Maintaining Healthy

[RedShark]

My 30 gallon is officially cycled

Best is, No losses!

My next challenge is to maintain a healthy and fun environment for my fish.
I have a 30g:

1 Rainbow Shark 3 inches long
6 Tiger Barbs each about 1 inch long

Filtration: 2 external Marineland bio whell filters. 1 is for 30g, the other is for 50g placed on either ends of the tank.

Gravel: 2 1/2 inches of medium sized rock gravel.

Decor: Two caves and two large synthetic plants on either side of tank, and one synthetic log and small plant in the middle.

Im looking to add one more different species to the tank to top it off and be complete. Over-filter and understocking is the route im taking
I would love to hear some suggestions as to which fish i can have as tank mates. BLood Parrot Cichlid was what i am thinking of right now. Has anyone had any experience working w/ Parrots and tiger barbs, sharks in same tank? Would they work well together>?

 

[GSD]

no to the parrots,they need a larger tank.Plus mine were constantly nipping.They get large and will proberbly eat the tiger barbs.

ive read that the shark will need a tank of at least 50gallons so your tank is too small if this is the case.Also i had one and it terrorised all of my fish smaller than it.If you look around google there are alot of comments also saying that they are bullies.They do attack and kill!It might be ok but watch all the fish carefully for nipping.They can turn on fish within minutes.

i would go for something small and active
how about
cories
khuli loaches
dwarf platies

 

[modernhamlet]

Given the current semi-aggressive inhabitants, your best bet would be one of the smaller, hardier cichlids . A pair of firemouths, rainbow cichlids, or perhaps kribs might work.

I agree the rainbow shark is likely to outgrow your tank though.

 

[RedShark]

http/www.elmersaquarium.com/c106community7silverdollar.htm

This was where i got the impression that blood parrots can fit a 30g and be okay with RainbowSharks and large tigerbarbs. :?

 

[modernhamlet]

http/www.elmersaquarium.com/c106community7silverdollar.htm

This was where i got the impression that blood parrots can fit a 30g and be okay with RainbowSharks and large tigerbarbs. :?

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Not the best, most accurate site out there... that page alone has more errors than I'd even think of addressiing. But that's just my opinion.

Regardless, these fish reach 7-8" within a couple of years. 50g is a fair minimum, IMO.

FYI, blood parrots are man-made hybrids and do not exist in nature. That matters to some folks, figured you'd want to know.

 

[MegTheFish]

Don't trust that site, they don't know much. They say that a blood parrot grows to only 8", when they can reach 12" (but thats only if they live their full lifespan).

A 30 gallon is way to small for a blood parrot, they need atleast a 55 gallon.

This site also says that a common pleco will only grow to 10" and that Koi will only grow to 12" (now THATS pathetic).

Edit: Ok, I just HAD to post this:
http/www.elmersaquarium.com/10gouramis_giant.htm

4.5"?!?!?!

 

[RedShark]

Phew, good thing i have you guys to credit these sources.
Yea i saw that too that blood parrots are painted, hence the shortened life span. I thinks thats stinks big time. Damn super nature
So you say stick with the smaller rainbow cichlids, spectacular looking specimen. About 1 would be sufficient for my aquarium, i think.

 

[IMCL85]

zebra loaches/cardinal tetra/rummy nose tetra

all this r great addition to any community tank peaceful/hardy fish.

 

[yvez9]

if you want fun cichlids, go with bolivian rams

they stay small (around 2-3 inches) but are quite funny to watch and quite colorful after they settle in (they look stale in stores)

I have 2 in my 50 gallon and they are awesome! they are quite peacful and don't bother other fish. in a 30 gallon though, you might want to stick with only one as they can get territorial around each other

and i tend to stay away from german blue rams or gold rams, which are a man made mutation of the bolivian ram. they are very prone to getting sick. i bought two and they died after about a month. another friend of mine had them and they got sick then passed the disease on to other fish.

 

[modernhamlet]

if you want fun cichlids, go with bolivian rams
...
and i tend to stay away from german blue rams or gold rams, which are a man made mutation of the bolivian ram. they are very prone to getting sick. i bought two and they died after about a month. another friend of mine had them and they got sick then passed the disease on to other fish.

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Blue rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) and the gold color variant are actually a different species than the bolivian ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosa) and are not a hybrid. I do agree though that they are much more disease and stress prone than bolivians, primarily due to poor breeding practices by Asian producers.

I'd personally prefer to keep rams of any sort with calmer, more peaceful tankmates, though I imagine they'd hold their own just fine.