes from my faucet, would that be a problem? or would I need to somehow "harden" up my water?

 

[big54bob]

Lots of limestone for sure.

 

[SinisterKisses]

You can keep comps and calvus in a 30gal. I wouldn't suggest it otherwise My group of 6 are in a 33gal. They're subadults right now, but I'll be thinning out the group to one male and probably two females (but we'll have to see how the male takes to the girls first) as adults. Yes, Tang cichlids need very hard water. My water from the tap is unbelievable soft, so I have to manipulate the water for any of my african tanks - malawi or tang. I use Kent Cichlid Chemistry and Kent African Buffer to keep it up for the africans. Depending on what your water is like from the tap, you may not need to use chemicals to do it...limestone, crushed coral, etc. brings the pH and hardness up. Baking soda works wonders too.

Mbuna would prefer sand, yes, but gravel does work. Lots of rocks with lots of caves and hidy-holes for them. Tangs would be similar, but less caves and things. A lot of Tangs (such as the comps and calvus) love using shells for homes, so if you can find some large enough, put some of those in too

As for saulosi...you could probably aim for about 2 males, and 4-6 females in the tank.

 

[IDunnoWhy]

Thanks for the info SK *thumbsups

The time has come to do further research, then I'll decide on final stocking, the more I look at the tank, the more I think my Cons would really enjoy it too (I've gotten attached to the little terrors ), but we'll see.

 

[silver dollars]

Try some Neolamprologus sp. Those are cool looking and funny, and for the most part, colourful.