Helping a friend set up a 30 gallon! :D

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

I am helping my friend set up a 30 gallon. They want a community tank. The only thing they have to have in the tank is 6 platies, as I am giving them some of my fry. :) The water in my area is hard. What else could go in there that would work, is readily available, nice looking and cheap. What are some easy live plants?? The tank owner is a total newbie so the fish cannot have any special requirments.

[ChoclateBetta]

A female Betta/ Cories adapt easily. Zebra Danois are easy to care for. If you chose not to get the Betta Dwarf Gourami. Java moss is good.

[djembekah]

i'd say cories too, but the tank has to be all cycled and mature for a few months before adding them :)

[ChoclateBetta]

Otos adapt to hard water do not prefer it. Apple snails and nerite snails love hard water.

[Olympia]

How about a couple honey gourami?

[ChoclateBetta]

That sounds good beware territorial behaves.

[MaisyDawgThirteen]

The tank has been set up for 3 months, stupid petsmart sold her 2 baby red-tailed black sharks (Which she is returning). So cories, platies, and what for the middle? I don't know about honey gourami, she is more into schooling fish. Is there any chance of them getting aggressive with the other fish?

[Olympia]

Nawh, they are pretty peaceful.
Hatchet fish? Rasbora?

[ChoclateBetta]

Originally Posted by Olympia

Nawh, they are pretty peaceful.
Hatchet fish? Rasbora?

Hatchets prefer soft water.

[Olympia]

I have the more sensitive hatchet species in my water and they are thriving. The silvers would do fine.