40 gallon stocking help

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Fishkeeping411

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
46
Location
Australia
It is 3ft long.

I already have 6 cardinal tetras, 6 pygmy corydoras & a female betta. They have been living together for a while in a 20 gallon but now they will be shifted to the 40 gallon.

I want to add other fish but i'm not sure what else. I do want to up those 2 schools into a large group & add a bristlenose pleco.

Any other suggestions or ideas?
 
What temp are you keeping? Isn't a BN more co for table mid seventies and the betta around 78-80? What about a clown pleco?

Outside of that... Are you wanting another school or a new centerpiece?
 
I keep the temp at 78f so wouldn't the bristlenose pleco be okay since upon googling it; it's highest temp range is 81f? (not that you want to be at that extreme.) What is the difference (besides appearance) between the clown & bristlenose pleco?

I was thinking I wouldn't mind another school of tetras or rasboras etc. but I also like the idea of another centrepiece fish. I would like to get a ram as they are very beautifully coloured fish. I also heard gouramis and Betta's aren't a good idea because the gourami will nip be Betta's fins. Angels might eat the schooling fish etc. I think a ram is the best option for another centerpiece fish but I don't want to stress my female betta out.

Would something like this be okay:

- 8 cardinal tetras
- 8 other schooling fish
- 1 female betta
- 1 other centrepiece fish
- 8 Pygmy corydoras
- 1 type of pleco

By the way, pardon me with my knowledge on temperature ranges for tropical fish as I am fairly new to tropical fish other than Betta's.
 
Not sure if a betta and a ram will get along, even though your betta has had tankmates the more you add the greater chance her behavior will change.
 
I was also thinking this, she really isn't aggressive, but I want her to feel relaxed and not all stressed within in her space and her home.

Another option is I could put her in a smaller tank of 5.5 gallons along with a snail or some shrimp. What do you think she would be happier with; a smaller tank with no tankmates or a larger tank with tankmates? I know Betta's don't need company, I just mean will she prefer more space to swim than to be alone?

Any suggestions or ideas for stocking without the female betta in the 40 gallon?
 
I'd get at least 15 more cardinal tetras, a few more corys, keep the betta in there, and once the tank is established for a while...a pair of rams (y)
 
I keep the temp at 78f so wouldn't the bristlenose pleco be okay since upon googling it; it's highest temp range is 81f? (not that you want to be at that extreme.) What is the difference (besides appearance) between the clown & bristlenose pleco?

From my understanding:

Bristlnose Pleco
https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?task=&species_id=905

Clown Pleco
https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=734

Now there are several varients on the BN. I just marked the one I see most often.

So I would go Clown myself in that mix.
 
What about an angelfish, german blue rams, cardinal tetras, another small schooling fish, pygmy corydoras & a bristlenose pleco.

Is this too much? Should I not do the other small schooling fish?
 
What about an angelfish, german blue rams, cardinal tetras, another small schooling fish, pygmy corydoras & a bristlenose pleco.

Is this too much? Should I not do the other small schooling fish?

You wouldn't regret adding to your cardinal tetra school rather than getting another type. The more the better. They are gorgeous meandering around the tank and my large school was the highlight of my tank. I had a very similar setup with angels that worked out just fine.
 
I second the idea of a large school of Cardinals, but also increase the number of pygmy corys. You've got plenty of room, and you'll see some neat behavior from the larger shoal.
 
Sounds good! Any suggestions for aquascaping? Do any of these fish have a preferred environment? I already have sand for the bottom feeders.
 
It's nice to have live plants and driftwood for them to have some cover and feel safe. I don't know what type of lighting you have, but you could go with low light plants like anubias, java fern and crypts.
 
I don't have any special light so low tech would be the way to go. I was also thinking some driftwood with anubias tied to it & some of your other suggestions sound good.
 
From my knowledge in the wild angelfish prey on neon tetras. I dont know about cardinals though
 
From my knowledge in the wild angelfish prey on neon tetras. I dont know about cardinals though



I kept them together for years. I never saw my angels go for them, but then the cardinal tetras were too large for the angels to eat.
 
My cardinal tetras aren't big at the moment but if I was to buy the angel small then they would both "grow up together". I have read this advice previously in other threads so I think that's what I'll do.
 
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