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Newbie 40 gallon stocking ideas

8K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Vinster8108 
#1 ·
Hi guys, I'm Caleb. I've always wanted a tropical aquarium and finally got one as a gift! It's a 40 Gallon Breeder tank (30×18×18) that my aunt gave. Now I know I'll be doing it as low tech but heavily planted. I'm just currently having problems on what groups of fish should I put in..

My Idea of Fish:
8 Sterbai Cories (10 pygmy Cories?)
10 Rummynose Tetras
8 Glass catfish
1 (Centerpiece fish?)
10 Red Rilli Shrimp
10 Red Cherry Shrimp
1 Nerite snail

Is it too much? What do you think of the stocking? I don't want to overstock it so please feel free to correct me and give your opinion to make it better. Thank you and take care
 
#2 ·
Looks pretty good. Cories are great in a planted tank but that may be too many in a 40g. The shrimp might not do well with that many fish. They may be over stressed or simply get eaten. The rili and cherry shrimp are both neocaridina species so they will interbreed. I'd recommend picking one or the other.
 
#4 ·
I would get pygmy cories. I absolutely love sterbai, but they're big and prefer higher temperatures than any other. Get 10 of them, they're the least harmful for shrimps (from the fish you chose). I would choose only one school, maybe rummynose. Don't know what the centrepiece might be though... It's hard to find big fish that won't eredicate shrimps.
 
#5 ·
I agree that Sterbais might be too big for that tank; while c. habrosus is one of my favorite pygmy corys, you might also want to look at some of the smaller regular corys, such as pandas. A school of ten would do great in a 40b.

Rummys are a great schooler: I also like bloodfins. For a centerpiece fish, maybe a single angel or, if you're willing to go "out of area," a single pearl gourami?
 
#7 ·
Thank you for all of your replies! I'm thinking of an angelfish for the centerpiece, but Ithink I'll get it as juvenile size so that it can grow with the tetras. Also, I just found out that Glass Catfish are quite scarce in my area so I'm thinking of changing it with some other schooling fish.. Any suggestions for another fish? ??
 
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