40 gallon vs 55 gallon stocking options- why so different?

[GrumpyGills]

I'm thinking of starting my first tank soon and I have some questions.

I am fairly certain that a 40 gallon tank is the right size for me. From what I have read, a 40 gallon breeder seems like the best option due to the dimensions being more favorable for a community of fish.

Part of me is disappointed that I won't be getting a 55 gallon though (which is not really going to be an option for me) since for some reason it seems like that is the threshold which opens up a ton of options for larger fish. I was wondering why this seems to be the magic number for fish larger than a few inches.

As a beginner I don't understand why the stocking lists I see for 40 gallons are for example a few dwarf cichlids, maybe 8 or so tetras, some bottom feeders like corys and then maybe another fish or two (notice all of these are small fish, 3 inches or less). Then I look at lists for 55 gallons, just 15 gallons more, and all of the sudden the tank can handle 12 cichlids which will grow to 6+ inches each. I went and looked at tanks today, and I was surprised at just how big a 40 gallon breeder looked, yet all of my fish options seem to be 3 inches or less.

Basically, I want a community tank but I am afraid that I won't be happy with stocking only small fish. I think having even a couple centerpiece fish that are larger would really bring a "wow" factor to the tank. This may seem silly but I like how larger fish seem to actually "swim" while small fish tend to rapidly "flit" around the tank when they move. I've been doing a lot of research on dwarf cichlids and they certainly are beautiful but for some reason they still seem quite small to really be a centerpiece. Unfortunately this is all based on looking at pictures and videos so it is hard for me to tell how big they really are.

I would appreciate any insight or advice.

 

[Mebbid]

The stocking isn't really much different between the two.

A 55g is a good fit for an african cichlid tank because it's 1 foot longer and gives a bit more swimming space for larger fish. This doesn't mean a 40b has to be understocked though.

My 40b stocking list:

2x GBR
2x Angels
10x Praecox Rainbows
10x Harlequin Rasbora
1x Orinoco Angel Pleco
1x Rubber Lip Pleco
1x Bristlenose Pleco

I doubt anyone could say that's an understocked tank. I actually just switched over from a 55g to my 40b because the dimensions are a lot better on the 40.

 

[jetajockey]

I personally stock 40b's the same as a 55, if not a little more. The lack of side to side space is more than made up by the front to back increase. In fact, the standard 55 has about 4sq ft of footprint while the 40b has 4.5 sq ft. Of course, the 40b is also 15 gallons smaller, but height tends to be one of the least important things related to fish stocking.