Celebrating a special moment

[lavenderbug]

I've recently acquired a 30 gallon tank, thanks to my dad upgrading his hillstream biotope setup. I'm now the proud owner of this empty tank, but I'm stuck for ideas on what to stock it with.

My water parameters are pretty standard - pH is around 7.0, KH is 40 ppm, and GH is 30 ppm. The tank itself is 31" by 12" with a height of 16". I'm open to suggestions for easy-to-care-for fish. I've always been fascinated by wild betta species, being a fan of labyrinth fish. Any ideas for stocking this tank would be greatly appreciated.

[Emeraldsea]

Considering your fondness for labyrinth fish, you might want to explore keeping a group of other species within that family, in addition to the wild betta species that caught your eye.

[paddyL]

Considering your fondness for labyrinth fish, a group of gouramis might be an interesting option to explore. I've had experience with pearl gouramis, but given the dimensions of your tank, I think honey gouramis could be a better fit. As for wild betta species, I don't have any personal experience, so I'll refrain from offering advice on that front.

[belleora]

I've recently acquired a 30 gallon tank, thanks to my dad upgrading his hillstream biotope setup. I'm now the proud owner of this empty tank, but I'm stuck for ideas on what to stock it with.

My water parameters are pretty standard - pH is around 7.0, KH is 40 ppm, and GH is 30 ppm. The tank itself is 31" by 12" with a height of 16". I'm open to suggestions for easy-to-care-for fish. I've always been fascinated by wild betta species, being a fan of labyrinth fish. Any ideas for stocking this tank would be greatly appreciated.

I must say, I'm impressed by your bold move in claiming that empty tank - it's a quality I can definitely relate to. I recall a similar situation with my dad, where he built a row of aviaries and I managed to talk him into letting me have one for my grass parakeets.

I don't have any concrete stocking ideas for you, but I'm excited to see what you'll choose. Apistos, perhaps? I think they could be an interesting choice. Anyway, kudos to you for snagging that tank, and I look forward to following your progress.

[rockyfox]

I've recently acquired a 30 gallon tank, thanks to my dad upgrading his hillstream biotope setup. I'm now the proud owner of this empty tank, but I'm stuck for ideas on what to stock it with.

My water parameters are pretty standard - pH is around 7.0, KH is 40 ppm, and GH is 30 ppm. The tank itself is 31" by 12" with a height of 16". I'm open to suggestions for easy-to-care-for fish. I've always been fascinated by wild betta species, being a fan of labyrinth fish. Any ideas for stocking this tank would be greatly appreciated.

Having an aquarium enthusiast for a parent has its perks, that's for sure. I mean, who wouldn't want a free tank, right.

[graye]

Claiming an empty tank from a family member - I can definitely relate. My daughter's actually doing something similar, and I'm pretty proud to see her taking an interest in the hobby, specifically wanting to set up a killie biotope. Guess you could say I've had a bit of an influence on her.

[Morgan]

Good going on the tank, can't beat a free one. I'm a bit biased with my suggestions since these are fish I'd love to care for one day, but I think a community tank with sparkling gourami, pygmy cories, and something else could work well in 30 gallons. Heavily planted, of course. Just my two cents.

Wild bettas sound awesome too, though. Would you go with bubble nesters or mouth brooders?

[lavenderbug]

I've also been thinking about sparkling gouramis - they're a great choice for my tank. With its size, I could have a nice-sized group. I'm drawn to mouth brooders, there's something about them that I find really fascinating. Betta picta is one that's really caught my attention, their markings are just beautiful.

[belleora]

Claiming an empty tank from a family member - I can definitely relate. My daughter's actually doing something similar, and I'm pretty proud to see her taking an interest in the hobby, specifically wanting to set up a killie biotope. Guess you could say I've had a bit of an influence on her.

You're a killie breeder too, huh. Does that mean your daughter's gonna score some free fish from you as well? No fair, that's just nepotism.

[BadgersSong]

She had her sights set on that tank before I'd even finalized the upgrade plans. I'm still not entirely convinced it's going to be a free ride for her, though - I have a few ways to make her earn the privilege of taking it over.