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Stocking question

juanke88

Members
Hey everyone, so i was finally able to convince my wife to let me get another fish tank! I have a drilled 40 breeder with a 20g sump that im in the process of building along with a stand for in our bedroom. My wife's only condition for getting another tank was that the fish had to be very colorfull and there had to be a lot of them and they have to move more than our oscar lol. I don't really have a preference for if they're new world, SA, or african. And I'm trying to stay away from the standard yellow labs ect. So i also know that since my tank is only 3' long that also limits what cichlids i can have. I was wondering if y'all had any idea on fish.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
Many tetras are very colorful and active and can be kept in big schools in a three foot tank.

Some cichlids could fit in such a tank, but I don’t think you’d want more than two pairs. Maybe some of Frank Cowherd’s German rams?
 

JLW

CCA Members
I wouldn't say "some," I think there's a huge, huge array of cichlids you could happily keep in that tank.
Aside from the rams, you could try any number of dwarf cichlids, and not just Apistogramma, but some of the larger varieties, like the small to medium sized acara. You could definitely keep angelfish and other medium sized Amazonas fish in there, even something like Festivus. From Mesoamerica, you certainly could keep any number of dwarf and medium sized cichlids, such as the various Amotilania, Herotilapia, and many more.

If you want to jump across the pond, there's a huge variety of Pelvicachromis species that would work in there. Fish like Benitochromis would also work. Heck, going into the Rift valley, you could set up an awesome tank with some Cyprichromis, tons and tons of various Lamprologus types or Julies, or even some Aulonacara.

Pretty much all of the ones I named could function well with school or two of tetras, barbs, danios, or rainbows, too.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
Josh,

You and I disagree on which cichlids are suitable for a 40b. I wouldn’t do angels or acara. Yes, you could do it, but I think that tank is a bit small for them. I agree that Apistogramma or Pelvicachromis would be fine, but was trying to suggest more commonly available fish.
 

Gourami Swami

CCA Members
Have you seen amatitlani nanoluteus before? They are the smallest central american cichlid, males top out around 4", and they have just as much personality as the large centrals! And very bright colors. A pair of them with some brightly colored swordtails as dither fish would be my recommendation.
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
I'd recommend an all male group of peacocks. They are colorful and if you get one of each species they will all be colored up and be very active . Add some ancistrus which can handle the high pH to keep the glass clean and some synodontis petricola to clean up the bottom of the tank.
 

JLW

CCA Members
Matt, you think the 40 is too small for, say, Laetacara thayeri, L. dorsiger, or L. curviceps, none of which will reach more than 3" ? Or Ivanacara at about 4"?
I'm not talking green terror sized buggers, or even the blue acara, but most of the grouping is going to max out at under 6" -- that's a great size for a 40-breeder, and for breeding a single pair, too.


My only reservation with angelfish is that the height is a little shallow (16"), and they'd probably appreciate a little more height.
 

mchambers

Former CCA member
I'd be fine with L. dorsigera, curviceps, or araguaiae. Don't know about thayeri or Ivanacara.

I've kept angels in tanks that size, but when they're full grown, it always seems crowded to me.

I'd add Anomalochromis thomasi as a West African possibility.
 

juanke88

Members
I'd recommend an all male group of peacocks. They are colorful and if you get one of each species they will all be colored up and be very active . Add some ancistrus which can handle the high pH to keep the glass clean and some synodontis petricola to clean up the bottom of the tank.

Ooh i really like this idea of the all male peacocks. So like 5 or 6 peacocks, a couple of the ancistrus, and like 3 or 4 of the synodontis petricola or the dwarf version. Qould those quantities be fine?
 

lkelly

Members
That sounds a little packed to me. Several male peacocks can reach 5-7" if given enough space. In a 3' tank they are going to end up pretty cramped. Add in the waste from ancistrus AND synodontis and you better have massive filtration.
 

Freakgecko

Members
I'd be fine with L. dorsigera, curviceps, or araguaiae. Don't know about thayeri or Ivanacara.

I've kept angels in tanks that size, but when they're full grown, it always seems crowded to me.

I'd add Anomalochromis thomasi as a West African possibility.
Ivanacara pair or single adult would be fine in a 40 breeder. Conspecific aggression is a lot.
Cleithracara maronii is another acara suitable for a 40 breeder (obviously not colorful though).
Nannacara is another perfectly suited (and even a bit undersized) for a 40 breeder.

I definitely wouldn’t say “medium” sized acara, but the smaller acaras for sure
 

juanke88

Members
That sounds a little packed to me. Several male peacocks can reach 5-7" if given enough space. In a 3' tank they are going to end up pretty cramped. Add in the waste from ancistrus AND synodontis and you better have massive filtration.
Oh ok, so like 4 peacocks or something plus the others that i mentioned? I mean im making a 20g sump with a waterpump up to 750 gph, i also have a spare that goes up to 500 gph.
 
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