Need Some More Fish In My 30 Tall

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divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
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Pittsburgh, PA
Lost a few fish in my 30 tall in the past month due to disease or stress and finally have the tank back under control. Stock is down to: 1 Koi Angelfish (quarter size), 1 Blue Gourami (3"), 1 Silver Sailfin Molly (2.5"), 2 Bronze Corys (1.5"), and 1 asian bumblebee catfish (3.75-4"). The tank dimensions are 24" long by 12" wide by 24" high. Filtration is a penguin 200 hob and water changes are 50-60% weekly. It looks really bland and boring with only a few fish that are constantly swimming and I need so action and color for the tank. Only catch is for those of you who have kept asian bb cats you'd know that they like to eat a lot like all cats. Well somehow mine at only 3.75" managed to down a 1.25" longfin bristlenose pleco the other night in seconds. Meaning the new fish can't be to small so nothing under 1.5" at purchase size unless it's tall bodied. I was thinking of a few different choices and have been browsing my LFSs for what's available that catches my eye. Some fish I was considering (not all obviously) were: lemon tetras, emperor tetras, serpae tetras, a few more mollies, debauwi catfish (probably my favorite option), Synodontis nigriventris, or some type of smaller pleco. What are your thoughts?
 
Anybody know about the debauwis? They're my favorite option. I could upgrade them IF they got to big but I doubt they would. I know they like to be in schools of 5-6 but there's only 4 left at my LFS would that be enough?
 
The debauwi catfish might not be bad. They recommend at least a school of six, and a good current in the tank. Have you considered a school of 5 tiger barbs? I didn't think I would like them but they are quite comical to watch.
 
The debauwi catfish might not be bad. They recommend at least a school of six, and a good current in the tank. Have you considered a school of 5 tiger barbs? I didn't think I would like them but they are quite comical to watch.

I didn't really consider tiger barbs since they're fin nippers and my angelfish is having a hard enough time already keeping his fins in an ok condition, he looks like a anchor right now sadly.
 
I've got them in with angels, little bit of fin nipping the first couple days but after that don't notice as much. Even the two long trailers on my males fin has come back. Might take a look at some australian rainbows
 
I find angels to be nippy of new fishes fins for the first introduction too. I think when you put fish in for the first time the others just instantly think its some kind of food.

I have a fat 3.5" jaguar syno that I recently moved out of my planted communtiy because it grew from 1" to almost 4" in just 3 months, it hogs all the food so hes in the 120 with my cichlids now. Second I dropped him in there the fish all swarmed over thinking hes food and trying to peck at him. he just chased them away and swam off and nobody has even looked at him since.
 
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