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Stocking a 40gal

2K views 15 replies 3 participants last post by  JadeSparrow 
#1 ·
I am planning out a 40 gal tank that I got for christmas and at the moment have no clue what to stock it with. All of my experience is with smaller tanks (10 gal and under). Right now the plan is to is to have a soil based planted tank. I have the plants ordered and if they don't work for the 40 gal I do have a few other tanks that they can go into. But my question is what should I stock with? I would prefer a peaceful ish tank. Suggestions, opinions? Please and thank you!
 
#2 ·
Why not give us a list of the fish you already have, and that might help figure out what to get


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#3 ·
Right now the only tank I have going has African dwarf frogs in it. So totally new stock for this tank. In the past I have kept bettas, platys, gold cloud minnows, and otos. I am thinking of getting corys just not sure which ones yet. I have been reading through some of the fish profiles trying to get a feel for them. My lfs (big box and true locals) don't have the best selections of fish so I haven't really gotten to browse and look at many different fish in person so it makes this harder.

I do know that I don't want any neon tetras they just do not appeal to me. I like the look of of platys and swordtails but not really sure if I want to deal with the fry epidemic that would occur. Same thing with Guppies. I have a 2 yr that loves fish so I want this to be something I can eventually do with him as he gets older but for now schooling fish that he can watch play and swim.
 
#4 ·
Okay, now what kind of a budget are you working with? I wouldn't want to suggest expensive fish if you're on a tight budget, you know?


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#5 ·
Budget wise nothing to far out there say under 100 bucks total for fish, plants is a whole different budget. I've been saving up for getting a bigger tank and then I got it for christmas so the tank money can now go to fish and accessories.
 
#6 ·
Okay that's a good amount. In a larger tank like that, I think you'll be super happy with a school of 10 dwarf neon rainbows 3m/7f. Fantastic upper level schooling fish with awesome behavior. They're very inquisitive and check out things outside of the tank, such as your son. From there, I would look at dwarf cichlids to be interesting fish occupying the bottom half of the tank. You could also do a second school for the middle of the tank and some bottom feeders as well.

A lot of fish, but chosen correctly they will be stacked, occupying different regions of the tank.

That's most of the stock of the 45 gallon I used to have - dwarf neons rainbows, pearl gouramis, cherry barbs, rams, corys and a BN pleco.


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#7 ·
I know I pretty much suggest this everywhere, but nano fish for the win! :) Micro rasboras, ember tetras... otos even... pygmy cories look amazing as well. Even shrimp!
A group of:
12-20 micro rasboras/tetras
8-12 pygmy cories
shrimp...

(And your understocked as well, and could purchase a centerpiece fish like a dwarf cichlid or one of the dwarf gouramis/betta species.)
 
#8 ·
I agree, a larger tank with some big schools of fish can be quite stunning.

Haha you know I might just do that with my empty 125 - do 200 neons :)


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#9 ·
I like the look of the nano fish I have seen so far. Just have to see what is easily available without having to order. There is one nonbox fish store here maybe if he doesn't have what I want he can order it.heres to hoping.
I am going to do Corys of some kind, most likely albinos just because they are adorable. Might do the ember tetras they are pretty and not sure what else. No shrimp, I tried once and I'm not going through that again....oh I am also putting 2 mystery snails in.
 
#10 ·
Not sure where you live, but aquabid has a whole lot of fish for sale. Dead of winter isn't a good time to be receiving fish in the mail up here in the northeast, but down south you should be able to find a window. I've never paid for the next day shipping. 2-3 days has always been fine.


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#11 ·
I live down south just right now we are getting hit with colder than normal Temps. So I'm gonna hold off on ordering fish and just slowly stock the tank. But I will be watching aqua bid for when it's warmer :)
 
#12 ·
So finally started shopping sound here for fish and one of my lfs has penguin tetras and I have to say they look really cool. If I went with them how many? I plan on doing a school of 8 albino copies and just want to double check that they will do ok in the same water parameters. Also thinking just one more school of something but not sure what.
 
#13 ·
Penguins and cories come from a similar part of the world - South America - so they will be fine in similar water conditions. I'd say a shoal of 10 would look amazing, and maybe include a school of black neons to complement the penguins. If not, rosy tetras or black phantom tetras look amazing - even serpaes would do fine with penguins. Any tetra species would work just fine, around a shoal of 6-8 would do fine.
 
#14 ·
So I ended up not getting the peguins and went with 10 glowlight tetras instead. Also have 4 albino cories and 4 peppered cories. I was thinking of adding a school of cherry barbs, like 10 or so. Am I crazy or would that be ok? I'm not planning on adding anything else after that. I like how the tetras have been playing around the whole tank and don't really want to take away from them.
 
#15 ·
Cherry barbs are great fish, and won't cause any trouble. 5 males and 5 females.
 
#16 ·
Thank y'all so much for all the help. I am done messing with that tank for the time being (we shall see how long till I want to redoo something in the tank). I do have some left over parts and pieces so I am thinking of setting up a shrimp tank in either a 3.5 gal kritter keeper I have or a 2.5 gal extra tank that has been holding all the extra decor and stuff. I forgot how addicting it is to set up and decorate tanks.
 
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