Stocking A 30 Gallon Tank

[Vindicare066]

Hi Everyone,
 
So a little while ago I acquired a 30 gallon tank, to use as a new home for a few fish I rescued from my roommate. The tank is now approaching the end of cycling process and I am getting ready to move the tank inhabitants from both my 5 gallon and 3.5 gallon tanks into it probably over the next few days.
 
The fish that I currently include:
 
From the 5 Gallon
 
2 Serpae tetras
1 Black Phantom tetra
1 3inch Galaxy pleco.
 
From the 3.5 Gallon:
 
3 Amano Shrimp
6 RCS (probably fewer as I have only counted 2-3 on any given day.) 
 
 
Note: the reason for moving the shrimp into this tank, is while I was doing a routine water change I discovered a bad crack in the plastic, and I did not want to chance it in getting worse. Otherwise they would not be moving.
 
I am also aware the pleco needs a larger tank ~55 Gallon tank to thrive in, unfortunately, I am not really in the position to be buying a 55 Gallon tank at the current time, although I am saving up for one. And when I have the money to buy one, the pleco will be moved into that tank.
 
So with these current tank mates what other fish can I add to this tank? I would like to add a few more different species to the tank, other than tetras, that said I will make the tetra shoal a little larger by adding  (1 more serpae, and 2 black phantoms).
 
What other fish can I add though? I would like a nice center piece fish (1 Red Tail Shark comes to mind) as well another small shoal group (2 or 3 tiger barbs). Would these fish be okay in this tank? 
 
What would be my limit on this size tank too? 
 
 
 
 Thanks for your help!
 
 

 

[LyraGuppi]

Adding to the tetra shoals would be advisable, since they need 5 of their species or more. This will make the fish feel safer, as well as lower aggression. You could add a shoal of tiger barbs (they too need 5+), but I wouldn't go for the red tail shark. They can get up to 15 centimeters, and are reported to be aggressive to tankmates. Do you know your GH and PH? That would help alot in figuring out a centerpiece fish. c:
 
(A warning though, tiger barbs and serpae tetras are fin nippers, so any tankmates need to be chosen carefully. Larger schools can tone down the aggression a bit)

 

[Vindicare066]

GH is 120ppm according to the cities water website and the API test strips I have. My pH at the moment is around 7.3-7.4, probably from the two pieces of driftwood that are in the tank. I normally like it around 6.8 -7.2 so I may add a few more shells to the aquarium or pick up some crushed coral. 
 
I didn't know the tigers were nippy, but I have seen the nippiness of the serpae tetras first hand. I don't really want fish with elaborate tails like angels (which wouldn't fit in the tank anyways) That's kinda why I was leaning towards the Red Tail or a similar fish of its species. 
 
I have been doing some background readings on the RTS, so I know it can get big, I figured it should grow about an inch a month, so by the time it reaches 5-6 inches we are looking around 5 months, I would more than likely have saved up enough to get the 55 gallon set up and ready to go which it would then be moved into along with the pleco. Now this depends on a lot of variables as well, i.e. diet, water quality and tank size. I have also read reviewed so many different stories on these fish and its aggression they all agree its territorial, but its aggression to tankmates varies.  I know it doesn't like species that look similar to it, so those fish are certainly off but it can do fine with tetras and barbs that are around a inch or 2 in size.  At the same time people say it should be kept in tanks with larger fish.
 
Nevertheless, I am certainly open to other center piece fish though, I have at least a week before this tank is ready to go, and the center piece fish will probably be the last fish to enter the tank. 
 
With two shoals of 5-6 fish and a center piece plus the pleco and shrimp will I have reached my bio-capacity?

 

[LyraGuppi]

Plecos are very big waste producers, so yours may take up a good part of the stocking. You could stick with the centerpiece, tetras, barbs, shrimp, and pleco until you get the 55 gallon, where you'd have a lot more options. 
I have heard of RTS being okay with smaller tetras, but I've never kept red tail sharks before, so I'm not the best with that kind of information. This profile (or another user) would tell you a lot more than I can: http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/epalzeorhynchos-bicolor/
A warning though, crushed coral and shells make the water more alkaline.
Good luck with your tank

 

[Vindicare066]

oh thanks for reminding me on the coral and shells! I keep getting them mixed up with driftwood... I always think they lower pH and GH and not raise them. That probably explains why I my tests look like my GH is closer to 180 than 120 and my pH is above 7.2. I will be sure to remove some of the shells from the tank and do a W/C, that should hopefully bring it down to 6.8-7.0pH and make the water more suitable level for tropical fish. Thankfully, my KH is doing alright at~80 +/- 10/20ppm.
 
Thanks! Knock on wood i don't run into to much trouble with this tank!