New 30 gallon, stocking questions

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T

TrueBlack

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 28, 2009
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Bartlett / Memphis, TN
Hello everyone, I have a 30 gallon tank that is 29 and 7/8 inches wide x 12.5 inches deep. My wife wants to have Yellow Labs in it, with a "blue cichlid" of some sort. I was under the impression that we could only have 4-5 yellow labs in that tank and that would be all.

I have tried to convince her to get shell dwellers and all sorts of other "smaller fish" but she is dead set on yellow labs with a blue cichlid of some sort. The tank has a biowheel filter, 100w stealth heater, and 40g air pump. I plan to add a few tough plants: anubias, java fern, amazon sword. (Not sure on the plants) I have never kept plants or cichlids. I was planning to use pool filter sand for the substrate.

Does all of this sound good? Will 4-5 Yellow Labs be ok for that tank? Can I add a blue cichlid of some sort? (She insists on having some color in the tank besides just yellow and really likes the blues) What are some decent stocking suggestions? (She really does not like the shell dwellers she has seen as they lack color) Any suggestions, comments, etc will be appreciated.

I am hoping this is the gateway tank that will open her up to the world of aquaria so that we can get some larger tanks in the house.

This is also not an established tank, so I will need to cycle it as well, would a single yellow lab be enough, or would it be better to just get a few danios?

Thanks everyone. I apologize for the long post.
 
well could get all smaller ones, and let them grow. Then pull we need to up grade the tank. Now that she is attached to the fish, she will give in. Perhaps this will help on all fronts.
 
The heater was rated for a 30 gallon tank. Visi-therm 100w Stealth heater. Any recommendations on a "small blue african cichlid" that would be compatible with say 4-5 yellow labs?
 
How about the Lab & Demasoni mix? I find that is one of the most attractive combinations. Although the Labs will eventually outgrow a 30g. You could also get some Saulosi males/females, they also have the contrast of male being blue/barred and females yellow. Like Demasoni, they're dwarf too so they will not get too large. Here's a pic of a pair:

art_pse_saulosi_01.jpg
 
electric blue johanni are qiet the lookers stay small too I would say three labs would be enough for that tank though and johanni are two agressive for labs there really dosile
 
3 Labidochromis and 3 Pseudotropheus Acei may work...

Consider adding an additional HOB filtration unit and I second the vote on a stouter heater.
 
I wouldn't use a Lab for the cycle, you could opt of Danios...they are much cheaper. I know some would stress against a live-cycle, so I will leave that debate for people who are willing to argue its merits and flaws.

Any new tank establishment will take a good degree of patience, fishless or with dithers. Will your wife have issues or get stressed when the danios fall like flies or get picked to stress by the cichlids? If so, maybe go fishless.
 
JoeBel;2763739; said:
How about the Lab & Demasoni mix? I find that is one of the most attractive combinations. Although the Labs will eventually outgrow a 30g. You could also get some Saulosi males/females, they also have the contrast of male being blue/barred and females yellow. Like Demasoni, they're dwarf too so they will not get too large. Here's a pic of a pair:
Click to expand...

Thanks a million JoeBel, as that is exactly what she wanted. It seems we can get 1 male and 4 females and have say, 1 blue / 4 yellow. They will stay small so I don't have to immediately upgrade the tank size, so that is a plus.

Does 1 male and 4 females sound like a decent plan?
 
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