Jumping back into the hobby with a 40 gallon

I do have some prior experience (25g community, 5g betta, 10g guppies), but it's been a few years since I've had fish. I'm looking to set up a 40g planted, sand bottom community tank and I would love some help with stocking! Right now, I think I want a school and a few larger/centerpiece fish. Maybe a pairing. Also, I want a lower bio-load.

fish I like: honey (and other) gouramis, kuhli loaches, paradise fish, angel fish, cardinal tetras, rainbow fish, rummynose tetra, zebra dainos, pearl dainos, kilifish

Really, I'll try anything, but just felt like I should throw some stuff out there. Let me know your ideas, thanks!

 

I do have some prior experience (25g community, 5g betta, 10g guppies), but it's been a few years since I've had fish. I'm looking to set up a 40g planted, sand bottom community tank and I would love some help with stocking! Right now, I think I want a school and a few larger/centerpiece fish. Maybe a pairing. Also, I want a lower bio-load.

fish I like: honey (and other) gouramis, kuhli loaches, paradise fish, angel fish, cardinal tetras, rainbow fish, rummynose tetra, zebra dainos, pearl dainos, kilifish

Really, I'll try anything, but just felt like I should throw some stuff out there. Let me know your ideas, thanks!

A 40g tank is perfect for starting again, I love the size of a 40B. I have a 40B and I also have an angelfish. I personally do not recommend getting an angelfish for the 40B. While my female adult angelfish is not the biggest, I feel like a 55g would be much better for her.

 

I suggest for a satisfying aquarium build it around your favourite fish.

My 40 gallon has Cardinal Tetras (there is no fish more colourful) but I also have a Bristlenose and lot of plants which keep it interesting.

 

I have a 40 gallon tank with twelve pearl gouramis, along with shoals of serpae tetras, pristella tetras, and Corydoras trilineatus (usually sold as julii corys, but are look-alikes and not true Corydoras julii). These all do well in my very hard 8.2 pH water.

I really like the tank, and if I was doing it again the only change I would make would be to drop the pristella tetras. They're bullet proof, and I like them just fine, but I think I would like the tank better with fewer species.

• The pearl gouramis are generally peaceful, and one of the most beautiful fresh water fish available. I would recommend stocking them with a ratio of one male to two or three females.
• Serpae tetras look great, especially in planted tanks, since their colors contrast nicely with green plants. You may see reports about them being fin nippers, but that rarely happens if there are enough of them in the tank to hold their attention. I would recommend at least eight, and a few more would be better. They are also very hardy, without the health problems that sometimes affect other tetras.
• I've tried several corydoras species. Corydoras triliineatus combination of hardy and attractive makes them my favorite.

 

I have a 40 gallon tank with twelve pearl gouramis, along with shoals of serpae tetras, pristella tetras, and Corydoras trilineatus (usually sold as julii corys, but are look-alikes and not true Corydoras julii). These all do well in my very hard 8.2 pH water.

I really like the tank, and if I was doing it again the only change I would make would be to drop the pristella tetras. They're bullet proof, and I like them just fine, but I think I would like the tank better with fewer species.

• The pearl gouramis are generally peaceful, and one of the most beautiful fresh water fish available. I would recommend stocking them with a ratio of one male to two or three females.
• Serpae tetras look great, especially in planted tanks, since their colors contrast nicely with green plants. You may see reports about them being fin nippers, but that rarely happens if there are enough of them in the tank to hold their attention. I would recommend at least eight, and a few more would be better. They are also very hardy, without the health problems that sometimes affect other tetras.
• I've tried several corydoras species. Corydoras triliineatus combination of hardy and attractive makes them my favorite.

ooh I like the idea of a gourami tank! What's the sex ratio in your tank and how do they all get along? Do you have any issues with breeding?

Would I be able to do like 6 honey gourami and a school of fish? What would get along well? I would also do a different type of gourami, but I just like honey ones a lot.

I suggest for a satisfying aquarium build it around your favourite fish.

My 40 gallon has Cardinal Tetras (there is no fish more colourful) but I also have a Bristlenose and lot of plants which keep it interesting.

I also absolutely love cardinals! My water is relatively hard though, would that be too much of an issue?

What would be a good centerpiece that gets along with them?

A 40g tank is perfect for starting again, I love the size of a 40B. I have a 40B and I also have an angelfish. I personally do not recommend getting an angelfish for the 40B. While my female adult angelfish is not the biggest, I feel like a 55g would be much better for her.

thanks for the input! Do you have any recommendations?

 

When I had my 40b I had:

3x Pearl Gourami
5x Honey Gourami
12x Kuhli Loaches
12x Galaxy Raspbora (Celestial Pearl Danio)

Was an awesome tank with a lot of activity and was peaceful.

 

I think a couple honey gouramis like 4-6 would be cool for a 40g, I have a pair in my 29g and I love them

 

When I had my 40b I had:

3x Pearl Gourami
5x Honey Gourami
12x Kuhli Loaches
12x Galaxy Raspbora (Celestial Pearl Danio)

Was an awesome tank with a lot of activity and was peaceful.

That honestly sounds like an amazing tank- right up my ally. Did you have any issues with the gourami? What are the sex ratios?

 

That honestly sounds like an amazing tank- right up my ally. Did you have any issues with the gourami? What are the sex ratios?

I'm not entirely sure what the sexes were of the Pearl Gourami, but I had 2 male and 3 female Honey Gourami. I THINK the pearl gourami were 1m and 2f

 

I think a couple honey gouramis like 4-6 would be cool for a 40g, I have a pair in my 29g and I love them

I'm not entirely sure what the sexes were of the Pearl Gourami, but I had 2 male and 3 female Honey Gourami. I THINK the pearl gourami were 1m and 2f

thanks so much!

 

ooh I like the idea of a gourami tank! What's the sex ratio in your tank and how do they all get along? Do you have any issues with breeding?

Would I be able to do like 6 honey gourami and a school of fish? What would get along well? I would also do a different type of gourami, but I just like honey ones a lot.

Here's a thread about the pearl gouramis if you'd like to take a look: School of Pearl Gouramis? | Aquarium Stocking Forum | 479129. It discusses the M:F ratios at different stages.

I haven't seen any breeding behavior.

I haven't kept honey gouramis, but I've seen people who have kept them say they do best if they're in tanks where they're the largest fish, and where there aren't any that are very active. So to answer your question, yes, it can work, but I wouldn't put them with just any schooling fish.

 

My 50g has (quite lightly stocked)
4 honey gourami 1m, 3f (planning to get 2f more)
15 rummynose
8 panda Cory
10 amano shrimp
assassin snails - more than I think!

really happy with the mix - no fighting, and lots of movement particularly with the rummynose. The honeys are really cute too.