Nano tank stocking ideas / Help please!

[Andrew88]

Hi

I’m having a hard time figuring out what fish to put in my 30litre (believe that is 8 US gallons) tank and would really love some help. Tank dims: 32 x 32 x 32 cm.

TBH I think the tanks small footprint makes fish stock choice a like tricky.?

The tank is around two years old so well cycled, currently empty, pH around 6.8 and dH around 6.

Used house green neons and black ottos with success, looking for something a little different but don’t fancy a betta to be honest.

I love the looked of cherry barbs, white clouds, rummy nose tetras but believe they all need more swimming space, so have kinda ruled them out in my head.

My thoughts were a single Honey Gourami with a small group of Harlequin Rasbora. So in effect a “centre piece fish” with smaller shoaling fish. Maybe Corydoras habrosus would be an option too?

Has anyone had experience with a similar set up, agree/disagree if this would work or make any other stocking suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Slaphppy7]

Too small for gouramis, harleys, cherrys, rummys, and WCMMs...ember tetras would work, and/or shrimp

Pygmy corys would work, on a sand substrate

 

[OliveFish05]

You could consider a trio of Pea Puffers!

 

[Essjay]

Honey gouramis need a bigger tank; harlequin rasboras need a swimming length of 60 cm or more; and dwarf cories need at least 45 cm swimming room.
I have a tank just a tiny bit smaller than yours (it's a 30 cm cube rather than 32) and to be honest the only fish I would put in this tank is a betta, or if you have hard water, a dwarf puffer. There are no other fish I can think of which can live in a tank with a 32 x 32 cm (12 x 12 inch) footprint.

Another option is a shrimp tank. I used to have a betta in mine but it now houses red cherry shrimp.

ember tetras would work, and/or shrimp

Pygmy corys would work, on a sand substrate

@Slaphppy7 I'm afraid I have to disagree - are you basing this on the volume of the tank? This tank is a cube with a tiny footprint. Embers and pygmy cories need a tank half as long again as this one (45 cm/18 inches long)

 

[Andrew88]

You could consider a trio of Pea Puffers!

Thanks, but I believe my water is too soft for them? I would have maybe given endlers a go too, but believe from what little I know of them I think the water would course a problem too.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Honey gouramis need a bigger tank; harlequin rasboras need a swimming length of 60 cm or more; and dwarf cories need at least 45 cm swimming room.
I have a tank just a tiny bit smaller than yours (it's a 30 cm cube rather than 32) and to be honest the only fish I would put in this tank is a betta, or if you have hard water, a dwarf puffer. There are no other fish I can think of which can live in a tank with a 32 x 32 cm (12 x 12 inch) footprint.

Another option is a shrimp tank. I used to have a betta in mine but it now houses red cherry shrimp.



@Slaphppy7 I'm afraid I have to disagree - are you basing this on the volume of the tank? This tank is a cube with a tiny footprint. Embers and pygmy cories need a tank half as long again as this one (45 cm/18 inches long)

I stand (well, sit) corrected, totally neglected to keep the footprint in mind when suggesting those fish

 

[Essjay]

I would have maybe given endlers a go too, but believe from what little I know of them I think the water would course a problem too.

And the tank is too small.

A 32 x 32 x 32 cm cube (12 x 12 x 12 inches) has very little swimming room, too little for virtually all the fish in the hobby. The minimum tank length for even the smallest shoaling fish is 45 cm/18 inches. The only reason bettas are OK is because they are very sedate fish with those big fins to carry round.


If you want anything other than a betta or shrimps, I strongly recommend a bigger tank.

 

[Andrew88]

And the tank is too small.

A 32 x 32 x 32 cm cube (12 x 12 x 12 inches) has very little swimming room, too little for virtually all the fish in the hobby. The minimum tank length for even the smallest shoaling fish is 45 cm/18 inches. The only reason bettas are OK is because they are very sedate fish with those big fins to carry round.


If you want anything other than a betta or shrimps, I strongly recommend a bigger tank.

Thanks

I do have another tanks, just looking to find a use for this one (maybe it’s going to end up back the box though).

Not really interested in shrimp TBH.

Although Bettas look great, I was a little worried my filter might be too powerful I guess I could try and play about with it to reduce the output.

How about scarlet badis, although I believe they can be tricky to feed?

 

[Essjay]

Scarlet badis are another fish which need a 45 x 30 cm footprint. And yes, they can be tricky to feed which is what always put me off them.

You could replace the filter with an air powered sponge filter. That would be good for a betta, or even a fry tank if you ever wanted to breed fish.

 

[Andrew88]

Scarlet badis are another fish which need a 45 x 30 cm footprint. And yes, they can be tricky to feed which is what always put me off them.

You could replace the filter with an air powered sponge filter. That would be good for a betta, or even a fry tank if you ever wanted to breed fish.

Thanks, gives me some ideas to work with