Help with getting new fish for tank.

Hazarrd

I'm interested in getting the following fish. I have a 30 gallon tank with no live plants and no fish yet. What are your thoughts? I assume some of these will do better with more than 1 in the tank and some might not be too compatible with others (although I did look at the chart). Any ideas for numbers/types of the following that I should get for my 30 gallon? Thanks!

Upside Down Catfish (Catfish Synodontis)
Dwarf Gourami
Lake Malawi Cichlid
Lake Tanganyika Cichlid
Dalmation Mollies
Plecostomus
Sharkfish
South American Cichlid
Tetras
Betas

Please keep in mind that I am a beginning to aquariums. I don't mind taking care of the fish, but I don't want my hands too full either.

Lupin

Upside-Down Catfish
55 gallons is more recommended than in a 30 gallons.
Dwarf Gourami
Should be fine in a pair. Provide them lots of floating plants. Honey gouramis are more recommended IMO.
Lake Malawi Cichlids
There aren't many choices. You might just go with a trio of Yellow Labs, a Synodontis eupterus and nothing else. 30 gallons is too small for other Malawis.
Lake Tanganyika
You have a choice of either a harem of shell dwellers(Neolamprologus genus) or Julidochromis. Lemon cichlids should never be mixed with shell dwellers as they often invaded the shell dwellers out of their territory. You'll need shells if you want the shell-dwellers.
Dalmatian Mollies
Should be ok. You can mix them with some anabantids, platies, guppies, and tetras.
Plecostomus
What species? There are over a thousand species of Loricariids.:) You might just settle with bristlenose or whiptails. Otocinclus catfish are good options though they can be sensitive to water conditions.
Sharkfish
I would not recommend them in a 30 gallons tank. They are very aggressive and the lack of space will only make them attack other fish for territories.
South American Cichlid
What species were you referring? Apistogrammas and rams are fine. Best to mix them though with tetras and barbs. Do not mix them however with mollies and other livebearers due to the differences in their requirements. Livebearers prefer hard, alkaline waters whereas rams thrive better in soft, acidic water.
Tetras
I recommend diamond tetras, lemon tetras and rosy tetras. What other species of tetras do you like? You may try pencilfish if you like. Nannostomus beckfordi is hardy and worth a try.
Bettas
Not recommended in a community with the excpetion of females. It's still best to place them in a tank by themselves. Do not mix males and females altogether. Even females get attacked by males or the females themselves can turn against each other.

Pls narrow down your choices.:) Make sure your tank is cycled before adding these fish.

Hazarrd

Thanks for the great information. I did a little more reading and came up with a reduced list:

Upside Down Catfish (Catfish Synodontis)
Lake Malawi Cichlid (3 yellow labs & 1 synodontis)
Dalmation Mollies
Plecostomus (bristlenose and/or whiptail)
South American Cichlid (ram)
Tetras

I know you said the Upside Down Catfish is better in a larger tank, but I would like to try anyway. What do you think of the above combinations? What quantity of fish would you suggest?

I was thinking:

1 Upside Down Catfish (Catfish Synodontis)
4 Lake Malawi Cichlid (3 yellow labs & 1 synodontis)
3 Dalmation Mollies
1 Plecostomus (bristlenose and/or whiptail)
1 South American Cichlid (ram)
3 Tetras

Is that too many for a 30 gallon? Maybe you could suggest some combinations for me? Thanks so much!

Lupin

Get rid of the Yellow Labs. Lake Malawi cichlids should never be mixed with other fish other than by themselves.
Upside-down catfish is a Synodontis species. Were you referring to Synodontis nigriventris?
I'd go with a bristlenose for elimination of green algae. Feed it with veggies or else it'll resort to your plants as its salad menu.

Avoid the mollies and synodontis if you want the rams. Rams prefer soft, acidic water which is far different from what the mollies and synodontis require.

You are left with a list of a bristlenose/whiptail, rams and tetras. It's just wrong to mix synos and plecos in one tank.

Hazarrd

I think I am going to get some Lake Malawi Cichlids and just stick with those alone.

I found a site to purchase them from: http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_...table.htm#top2

Does it matter which ones I get? Are any of those varieties better in groups, and if so, how many? Also, I assume they are all compatible with each other. Thanks.

Lupin

30 gallons is far too small for Malawis really. Only mild fish like Yellow Labs are allowed or you'll be in more troubles with the aggression issues.
Those fish in that link are not in their final size yet.

Lupin

I'll lock this thread as the author made a new thread which is almost the same as this one.:)