# my 30 gallon tank



## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

So I'm new here. I have a 30 gallon aquarium with (sorry, still learning scientific names):
Red tail black shark
Opaline Gourami
Moonlight Gourami
Gold Gourami
1 Scissor-Tail Rasbora (1 more planned need to get more at LFS)
& Reed/Rope/Snake Fish <--- seen several names. I like Rope Fish best

My tank has a large piece of drift wood 2 tunnels and a decent amount of plants for shade and hiding spots. The tunnels I built out of plastic piping that had air holes already punched in then cut them in half to get half moon shaped. Put them against the glass and the covered them with gravel and put gravel inside them. They are both for the Rope Fish, who prefers his own hide-y spaces (I have learned that without plenty of hiding spots they will attempt escape... I don't want to loose my most $$ expensive fish). 

Is there anything else I should be doing? I read a lot before I got to where I am now. Just wanted to check in since this is my first tank.


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## Guest (May 19, 2010)

sounds like a nice tank. 

welcome aboard.


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## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

no need for scientific names. Id actually prefer the common names.
Looks like a nice tank!


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

my first thoughts for this tank were, * I will get my practice with freshwater then convert this to saltwater* Now its more like hrrmmmm... I have at least 2 fish in here with 10+ yrs life expectancy, maybe I will just get that 150 gallon tank I saw when I am ready for saltwater ^_^ apparently the aquarium bug bit me when I wasn't looking. All my friends already think I am crazy because I own rats haha :mrgreen::mrgreen:


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

You have what we call MTS (Multiple Tank Syndrome). It happens to almost every aquarist at some point. Symptoms include, little room in the house, thin wallets, annoyed family members, and wierd fish foods in the freezer. Fortunately for you there is an online help group. They call it FishForums.com. 

Welcome to the club!


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

I figured it was incurable - oh well, I'd rather have that than Beiber Fever (LOL) Anyway, does anyone know a good trick to feeding Rope Fish? Right now I have to be very tricksy because the gouramis LOVE his blood worms and even if i dont put in the food until after lights out at night I can still see them scamin on his dinner.


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## Guest (May 20, 2010)

Saltwater?!?!?!?! Gyp.....thats gonna be very very very very expensive. a user on here once rightly said: A FW tank will cost you an arm and leg and saltwater setup will cost you pretty much all other limbs and appendages.


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## Guest (May 20, 2010)

bmlbytes said:


> You have what we call MTS (Multiple Tank Syndrome). It happens to almost every aquarist at some point. Symptoms include, little room in the house, thin wallets, annoyed family members, and wierd fish foods in the freezer. Fortunately for you there is an online help group. They call it FishForums.com.
> 
> Welcome to the club!


Sans thefood in the fridge i nbow have 3 tanks in my room, one in the kitchen, one in the living room and one in the guest bedroom! MTS at its best! plans are on goin to convert the guest bedroom to a fish room! i got my 10 45gl tanks last weekend


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

I am not worried about the cost, to me a beautiful fish tank is a much better piece of art or furniture than anything else I have ever seen. An antique hutch can cost upwards of $5000 and I would have no use for it. Depends on how you look at it I guess. Definitely not something I am going to do tomorrow but not something I would rule out either ^_^


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

gypsity said:


> I figured it was incurable - oh well, I'd rather have that than Beiber Fever (LOL) Anyway, does anyone know a good trick to feeding Rope Fish? Right now I have to be very tricksy because the gouramis LOVE his blood worms and even if i dont put in the food until after lights out at night I can still see them scamin on his dinner.


I assume you are using the frozen bloodworms?

Drop one cube in so the gouramis eat that, then reach down to the bottom of the tank and drop another cube near the ropefish. 

Fish can be trained to eat from the hand, maybe train your ropefish to do that?


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

Last night before i turned their light out I put some flake food in and let them eat then put a cube by hand INSIDE his tunnel and immediately turned the light off in the tank. I think that did the trick. If I think hes not getting food in the future I am going to submerge a glass bottle in there and put his food in it, other fish couldn't get in there. I read where others have done it that way.


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## Guest (May 21, 2010)

there nothing else to add to it .. got everything already ... 
the only thing ill worry about is .. the filter .. what kinda filter ur using ...


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

Aqueon III (up to 40g I have been told) & a Top Fin 10. I have both because I originally started with 10g tank with the smaller filter, when I started up the new one I put both on so that the good bacteria from the old tank would still be cycling through. As of yet I have left both filters on since a few of the fish I have are supposed to like a bit more current and I have been told by my LFS that it wont hurt anything to be over filtering.


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## PostShawn (Dec 22, 2009)

Welcome here. I'm fairly new too. Sounds like you have a nice setup.
I too have MTS. Started with a 14g, got a 5g, and now have a 55g. All fish in the 55 for now until I move and have more space to set up the 14 again.


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## gypsity (May 19, 2010)

i bought my 33g set up at my LFS new... kicking my self in the butt at the moment. Just saw a 100g set up on craigslist for 250, the poster said he would sell the tank, the stand the filter, the heater and a few other odds and ends. Darn my luck. $250 is what i spent (in total, less cost of fish) for the tank and stand I have now. At least in the future I know where to look when I need a new tank fix ^_-


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

I got my 55g with 3 filters, the lights, the hood air pump, plastic plants, stand, everything for $30. Just got to watch for those good deals in Craigs List sometimes.


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## chocolatecrunch (May 21, 2010)

I'm new too, so welcome aboard sailor! lol.


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