Ideas for 40 gallon breeder requested

[PhishMon84]

I considered this approach which quite frankly would make a lot more sense. I had planned on doing a South American theme in the 90 but the wife wanted Rift Lake Cichlids. Since I spent many years breeding Malawi, Tanganyikan & Victorian Cichlids I really wanted to try my hand at something else, hence the other dirt road for the 40. But you are right this would have been a saner option.

There's a group of west African fish I'd like to try my hand at, they happen to be more similar to CA's- specifically the Turkana Jewel is very intriguing to me.
Dwarf pikes were mentioned, and to borrow some terminology from the other side of the pond they are crackin fish.
I did keep a siquia colony for several years in 40b and i never used a heater.