Stocking help

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ScubaChick0121

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 29, 2009
417
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Florida
Hey, so my birthday is next week and my parents agreed to buy me a 40 gallon fish tank. the tank will have a log, rocks, plants, and caves for the fish. What type of fish stocking ideas would look amazing in this tank?
I'm debating if I should do a community or something like cichlids or angels, or do u guys have a better idea?
Thanks!
 
with a 40G, you might want to try a pair of cichlids; Convicts or Firemouths would be a good fit. add in a few corydora catfish, a bristlenose catfish and maybe 3 or 4 otocinclus catfish (if you get real plants) and you should have a nice tank going

don't get anything too big, so no Green Terrors, Jack Dempseys, Oscars, etc.; and do not get a "common" pleco catfish, as these will all outgrow your tank

also, don't go to Petsmart/Petco/Walmart; not sure where you are in Florida, but there are a large number of small LFS down here that should have a good selection
 
thanks! i know a really nice little LFS that just opened up. no dead fish floating in their aquariums!

any other ideas?
 
sure, who doesn't have ideas? :)

if you want a "community" tank, you could still do cichlids, just smaller ones like Bolivian Rams or laetacara cichlids - - up to 5 of either - - and then you could add some barbs, yo-yo loaches (but no clown loaches), etc.

if I did a tank like that, I would add real plants for sure . . .

oh, and I wouldn't do angels only because I'm not sure a 40G is very tall (?), and angels typically prefer a tall tank . . . also, 40G is a small volume for them

ok, that's enough of my ideas, let's see what others think
 
do you think it would be possible to have a Mbuna African Cichlid tank? Its a 40 gallon bowfront, or would it be to small for them?
 
I don't keep Africans, but from what I've read most Mbuna could be kept in a 40G, but you'd be wise to research any specific ones you are considering to make sure . . .

my brother keeps 'em in a 30G, and a few things I notice: he has lots of rocks/caves for territories, he keeps the tank heavily stocked, and it is mbuna-only, no other fish . . . a very colorful and active tank, but he doesn't like dealing with a) the aggression, and b) the breeding . . . he never adds fish, but the population keeps growing :)
 
no worries . . . :)

strongly recommend you do your homework, whichever direction you go in . . . the Web is loaded with info on just about every type of fish and plant out there . . . the more you know going in, the better off you'll be when you set your tank up

good luck!
 
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