New Tank Ideas :)

Of the cichlids on your list, they won't eat any of the other fish on the list as they themselves are quite small.
But I need to warn you that most of us believe the community creator is too generous, and we only stock to 75% of what it says you can have.



Looking at your list, a couple of things stand out.

Firstly, in a tank this size, only one species of cichlid. There is not enough room for several territories.

Rams need warmer water than other fish, temperature in the upper 20s C. They would be fine with cardinal tetras, but the rest of the fish on your list prefer 'normal' tropical temperatures of around 25^oC

So I would go for a pair of either cockatoo cichlids or agassizis. They need to choose their own mates. This means you need to buy them in person, unfortunately, so you may well have to wait to get them. The way to buy these cichlids is to stand in front of the shop tank keeping quite still. Eventually they forget you are there and start behaving naturally. Males will be pushing at each other, females will be getting on with life. If a male allows a female to remain near him and not chase her away they are more likely to be a bonded pair, though not guaranteed. Take someone with you and when you've identified a pair send your friend to find as assistant while you keep your eyes on the fish.

You have 4 shoaling species listed - I would go with 2, maybe 3, but have more of them.




Your photo shows quite a few 'cave' spaces which is good as apistos like to spawn in caves.






One last comment - 3 dH is soft rather than moderately soft - was it your water company which used those words? For some reason, the words water companies use always make the water sound harder than fishkeepers consider it 

How about skipping the cichlids and opting for a couple of angel fishes as I cant get the cichlids from local shop? Are they safe with the small fish? And would I need a pair or better a couple of males or a couple of females?

The Bolivian rams look lovely perhaps I will opt with one of those if I cant get hold of the apisto pair then :-)

I was not totally sold on the Angel's so not too worried on that one, they always look a little 'dopey' the way they dont move about much I think 

There are problems with dwarf gouramis. Those imported from breeding farms in the far east (ie most of them) are usually infected with an incurable disease and commonly die within a few months of purchase. If you can source them from a local breeder, fine, otherwise I wouldn't risk it.

Honey gouramis, on the other hand, don't have this problem. You'll find honeys often referred to as dwarf honeys  but they are a different species from dwarf gouramis. They would also be fine with your choice of shoaling fish except maybe the rainbowfish. Gouramis are sedate fish, and active swimmers like the rainbowfish stress sedate swimmers just by being so active.
In a tank your size, 1 male 2 females would work. But if buying on line, they may not give the option to choose the sex so be careful. 2 males is not a good idea.
They come in at least 3 colour varieties - natural (tan male, beige female), yellow and red. Natural is easiest to sex, yellows next easiest and red quite hard.

Ask your friend for some filter media - given them some of your in return. The bacteria we want to grow live on surfaces rather then in the water.

If you decide on honey gouramis, let me know the colour you want. Naturals are easy because males and females are different colours (though males can look pale in shop tank) and I've kept the yellow colour so I can give you some pointers.

Fishless cycling can feel like an eternity, but you are doing the right thing for your future fish.

Yes I'd like to think so