# 40 Gallon



## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

Hey guys! I haven't posted in a looooong time, but I came buy this site again, so here I am  

So, I'm setting up a 40 gallon tank soon, and I was wondering if you could help me fill in the gaps of my stocking ideas:
-1 gourami
-6-8 danios
-8 cories
-5-6 medium tetras or 8-10 small tetras
-1 pleco (clown, bristlenose, or snowball)

This tank is a 40 gallon long. I was wondering if you guys had any ideas for the gourami, and also, an idea for a tetra. I was thinking either neons or black phantoms. Also, I'm not sure about the pleco. I don't like how the clowns hide, the bristlenose I'm neutral, but I love the snowball!! Thanks!


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

I like Columbian tetras for a larger species (needed something for the 125 that the severums wouldn't eat) along with the white variety of black skirt tetras. 
Some sort of rasbora would probably be better than danio's, less hyperactive...
Do a BN for algae cleanup and a snowball? Not sure which species you're referring to, there are several under that name, but as long as it doesn't grow too big it should be fine.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

toddnbecka said:


> I like Columbian tetras for a larger species (needed something for the 125 that the severums wouldn't eat) along with the white variety of black skirt tetras. I looked at these and I love the white ones!! Sadly, my fish place doesn't sell them, and I'd prefer not to order online, so I guess the black skirts will have to do
> Some sort of rasbora would probably be better than danio's, less hyperactive... I really like the danios. Do I have to give them up?
> Do a BN for algae cleanup and a snowball? Not sure which species you're referring to, there are several under that name, but as long as it doesn't grow too big it should be fine. Here's what I mean by a snowball: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/pleco/snowball.php This is a BN (bristlenose) http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile117.html


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Hypancistrus are fine for cleaning up leftover food, but basically invisible in a tank with decent cover IME.


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## jlpropst00 (Jun 12, 2011)

I highly recommend Rummy-nose Tetras. They are beautiful active fish and fun to watch. When I turn out the light at night they loose their color in their tails and noses and when I turn it back on in the morning in like 2min they are dark red again...its really cool. They look best in schools of at least 5.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

jlpropst00 said:


> I highly recommend Rummy-nose Tetras. They are beautiful active fish and fun to watch. When I turn out the light at night they loose their color in their tails and noses and when I turn it back on in the morning in like 2min they are dark red again...its really cool. They look best in schools of at least 5.


Ha ha! Yeah they were on my list as well. I think I'll get black skirts, though...



toddnbecka said:


> Hypancistrus are fine for cleaning up leftover food, but basically invisible in a tank with decent cover IME.


I kind of like that about them though. Also, it'd be good for cleaning up leftover food. 

So far, I need:

-8 cories

-1 gourami

What kind of cory/ bottom feeder should I get? I have a gravelly substrate, and it's kind of course. I know that cories don't like that, so is there any kind of schooling bottom feeder that doesn't mind that? Thanks! Also, I'm thinking for the gourami to do either a honey gourami or a banded gourami. 

Thanks for all of your help !!


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## Plecostomus (Jul 31, 2006)

Emerald Cories are great and are Pretty. Also bronze cories and peppered cories are good. As for the gravel, Cories will probably do better in it than most other bottom feeders like loaches.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

I've been researching, and I was wondering if otos would work in my tank?


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Oto's do best in well-established tanks. I wouldn't recommend them for a new setup, best to allow time for algae and biofilm to grow a bit.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

Ok. I'll get them last. I'm doing it in groups. I think I read like, 6 months or something.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

For a gourami I'm either doing a banded gourami or a honey gourami. Any advice/preferences?


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Unknown10101 said:


> For a gourami I'm either doing a banded gourami or a honey gourami. Any advice/preferences?


Hi, new here.
My opinion would be a dwarf gourami. but, I love my opaline gourami. really they are all great though.

For otos, 6 mo would be a minimum IMO.
if you are just wanting an algae eater, i recommend a bristlenose pleco.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

Yeah I like opalines too. I will either get a opaline, banded, or honey. Do you like any of them?


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

have you considered a dwarf gourami? you could keep a pair of themin the 40g no problem. They tend to be less aggressive and stay smaller. They also come in many colors. I tend to lean towards the blues with mine hehe. The Neon dwarfs are so pretty.

But, I wanted a big one for my tank. That's what I got an opaline. I sometimes wish I had gotten a pair of dwarfs instead. But the gourami and angel have become best buddies, so it's all good.

http://www.google.com/search?q=dwarf+gourami&tbm=isch


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

I love dwarf gouramis but none of my local fish stores sell them, and I'd prefer not to order online. Is your opaline aggressive?


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Unknown10101 said:


> I love dwarf gouramis but none of my local fish stores sell them, and I'd prefer not to order online. Is your opaline aggressive?


only towards other gouramis or bettas (very close family)


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

I think that I will get one. I think I heard to put in your most aggressive fish last? Is that true, or am I just hearing things?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

It can be good practice. Territorial fish often 'own' a tank and attack newer additions. It won't necessarily keep the fish from attacking older inhabitants, but it gives them a better chance.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

I'll have to add the otos last though.


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

G'Luck with the otos. I've have very bad luck keeping them


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

What happened to you, CyberBob?


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Unknown10101 said:


> What happened to you, CyberBob?


Whatcha Mean?


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

What happened with your otos?


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Unknown10101 said:


> What happened with your otos?


Oh LOL.
I've just had bad luck keeping them alive. They die for no good reason. I have yet to have one live past 6 months. Pristine water conditions and they still die. Plenty of algae to eat in a fully cycled 1yr tank, they still die. If you look at them the wrong way, they die twice. You get the idea


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## Fishy Freak (Jun 1, 2011)

I had a couple of ottos some years back thay dissapeared in my tank, gave them up for dead. Then about 6 months later was moving house and was scooping out the substrate and found them. 
Now I have 2 happy ottos I ordered online, there was 3 but 1 was DOA, they were an overnight delivery a few months ago. They look fat and healthy and don't seen to hide at all, I love them!


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Yeah they are great hiders. I usually didn't even know one was dead until I saw it floating or the water got cloudy.


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## Unknown10101 (Mar 5, 2011)

Sounds annoying. Maybe I'll re-think them.


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## CyberBob (Jul 22, 2011)

Unknown10101 said:


> Sounds annoying. Maybe I'll re-think them.


Please dont get me wrong. They are great cleaners. they can get into the corners like no other pleco. They are just pretty fragile and great hiders. But, I have had some that are out all day acting silly and others that just hide all day and are strictly nocturnal. It's just the personality of the fish. I try not to genralize about any species when it comes to behavior. I've had some very strange fish overt the years hehe. I had an Oscar that fell in love with a goldfish and they lived together for 11 yrs until the goldfish died of natural causes. He ate all the other feeders though. It was so cute watching them cuddle up with each other. Oscar (I know, real original name LOL) became very depressed after Goldy died (again, I know great name hehe). He died about a year later. I tried adding other firends, but he never took to any of them. He just sulked all day and didn't even enjoy chasing the feeders anymoe. it was such a sad sight.


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