30 gallon stocking?

[WinterWind]

I am about to upgrade my 10 gallon to a 30 gallon. It's dimensions are 30" long, 13" wide, and 19" high. I already have 4 cories and 1 betta in my 10 gallon. I was planning to either put 6 schooling fish (black neons or harlequins), and a pair of blue rams to go with my betta and 4 cories. If I did that, could I add more fish? My second option would be to go with fish that are a little larger. I would still have my betta and cories, but I would add a pair of blue rams, a pearl gourami (do they have to be in pairs?), and maybe a few more medium-sized fish (suggestions)? Which one would work better? Thanks.

 

[blasterman]

Pearl Gouramis are the mildest of the family and generally not as aggresive as the common blue/gold. The males are very, very pretty, and while they don't require a female, they aren't too terribly nasty towards them if you have a pair.

Nice fish BTW - my approval.

I tend to mix fish in community tanks according to strata - basically the levels they 'hang out'. The Gouramis tend to hang around the surface while the Cory's forage around the bottom. So, you need a medium level fish. Personally I'm not a fan of neon's, but I like Harlequins.

A pair of bala sharks will also school, and if you get them small enough, won't outgrow a 30gal.

I prefer Kribensi's over Blue Rams for a small, pretty chichlid that doesn't act like a rift lake psychopath. Kribi's are hardier than rams, but...it's merely a personal preference.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Try the addition of the black neons or rasboras first, then decide if you want to add anything else to the tank. Personally, I'd stick with the betta, 4 cories, and 6 small tetras or white clouds plus some ghost shrimp.

A pair of bala sharks will also school, and if you get them small enough, won't outgrow a 30gal.

In order to stunt a fish' growth, you'll need to provide poor water quality, insufficient diet, or both; ultimately causing poor health and reduced lifespan.

Fish will not, will not, grow with relation to tank size. Undersized tanks make it easy to provide poor water quality, contributing to the myth that fish growth is limited by space.

You cannot properly house a bala shark through adulthood in a 30 gallon tank if you want any semblence to natural behavior or appearance.

 

[WinterWind]

Can I add red-tailed sharks instead of the balas then? DO they grew smaller?

 

[Raskolnikov]

Red tail sharks tend to be very territorial, especially towards their own kind. If you want to try them, just make it a single specimen.

 

[zave2340]

wont the red tail nip at the betta? what fish wont nip at a betta for that matter

 

[WinterWind]

I would like a peaceful tank. Would the blue rams nip at the betta?

 

[blasterman]

You cannot properly house a bala shark through adulthood in a 30 gallon tank if you want any semblence to natural behavior or appearance.

What a load of crud.

 

[blasterman]

You cannot properly house a bala shark through adulthood in a 30 gallon tank if you want any semblence to natural behavior or appearance.

What a load of crud. If I wanted to keep fish to resolve their 'natural behaviour' I wouldn't own two 75gal aquariums and a 55 reef. Tetras and gouramis like sitting in a 30gal box more than Bala's may I ask?

Balas are slow growers, and if purchased small won't out grow a 30 gal for years. While a 30gal is the smallest tank for this fish I'd suggest, it's beats force fed propoganda that you can't have anything larger than 'bait fish' in a 30gal.

I should also note the common practice of aquarists housing goldfish and plecos that grow to the size of wisconsin corn fed bullheads in 20 gals.

 

[Raskolnikov]

Tetras and gouramis like sitting in a 30gal box more than Bala's may I ask?

Regardless of the "personal preference" of any particular fish, full grown tetras have no problem turning around in a 13" wide tank. The same can't be said of full grown bala sharks.

I should also note the common practice of aquarists housing goldfish and plecos that grow to the size of wisconsin corn fed bullheads in 20 gals.

And? It's common practice for many aquarists to simply buy new fish every other week to replace recurring mortalities due to ignorance. That in no way vindicates the practice.