Stocking A 30 Gallon

[creekbottom]

Yay!! Another "what to stock" thread.

30 gallon planted, fluval 304, sand substrate, T5HO lights, not sure about CO2 yet.

I'm pretty sure I've decided on a school of Cardinal tetras - how many?

Also a school of cories - how many of what kind?

A pair of Bolivian rams. How do you get a pair? Are these also know as keyhole cichlids? If I get several in order to find a pair, what do you do with the extra fish?

So that's my plan, cardinals, cories, and rams. With the Canadian Aquatics order coming to Edmonton I figure now is the time to get the cardinals and possibly the cories. So cory suggestions maybe coming from that list would be great! (hint hint)

I'll wait on getting the rams, but if anyone has suggestions, please offer them.

[jvision]

I had a 21gal cube that was heavily planted with over 50 cardinals in it - it was a display tank I bought at a trade show and was amazed at how many cardinals came out of it! If price isn't an option, I'd go with at least 20.

If you're going with any of the dwarf Cory spp they have, I'd go with 20 as well. Otherwise, start with a dozen.

Bolivians are really hard to sex. Even when I was breeding them, I could have sworn the dominant female was a (near)dominant male until her breeding tube came out! The only way I'd be confident of having a pair is to buy proven breeders, or seeing two from a group in action.

[SuperGuppyGirl]

I'd recommend the habrosus Cory's as they are the bigger of the 3 easily available dwarfs. Pygmy Cory's get about an 1" and the hastatus not much bigger where habrosus get to about 1.5". I mention size as I'd be worried about the rams eating them. In a over filtered 30G could easily house 15-20 of them with your other fish. I currently have 15+ of each dwarf in a 30G with 8 Aru2 and 6 thread fin rainbows and an eheim liberty hob rated for a 50G. My tank is heavily planted and they spawn easily in there.

Edited June 25, 2013 by SuperGuppyGirl

[creekbottom]

I'm going with Bolivians because from what I've read so far, they are hardier than the other species of rams but still look really cool. I had considered Kribs, even some Apistos, but seeing as this is my first time keeping a fish like this I figured I would go with something tough... ish. And I don't want to be overrun with fry! I'm raising killifish right now, that's enough for me lol.

If I'm only going with 2 does it really matter what sex they are?

[SuperGuppyGirl]

Lol, to clarify when I said dwarf I meant the dwarf Cory's. If you leave eggs in with the fish they will mostly get picked off by the others but with some java moss you'll save enough to keep your colony strong.

[creekbottom]

Haha, I never even thought of it that way. It was SGG responding so I just assumed you were talking about cories lol!

[creekbottom]

I have rams!!! I found a tank of Bolivian rams at an un-named store today. I picked up 2. I did my best to get a male and female but now that they are in the 30 gallon at home it's fairly obvious that I have 2 males. Will the squabbling end? Should I be worried?

[jvision]

If they're not full grown, go get 3 or 4 more. Let them figure out who loves who and then sell the rest. I find Bolivian Rams very hard to sex - I had a breeding group for a while and the only way I could tell sexes was when they were actually getting ready to spawn and their breeding tubes were out. If the largest female didn't like a certain male, she'd lock lips with him. Getting a few more will help ensure a pair forms, and diffuse the aggression in the tank. Just make sure there's lots of cover, and a suitable spawning site (they prefer a flat or slightly tilted, smooth surface).

[jbenchzer]

Enjoy what you prefer.... bilivian is beautiful to look and relax... sexing or not is an option... as first time fish keeping.... don't try to sex them..just have them ....when u are familiar then sexing them would be ideal as you are in a better mindset and more confident to do so.