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.

[Lab_Rat]

A 29g is a great size starter tank, but, it's too small for aggressive fish, especially those that get larger. The FM could be ok, and get some community fish as dithers, but I certainly wouldn't do a bunch of 3 spot gourami variants (blue, platinum, opaline, gold, etc). One at the most. If you want more aggressive fish, you could do a pair of convicts, just have plans for getting rid of all the fry they'll produce.

[kampmanfan4life]

Okay I got the tank. Now Im thinking of one fire mouth, and some community fish.

By the ones you suggested Im assuming the biggest thing is Black Skirt Tetra are big enough that they won't get eaten. So im assuming that's why you suggested those, and I am assuming like cardinal or neons would get eaten. Just trying to learn so I don't have to ask next time.

One more question, im thinking fake plants because I read FM dig up the roots. Is sand the best way to go? I heard they like it better than rocks.

Thanks a ton!

Edit: I went to my petstore today and saw they had Autsus cichila and a kenyl cichila. If any one of those are better let me know, but for now FM I think I'll go with.

[Lab_Rat]

Black skirts would make nice tankmates for a FM. They're tough little tetras. Cardinals or neons would probably work as well. Just avoid large tetras, like congos in that size tank. There are many possibilities of possible schooling fish you can go with. Cherry barbs would be nice as well. For schoolers, aim for getting 6+ of the species so they feel safer.

Fake plants would be fine, or you could strap anubias and java fern to driftwood and get some floaters if you want live plants. I prefer live plants by far. Sand is good for fish to dig in, so the FM would probably prefer that though either would be fine for him. Get what you like.

[Lady Hobbs]

IMO, the cardinals and neons would probably spend most of their time in hiding from the firemouth. Your firemouth must have a hiding place like a rock cave he can get into. One of the reasons a 29 doesn't work so hot is the room needed for caves.

You could get a couple platies if you didn't want tetra's. But platies will not hide and be viewable all the time.

Have you thought about cycling the tank before adding fish?