Ideas for a 30g!

[Davie]

Hey hey, I'm a complete beginner at fishkeeping and looking to start off with a 30g tank. I am looking for some ideas to stock it with...I have researched extensively..but there is so much selection..I just can't choose!

I really would like active daytime fish and as such I was thinking maybe 3 pictus cats with some other fish...heh

Can you give me some suggestions =)?

In terms of plants, is it worth me trying to grow them as a complete beginner?...I have noticed references to java plants being easy to care for so should I go for them?

Thanks very much =)

Davie

 

[jaglar]

Ive heard that Pictus can/might/will eat anything they are put in with. I have not had them though. (they are cool looking though!)
I personally am in love with puffers and loaches.
For the plants I would pick a really easy low light for starters! they can be really easy if you find the right one for your tank. (I donno about java, dont have it)

An welcome!

 

[Shaunna]

I am also new and I wanted to give live plants a go so I bought these bulbs in the fish stuff at wal-mart. You just drop them in there although they do better if you bury them and watch them grow. It takes them a little while to get started even though the package says 14 days. Once mine started it took it about a week to get to the very tip top of my tank. I am still waiting on the others to sprout. One has and I figure I can say the same for it this time next week. Really simple, really cheap. Doesn't hurt to try I always say. Good luck

 

[FroggyFox]

pictus cats are cool...but I'm afraid they get too big for even a 30g tank. They grow pretty fast, I've only had mine for 5 or 6 months and he's already more than doubled to be about 5 inches and probably will grow another 3-5 inches. They're so active that they need a ton of room to swim and I'm thinking when he gets much bigger he's going to need more space than my 46 can give him even.

Why dont you look around the site at other's signatures and see what they keep in 29 or 30 gallon tanks? There are a ton of options and sometimes the best thing to do is like you're doing with the research and questions, go see what your local store has and what catches your eye then come back and do some more research

If you like the pictus you'd probably like a smaller version like a julii cory? A school of those in your 30 with some other fish that lives more near the center/top of the tank would make for a nice active tank, and corys are a lot of fun to watch. Something cool about a 2 inch long catfish!

PS I just started with plants and both java fern and java moss are pretty low maintenance, low light plants so you could definitely start with those, assuming you dont get fish that will eat them?

 

[Davie]

Thanks for the information so far all

Hey froggyfox, I am in no way doubting your knowledge but are you sure that's a pictus cat you got there? Everywhere I look says a pictus cat grows only up to 4-5 inches adult size =/

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/catfish1/p/pictuscat.htm
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/pimelodi/pimelodu/276_f.php
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile70.html

etc

But thanks for the information so far =)

 

[geekrockgirl85]

i keep java moss, java fern, and cryptocorynes (red wendtii in my case, but all are pretty hardy and easy to keep) in my tank, and all seem to be flourishing. just make sure they get enough light each day. my boyfriend has also been feeding them a weekly supplement of aqua-plant food, but it seems like they were doing just fine before he started.

and as far as the pictus cats.. they are really cute, but if you double check the profile on badman's it suggests at least 48" of swimming room for them, which is 55 gallons.. almost twice the size of the tank you're looking at now. you may be able to keep one pictus in a 30gal but shoaling fish stay much happier when they have friends to school with. besides, the other choices to stock a community tank get very limited when you have to consider if they will be eaten.

i second froggy's suggestion of a few smaller cories. i have these guys(http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile18.html)in the albino variety, and they are very active (sometimes crazy!) and fun to watch.

as far as other fish to stock... female bettas do well in a community (and don't let anyone tell you they look dull and boring; i have seen little girls bloom with color once they get the proper care and swimming space they couldn't get in those tiny cups at the store!). gouramis are nice fish to look at as well, but some can be temperamental bullies. a small school of tetras, danios, or one of the less aggressive barb species might be a good addition as well.

i'm biased toward asian fish for the most part, but they are much easier to keep than most africans and s.americans (cichlids and otherwise) imo.

 

[fishbrain]

Pictus cats are beautiful but as others have said not recommended for a 30 gal. Maybe go with 1, some barbs (Rosy barbs perhaps), 1 gourami. Say away from small fish & other bottom-dwellers.

Link for low light plants.
http://plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=1&filter_by=2

Btw, you are to be commended for researching & asking questions as a beginner (better start than I got!). Picking an interesting fish & building a community around it is often recommended.

good luck & keep us posted

 

[Dragonett]

Pictus cats can get to nearly a foot in the wild, but usually don't exceed 5-6 inches in fishtanks. That still doesn't mean they don't require an abundance of room. They are very fast-moving fish, and fright easily. Not to mention, they can and will attempt to eat small fish such as neons and similar sized fish.