hello 2 of my goldies that i had for 8 years just died yesterday, and im going to buy some new fish to replace them just wonder what goes with Simease algae eaters. im not sure weather to get small group fish or something like tiger barb or something.....not sure yet. I have 2 SAE that hang out one end of tank which never bothered the goldies but not sure if they like tropical fish

tank is a 3ft (long) by 2ft (wide)

Well, it sounds like your tank is big enough, so that's good. Just heavily plant it and you'll be good to go. Fine leaved plants are more likely to be eaten than others, but if they're well fed they should leave the plants alone. Also, SAEs are tropical fish, so they should be kept in warmer waters.

As for tank mates, you'll want to skip on skiddish fish and overly aggressive fish. Tiger barbs may be a little aggressive, so if you get some keep a close eye on them.