40 Gallon Bow Community & Stock

[tplowman91]

Hi community,

I am new to this forum, but gaining experience from the hobby. My tank stats and info:

40 Gallons Bow Front
Live Plants
1 Fluval Aqua Clear 50 Filter
1 Aqueon QuietFlow 30
Color Changing LEDs with remote
1 Fluorescent Light Bulb
Small Gravel Substrate
Eheim 100W Heater
1 Rio Underwater Filter


Fish
2 Blue Ram Cichlids
2 Baby Angel fish
1 Red Dwarf Gourami
5 Black Skirt Tetra
1 White Skirt Long Finned Tetra
3 Bloodfin Tetra
3 Giant Danio
3 Baby Silver Dollar
3 Diamond Tetra

Bottom Feeders
1 Rapheal Catfish
1 Albino Cory Catfish
5 Ghost Shrimp
2 Mystery Snails
1 Fiddler Crab
1 Red Claw Crab


It seems over stocked, but I have 500 Gallon/Hour filtration totals and great parameters. Haven't had any problems with Ammonia, Nitrite or even Nitrate.

Current Tank Parameters
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Temperature: 78F
GH: 12 Degrees
KH: 4 Degrees
PH: 7.2


Let me know what you think of the pictures & the tank. May be a little overstocked but fish are all very happy. View attachment 281145
View attachment 281146




One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Face


One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

 

[tplowman91]

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

 

[Coursair]

40 Gallon Bow Community & Stock

Hi community,

I am new to this forum, but gaining experience from the hobby. My tank stats and info:

40 Gallons Bow Front
Live Plants
1 Fluval Aqua Clear 50 Filter
1 Aqueon QuietFlow 30
Color Changing LEDs with remote
1 Fluorescent Light Bulb
Small Gravel Substrate
Eheim 100W Heater
1 Rio Underwater Filter


Fish
2 Blue Ram Cichlids
2 Baby Angel fish
1 Red Dwarf Gourami
5 Black Skirt Tetra
1 White Skirt Long Finned Tetra
3 Bloodfin Tetra
3 Giant Danio
3 Baby Silver Dollar
3 Diamond Tetra

Bottom Feeders
1 Rapheal Catfish
1 Albino Cory Catfish
5 Ghost Shrimp
2 Mystery Snails
1 Fiddler Crab
1 Red Claw Crab


It seems over stocked, but I have 500 Gallon/Hour filtration totals and great parameters. Haven't had any problems with Ammonia, Nitrite or even Nitrate.

Current Tank Parameters
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Temperature: 78F
GH: 12 Degrees
KH: 4 Degrees
PH: 7.2


Let me know what you think of the pictures & the tank. May be a little overstocked but fish are all very happy. View attachment 281145
View attachment 281146




One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Face


One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Going forward I see some possible issues.

Silver Dollars get big fast and will chow down on plants !

Red Claw and Fiddler Crabs need their own set up. They will drown or escape. Read up !!!

Cory Cats should be in groups.

Giant Danios are fast nervous fish. Bad tank mates for Angels and Gouramis IMHO and need a longer tank.

Angels and Gouramis may fight as they grow up.

Black Skirts/White Skirts can be quite nippy and I would not recommend for Angel tank.

Bloodfin and Diamond Tetras should be in larger groups. 6 or more.

So things are fine now, but as these fish settle in, I see issues.

You have a mishmash of baby fish.

Pick your favorite species. Build your stocking plan around them.

I'd return Silver Dollars and Giant Danios for sure.

Your tank, your choice...just my viewpoint.

I know about impulse buying and wanting a variety. But long term, good choices and happy shoals of fish are best IMHO.

I'm just starting to stock my 55g

I'm not trying to be mean. I just want your tank to succeed and your fish to be happy and healthy for a long time.

Enjoy your tank !


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[tplowman91]

Going forward I see some possible issues.

Silver Dollars get big fast and will chow down on plants !

Red Claw and Fiddler Crabs need their own set up. They will drown or escape. Read up !!!

Cory Cats should be in groups.

Giant Danios are fast nervous fish. Bad tank mates for Angels and Gouramis IMHO and need a longer tank.

Angels and Gouramis may fight as they grow up.

Black Skirts/White Skirts can be quite nippy and I would not recommend for Angel tank.

Bloodfin and Diamond Tetras should be in larger groups. 6 or more.

So things are fine now, but as these fish settle in, I see issues.

You have a mishmash of baby fish.

Pick your favorite species. Build your stocking plan around them.

I'd return Silver Dollars and Giant Danios for sure.

Your tank, your choice...just my viewpoint.

I know about impulse buying and wanting a variety. But long term, good choices and happy shoals of fish are best IMHO.

I'm just starting to stock my 55g

I'm not trying to be mean. I just want your tank to succeed and your fish to be happy and healthy for a long time.

Enjoy your tank !


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I pull the crabs out once every 48-72 hours and they do just fine. I pull me out and hold them for a few minutes and put them back. They've gone 7-8 days before without air and still were just fine. I may build an air pocket for them, though. Yes I know about the silver dollars and needing a 55g tank. We will see. As they grow bigger I may sell them or give them back to store. Not sure. As far as giant danios go, yes they are fast fish. Only reason I bought them is because guy at LFS suggested them for my 40.


One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

 

[Coursair]

Guys at the LFS are there to sell fish and may or may not know what they are talking about.

Before buying fish, I suggest checking LiveAquaria, SeriouslyFish and Planet Catfish for any sucker mouth or other cat.


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[sinibotia]

I agree with Coursair about the crabs; also, the crabs are brackish and that's another reason to find them a new home.

You have two angelfish- if they turn out to be a pair (about a 75% chance since 2 female angelfish will pair) then they will kill your other fish.

You also have two ram cichlids- if they turn out to be a pair they may kill other fish as well, since your tank is so heavily stocked.

Silver dollars and giant danios will outgrow your tank, so I would rehome them.

You need larger numbers of schooling fish such as the corydoras and the tetras.

 

[Coursair]

40 Gallon Bow Community & Stock

The issue with putting large young fish in smaller tanks is that it can stunt their growth , decrease life span, and they may slam into sides if startled.


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[tplowman91]

Well here's a video so you can get a closer look at the tank.

 

[Coursair]

All of your plants with the white edges are non aquatic. They'll rot. But you can grow them elsewhere.

Colombian Red Blue Tetras are also major fin nippers.

You have some semi aggressive fish.

For now maybe rehome Rams and Angels as they like a more peaceful tank.

Be very careful with your Raphael. Fake logs can trap catfish. Make sure he is fitting in and out and fill any holes that go way up inside.

It's a busy tank. Your Ram is hiding. Your Silver Dollar appears to be hiding.

Pick a favorite and we'd be happy to recommend which tank mates will work long term.

Or buy a 75g and move your larger/more aggressive fish. And keep the 40g for compatible species.

All of your schooling fish should be in larger groups. Stores will say minimum is 3...most people here don't agree with that and neither do most quality sellers.

I'll stop now. It's your tank and your choices. I just think you need to do more research and do what's best for your fish. They are more than decor that eats.

Once fish settle and start growing and want to breed, your happy tank will not be happy anymore. Better to avoid that scenario.

Tank looks clean, I know how nice a bedside tank is [emoji106]?


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[tplowman91]

All of your plants with the white edges are non aquatic. They'll rot. But you can grow them elsewhere.

Colombian Red Blue Tetras are also major fin nippers.

You have some semi aggressive fish.

For now maybe rehome Rams and Angels as they like a more peaceful tank.

Be very careful with your Raphael. Fake logs can trap catfish. Make sure he is fitting in and out and fill any holes that go way up inside.

It's a busy tank. Your Ram is hiding. Your Silver Dollar appears to be hiding.

Pick a favorite and we'd be happy to recommend which tank mates will work long term.

Or buy a 75g and move your larger/more aggressive fish. And keep the 40g for compatible species.

All of your schooling fish should be in larger groups. Stores will say minimum is 3...most people here don't agree with that and neither do most quality sellers.

I'll stop now. It's your tank and your choices. I just think you need to do more research and do what's best for your fish. They are more than decor that eats.

Once fish settle and start growing and want to breed, your happy tank will not be happy anymore. Better to avoid that scenario.

Tank looks clean, I know how nice a bedside tank is [emoji106]?


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As far as the Raphael goes, he hasn't seem to have any issues in regards to getting stuck, but I will certainly look for more places that it is possible. In regards to the fish, go, I don't have the receipts for the Angels or Rams, nor the space for another tank, that being said, I have to work with them. Yes the Angels have been very stressed out in this tank, in which I feel very bad. It is what I get for jumping into it without researching. I want to keep as many fish in this tank as possible. In the video you'll only see one silver dollar, there are three of them, only one seems to hide, the other two are consistently swimming along the tanks bow.


Some ideas of mine: I think 5 black skirts is a decent shoal, I'll leave them as is. The Bloodfin tetra probably need a few more friends for their school, so I may add. As far as the Colombian blue tetra, they are absolutely beautiful fish and I don't want to get rid of them. Maybe they will do better with a few more friends for their school? My favorite fish of the tank is either the Columbians or the Black Skirts. I want to keep the Columbians and black skirts for sure. Maybe I should add in 2 more Columbians, for a total of 5 black skirts, 5 columbians.



Maybe give me a recommendation on a good community, using black skirts and Columbians tetra


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[Brookster123]

Coursair has hit all the main points.

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[Coursair]

Rehome Angels and Rams then if you want to build your tank around busy, nippy fish.

Def rehome Giant Danios.
Ask store if they can take fish back for store credit , some stores will.

Craigslist otherwise.

Don't add any more fish till you straighten out your stocking , is my advice.

GL


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[tplowman91]

40 Gallon Bow Community & Stock

Rehome Angels and Rams then if you want to build your tank around busy, nippy fish.

Def rehome Giant Danios.
Ask store if they can take fish back for store credit , some stores will.

Craigslist otherwise.

Don't add any more fish till you straighten out your stocking , is my advice.

GL


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Angel fish were my biggest mistake of the tank. They still eat, but one is sick and barely moves. I may have to consider euthanizing it. But the other one back to the store.


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