Fishless Cycle And Prospective Fish

[Stephensd30]

I'm in the process of doing a fishless cycle and I'm researching my prospective new fish. I have a 30 gal aquarium, heater, filter, silk plants, hiding places, floating thermometer, etc..... My tap water's pH is around 7.6. I've been reading and looking and reading and reading....

Here's the list of prospective fish I have come up with. Please take a look and see if they all seem capatible to you. Any other suggestions??


Silver Dollars
Bala Sharks
Zebra Danios
Platys
Cherry Barbs

The other important thing is I have a violet goby (dragonfish) that I will have to move into the tank after I am sure it is stable with the new fish in it. My goby is in with my ACF right now and while they seem to be doing ok together, I can't leave him in there because the tank is too small. The goby and ACF were the only ones I was able to rescue from my tank disaster.

I originally posted this in the wrong spot and I received advice about not putting the Bala's and SD's in my tank because they would out grow it. Is there any other fish that are beginner friendly that I could put with the others?

 

[Durbkat]

Silver dollars need at least a 75 gallon and in a group of at least 3, bala sharks need a 80 or 85 gallon tank and need to be in a group of at least 3 the rest of the fish are compatible and should be fine in there but I'd recommend is 5-6 black widow tetras to add to the tank and a bristlenose pleco. Also with the platys you will need 1 male for every 3 females so that would mean you'd need to know how to sex them.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Silver dollars need at least a 75 gallon and in a group of at least 3, bala sharks need a 80 or 85 gallon tank and need to be in a group of at least 3 the rest of the fish are compatible and should be fine in there but I'd recommend is 5-6 black widow tetras to add to the tank and a bristlenose pleco. Also with the platys you will need 1 male for every 3 females so that would mean you'd need to know how to sex them.

Another way is to keep a single sex group (if males at least 5, to spread aggression). Platies are dead easy to sex, just look at the anal fin, the male has a rod-like gonopodium, the female a triangular fin-looking fin.

Danios, platies and cherry barbs should be fine. Say 7 danios, 3 cherry barbs and 5 platies. Or if you cut down a bit on the numbers (not fewer than 6 danios though) you could fit in a bristlie; I agree with Durbkat that the tank could do with a bottomdweller.

 

[chrismr]

How about swordtails rather than platys? A bit more active, nicer looking, and very easy to sex