New to fishkeeping- Need help in deciding fish

[kampmanfan4life]

Hi I am new to fish keeping, but helped my brother who also had a 30 gallon tank few years ago.

I'm thinking of buying a 29 gallon tank and my local pet store has Fire-mouth , turquoise jewel, or electric yellow Cichlid. Could anyone of these live in a 30, I've done limited research most say 55 but some say 30 could be okay.

If any of these can live in it: Can only one live in it? Any other fish you can suggest to also live in the tank?

If not Im thinking of having some kind of mixture of blue gourami.

Thanks Everyone!

[Lab_Rat]

The only one who I'd put in a 29g is the firemouth, and even that is pushing it when it hits adult size. You could try it and build a community around it. Other options to look into are kribs, bolivian rams, and curviceps. Any of those would make a nice centerpiece fish to build a community tank around.

[Lady Hobbs]

Yes to Lab_rats comment. Or go with a community tank.

[kampmanfan4life]

So maybe the firemouth with some other bigger semi aggressive fish? That's what I was thinking but din't want to be wrong after its too late. I'll look at buying a 55 gallon, and also look at just community fish. Thanks again!

[kampmanfan4life]

Okay after seeing how big the 55 gallon is I decided im going to get a 29.

Option #1 I think would work If I have enough hiding spots if I get an aggressive gourami.

I'm thinking my best option of mixing different species of gourami. I would have plenty of fake and maybe real plants in case some are aggressive. Then maybe put some schooling fish, maybe neon tetras in their.

Option #2 which I'd love but don't think would work for 29 gallon

I would really like a firemouth cichila( would only one fit) still but don't know what other kinds of fish I could put in with it. I'd love blue gourami, would that work in a 29 gallon? Or what other fish could I put in their?

Sorry for asking so many questions. So much research but so many different opinions and lots and lots of fish. I really want to have a tank I'll like. And I trust you guys more than some of the articles I've been reading.

[Sandz]

The having several different Gourami in a 29gal tank is a bad option. There is a HUGE possibility for aggression.

A firemouth in a 29gal is stretching every part of that 29gal so a small school of something like Red Minors or Black Skirt Tetra and then like a small BN pleco.