Advice on how many fish to have in a 40g

[7bubbles]

Hi everybody,

I finally got the tank and water cycled so this weekend I will get the first fish. I understand I need to stock the aquarium over several weeks getting only a couple fish every week (which is fine as my children will be excited to pick new fish every weekend).

The question is roughly how many fish I can have in the 40g? Obviously this will depend on the type of fish. I would like lots of little ones (tetras, guppies, platies) and a couple of midsize (angelfish any other suggestion?).

I am very new to this hobby so your comments will be very much welcomed

 

[Tim Wheatley]

As you said it does depend what you get. Also some fish just won't work together (and don't believe those 'community' labels at the fish store).

Pick a fish that you definitely want, and then we can work around finding matches for that fish.

 

[7bubbles]

My son and I have been looking at books and in the web and the ones he likes are: guppies, tetras, rainbowfish, angelfish, discus, platies and swordtails. I think the glass catfish is rather interesting and the red tail black shark is really nice. A nice to have would be a clown loach.

I am not sure if I can get all that in my little tank or if it is even advisable based on the fish temperament.

So what I would like to get from the different people in the forum is the mix they would pick based on your knowledge and experience using the fish I mentioned above. Also if you would like to add other fish I did not mention that is also good and I will check them.

Thanks in advance for your help and start submitting your "perfect mix" 

 

[Bettababe1011]

Clown loaches grow to about eighteen inches I think. They get large, and need a big tank. They also like to have some friends of their own species.

Courtesy of Dakota's iPod.

 

[Dissy]

Personally, I would avoid the discus, and the angelfish - they get too big for a 20 gallon, IMO, and have specific requirements. They also do best kept in groups.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I personally would avoid Guppies, Platies/Swords as they breed like rabbits, Angelfish because they can be aggressive, Discus because they are a bit too difficult to start with and red tail sharks because they will become aggressive later on. From your list that leaves Tetras, Rainbowfish, catfish and the clowns.

For a good starter tank here's what I would do:
5 Corydoras Catfish (there are many types available, generally all have the same body type). Nice and active, and love being in a group.

Some tetras (lots of choices here). I like Serpae Tetras with Cory cats. You could go with the commonly-kept Neon Tetra instead. Both of these like to be in groups too. But you could keep more Neons than Serpaes as they have less bioload.

I would start with just two types of fish and watch how they behave, especially if you have kids who are going to be interested as you don't want death and destruction.

I keep Clown loaches myself and they grow really slow. If you did get some I wouldn't expect you to need a bigger tank for over a year as long as you buy under 2-3 inches.

 

[7bubbles]

Thanks for all the comments. I am just starting with the hobby so probably I will not be changing the tank or upgrading it soon. As a result it looks like clowns are out of the picture.

Are Angelfish that aggressive/difficult to keep? That's one that my son really really wants.

For platies, guppies and swordtail how "fast" do they reproduce? Is it one or two fish every couple of months or every couple of weeks? Would it be recommend to keep only females? (I believe males only will end up in territorial fights)

Thanks again for the comments and info

 

[Rokuzachi]

I think Rainbowfish are great. They can be quite stunning, and all the ones I've seen are quite active.

 

[doogle]

wait till your tank is cycled before you add fish.dont add fish in the middle of your cycle. research all fish of interest and makes sure they dont get too big and they should get along together. livaquaria.com has alot of info about this, good luck

 

[Tim Wheatley]

Thanks for all the comments. I am just starting with the hobby so probably I will not be changing the tank or upgrading it soon. As a result it looks like clowns are out of the picture.

Are Angelfish that aggressive/difficult to keep? That's one that my son really really wants.

For platies, guppies and swordtail how "fast" do they reproduce? Is it one or two fish every couple of months or every couple of weeks? Would it be recommend to keep only females? (I believe males only will end up in territorial fights)

Thanks again for the comments and info

If Angels are the #1 priority I would suggest 5 Cory catfish, a VERY small pleco of some sort (I have a zebra pleco) and 2-3 Angels. Also, if you haven't bought your kit yet, overfilter as much as you can. For example don't be afraid to fit a 70 gallon filter on a 40 gallon tank. I have a 400 gal filter on a 55. It will help.

And as the person above said. Make sure you cycle the tank. And when you do add fish - take your time. I know that's not the easy thing to do with kids, but learning patience will be good for them, too.

 

[7bubbles]

I bought and setup the tank two weeks ago. We filled it, setup the external filter (Fluval 205) and heater. I added the liquid bacteria the shop recommended and got an API master test kit. The Amonia and Nitrite are zero and Nitrate last Saturday was around 50. I am away from home now but I will test it tomorrow night again. What level does the Nitrate need to be to considered ready, 40 or less?

 

[7bubbles]

If Angels are the #1 priority I would suggest 5 Cory catfish, a VERY small pleco of some sort (I have a zebra pleco) and 2-3 Angels.

Would Angels not be compatible/advisable with swordfish, tetras, rainbowfish, platies and guppies? I mean, would it be one or the other?

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I just would avoid Swordfish, platies and guppies due to the breeding, while tetras will either bother the Angelfish, or be eaten by them in most cases.

Even if you bought a livebearer like a guppy, it's known that they can store sperm until they need it, so even if you never have a male and female combo you can still get babies.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I think 20 or less for the test.

 

[7bubbles]

Thanks for the info. So how often or much do they reproduce. Lets say we end up with 3 platies, 3 swordfish and 5 guppies. When and how many new additions I will find in my tank?

 

[Big-j]

Don't know about platys and swordtails but guppies can produce 40-80 babies every 28 days, in a tank with other fish though most of them if not all will be eaten, giving your fish a very nutritious meal.

 

[7bubbles]

Don't know about platys and swordtails but guppies can produce 40-80 babies every 28 days, in a tank with other fish though most of them if not all will be eaten, giving your fish a very nutritious meal.

Wow may be I should place the tank in front of the TV so those little guys use their time in other activities 

How "ethical" is to let the fry be some other fish's dinner? I mean, do I need to do something about the babies, or just let nature take it's own path? (I.e. some families will not be growing a lot while somebody else finds free food)

 

[doogle]

cycle of life...

 

[doogle]

think about realistic aquariums, like south american fish that would be in simular area(give or take)(angels, hatchet fish, tetra)set up or a species tank(all angels) i have a book to help if you want a stocking list for smaller tanks in any regional setup.(african, south american, australian, southeast asian) i have a southeast asian setup myself. look at my albums and dont be shy with any questions.

 

[7bubbles]

Thanks. That's a good idea to stick to a single region, although no fish will feel truly at home with the plastic plants and decorations my children chose 