Help me plan my new community tank.

[ctaggart]

Well I just got a 29G aquarium kit that came with filter, hood, light, heater. I replaced the included filter with a Tetra EX45 for improved filtration. I also purchased 50lbs of white gravel, which turned out to be perfect for the tank.

I added aquarium starter and optimizer to jump start the cycling of the tank along with 6 Zebra Danio and 2 dwarf Gourami. In addition to the fish I added two plants. The one looks like a type of grass and the other's name starts with an "A" though I do forget the name.

1. I do think Mollies are pretty little fish and would like to have a couple.
2. Some type of bottom feeders/dwellers like a Kuhlii Loach is needed.
3. I would like to have shrimp, though my local pet store sells them for $4 each for the little cherry/bumble bee shrimp.
4. Some sort of sucker fish.

These are my ideas thus far. The nice thing is that I have lots of time to make up my mind on what goes in the tank. So, I've laid it out there. Gimme suggestions! Thanks.

-CT

[dancethenparty]

though i've heard mollies need salt, i've known people that had them without.
so what i'm saying is, is that if you get mollies and they don't do well and you need to add salt then amke sure you get fish that can live with salt.
for mollies. you should probably only get one gender. like 2-3males/females. unless you want babies then you would have to get 1 males and 2 females. but i don't advise you go that route.
why not cories for a bottom dweller? they need a school of like 4-6.
don't they sell ghost shimp? idk about cherry/bumblebee shimp.
a bristlenose pleco would be a good sucker fish.

[OscarFan]

the need for salt has been bred out of a lot of the mollies. But being livebearers youll get lots of babies. With the white gravel i reccomend darker colored fish. If you get a few shrimp they will breed. but you would need a some moss for the shrimp.The kuhli loaches are a good idea they will look good on the white. They like schools so you should get 4 or more. They are a little sensitive so add them to the tank later on. for the sucker fish I would reccomend a clown pleco they only get 4 inches. I would also reccomend about 6 cherry barbs. They are good for beginners and seeing that your tank will be live planted they will like it. They also have beautiful coloring during breeding time.

And dont forget to cycle your tank before adding fish.

EDIT: forgot to add the kuhlis will probably eat any shrimp.

[ctaggart]

Aren't barbs a little aggressive, or is that just tiger barbs? As far as the babies from Mollies, what's the downside? Won't they just get eaten by the larger fish?