40 gallon Column Tank - Suggestions

[Rejoice]

I just snagged a awesome looking 40 gallon column tank that I'm in the initial stages of planning. I'm just trying to figure out what I want to put in it.

I was toying with the idea of doing just a few NA Cichlids (done just about everything else, except Cichlids) like a pair of Firemouths and Convicts or maybe Keyholes. I love firemouths, so I'm also thinking of maybe a Central American biotope.

Does anyone else have a column tank like this or similar? What did you find worked well (I've always done standard or long tanks, but this one just looked to cool for the price)? Is just a community tank a better pick?
or
What kind of tank would you set it up as?

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Well I think it would be cool having a 40 Gallon column cichlid setup, only problem I would have is the Central and South american cichlids get so big, you would only be able to have maybe 2 of them.

I would stick with some African cichlids from the lakes. They stay a lot smaller and you would be able to have prob. 5-6 at full size. Any where from 4-6in depending what lake they are from.

For cichlids, I would get a nice fine sand substrate because they like to put the sand in there mouths and move it to make pits or hills. I would also get tons of big rocks at the bottom of the tank that create a lot of holes, caves, ect. Since columns are so tall as well, I suggest getting some tall plants to go in the back so it wouldn't look so plan from the middle up. I suggest some corkscrew val. They would really pull a cichlid tank together.

 

[Rejoice]

Oh, that's a neat idea, I hadn't thought of Africans, I had thought they were all long tank lovers. Would you have any species suggestions?

Thanks

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Most people jsut put them in longer tanks because it's cmon, as long as you mimic there habbitat the best you can, it doesn't really matter.

I think the Lake Malawi Cichlids are most colorful, but aggersive.
Freshwater Aquarium - Malawi Cichlids <<<Link to tons of Lake Malawi Cichlids. I would lean toward hap. cichlids, they are sooo colorful and neat.

Another choice you could do is Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, they are smaller and have very cool personallities.
Lake Tanganyika Cichlids <<< Link to some info on Tanganyika cichlids, couple pics, but very cool cichlids.

The choice is really up to you, I like them both.

 

[CaptainAhab]

If I might, how wide is a 40g column tank ?

 

[Rejoice]

It's dimensions are 20"l x 18w"x 25"t

 

[CaptainAhab]

This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth. While the tank probably looks very kewl ; what you have there is basically a 10G tank with some extra water volume. 4 10's stacked on top of each other. Fish need room to swim, and they swim horizontally.

You may be better served to look for fish that fall in the 10g range and not 40g range. Tank size recommendations are usually provided based on the typical dimensions of a tank; most importantly horizontal length, which yours is not.

A typical 40g would be 36 or 48 inches long.

Again, just my opinion

 

[Rejoice]

That's a really good point, perhaps I'll aim more towards an community tank with it and skip the cichlids for now.

Thanks a bunch, helps guide my mind big time.

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

In a tank that size, a pair of kribs and some danios would be great. I need to stop posting stocking answers: I just tell everyone what I want

Wouldn't a pair of convicts be OK here?

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I still think you should stick with the African cichlid idea Jess.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Africans need more space than 20".


A single Angelfish with maybe some bottom feeders would be a good idea. Like said above, its like a very tall 10g, so don't get anything too large or too active.

Most Africans (especially Mbuna) would kill each other in a tank that small (length-wise).

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Fine, boot my idea out lol .

Just get a bunch of tetras and some pygmy cories.

 

[Rejoice]

Thanks for the ideas I'll probably go with some fun little community fish, my 1 year old loves em.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Can't go wrong with a community. Stick with small schooling fish if you can.

 

[czcz]

Check out elwaine's sweet tank divider pictured here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/19555-albums316-picture2023.html

To keep your fish interested in the middle of the tank, what if you did something like that so you could make sure plants stayed in one area (or use safe pots!) and then used a plant that grows really tall but can be trimmed with haircuts (like Vallisneria sp.) or that you should never trim and only look better with time left alone (like Cryptocoryne spiralis or retrospiralis)? Then maybe you'd really take advantage the 4 ten gallons on top of one another. Like maybe a nice school of Rasbora and a Beta or Gourami (or 3 female Bettas?) and... and Dwarf cories/hasborus and tons of Otos. Or maybe instead a bunch of curious fish that like to poke around all over, like Psuedomugil / Blue eyed Rainbowfish or Sparkling Gourami (and they say C. hastatus?).

Is it so tall you should worry about fish that like to hit the surface for air sometimes, like Otos or Cories?