# How many fish in 40 Gallon Tank?



## Aquashi

Hi, I'm new to fish (although I've had goldfish and bettas for years) and I'm going to be buying a 40 gallon tank. I'll be creating a river current via powerheads and intake sponges to create an East African/Nile River biotope. I currently have a Honey Sunset Gouramis and an African Featherfin that I'll be putting in there (I know the Gouramis isn't native to Africa, but he's sort of been with me for awhile - so when he passes it'll be a true East African biotope). 

Anyways, these are the fish I'm putting in it. I just want to know if it'll be overstocked or not? It's 3 feet long, 15" wide, 16" tall I believe.

1. 1x African Featherfin Squeaker (baby now, 8" max adult height)
2. 1x Honey Sunset Gouramis (2" max adult length)
3. 2x Egyptian Mouthbrooder (pair - 3.2" max adult length)
4. 6x Norman's Lampeye (1.6" max adult length) OR 4 African Glass Catfish (3.2" max adult height)
5. 1x Naked Shellear (1.6" max adult length)
6. Possibly an African Black Knifefish (8" max adult length in aquaria)

So that leaves me with 35.6 inches of fish if I go with the 1 gallon per 1 inch of fish rule. If I get the African Glass Catfish I have 38.8 inches of fish. Is either of these overstocked or should I rethink buying some of them? The thickest bodied fish is the African Featherfin Squeaker, but he's only 4" at the moment and on the slim side. Again, the Gouramis and Squeaker are non-negotiable, as I already have them.

Thanks!


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## Jakarta

First, you need to understand the difference between rivers and rivers.

Rivers are collections of small ponds on either sides of a central, sluggish stream, that are connected together only during flood season. These are low oxygen environments, often stained with tannics and are usually acidic. 

Rivers on the other hand, flow strait down mountains very quickly, are pretty much pure water, and have high oxygen concentrations. They are often quite cold.

The thing is, I'm describing exactly the same river, at different ends. You need to pick a fish that you like, and find tankmates from the same type of, or section of, river. 

The gourami won't like the high current. It is a sluggish water fish.

Second, you need to understand that the phrase "maximum size in an aquarium" indicates the size at which the owner freaks out and donates it to SeaWorld, the largest of the type generally available at the pet store, the size at which the owner moves it to a pond, or the size at which the fish dies.

Third, lampeyes are nice, peaceful fish, but from low current areas. They should get along fine with the gourami. They may end up as snack food for the knifefish.


Fourth, glass cats are quite fragile and can be difficult to keep. They also prefer planted tanks and large numbers. Oddly, they are maybe the best of your choices for tank mates for your gourami. you would need to keep the flow limited to one area of the tank.

There are other points to be made, but it is bedtime here...

I don't mean to be such a downer....but rather to suggest that you need to do a bit more research. East Africa is a big place. Lots of ecosystems.


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## Aquashi

Thanks for the reply!

Well, I'm basing the biotope around the African Featherfin. He will be my main fixture as he grows. I know he likes low-light, driftwood to hide in, and a somewhat of a current. If I put one powerhead near the back of the tank so it runs towards the opposite end lengthwise, would that be alright for the gouramis? I can add more glass catfish if I don't get a knifefish, which I'm fine with. If I drop the knifefish idea and get 6 glass catfish instead of 4, would that be better?


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

sounds fine to me, go for it.

not overstock not under stocked its just about right. what filter are you using?
what powerheads?


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## Jakarta

Other notes:

A) "Peaceful" has multiple meanings in the aquarium trade. "Incapable of causing harm" as in a neon tetra. "Will usually not eat other fish" ...but will if they are small enough as in most catfish not named cory or pleco. ect... Other times there are *'s that are understood but often left out. Such as peaceful* (* = when not breeding) or peaceful* (*= for a cichlid).

B) if you keep a pair of fish with complex breeding habits, often times they will try to breed. Do you really want to breed fish? Do you just want 1 tank, or do you want to convert the basement into a fishroom? Do you want to fiddle with preparing fry food?

C) Your squeaker is a territorial bottom dweller who likes to have a cave or flower pot to hide in. In the absence of this, he will find the cloest thing, even if it is the underside of the driftwood or the coner of the tank. It is mostly noctorunal, and will hunt the bottom of the tank for scraps after lights out. It is also a "passive" predator. It may not hunt the lampeyes in open water, but as they bed down for the night he will eat them if he comes acorss them. This will become a worse problem as he gets larger as the smallerfish get more bite sized. Small, slender tankmates will just vanish over time.

D) Egyption mouth brooders (if you can find them, they were once popular but now most stores don't carry them) are not open water breeders. They mouthbrood in a cave. Placing a cave structure in the tank will encourage them. If no cave is available, they may breed anyway, in the most sheltered area available, such as under the driftwood or in a coner (sound familiar?)

Now, summing A+B+C+D=?

The EMB's are peaceful for a cichlid, when not breeding. When they are breeding, they will establish a territory and take out their harmone driven agression on their tankmates. They may have a conflict with the squeaker over cave structures, and the squeaker will want to eat the fry. He may get beat up a bit, but will probably be tough enough to survive repeated scraps with the EMBs. The delicate glass cats, the slow gourami, and the small lamp eyes on the otherhand may incure damage as the EMBs enforce their territory. 

If you have your heart set on having a "peaceful" pair of african cichlids, you may want to consider kribs. (don't try jewel cichlids in a community. Very aggressive when breeding)


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## Aquashi

WhiteGloveAquatics said:


> sounds fine to me, go for it.
> 
> not overstock not under stocked its just about right. what filter are you using?
> what powerheads?


I'm not sure, yet. Buying this tank is still a month or two out. I'm just trying to plan it all out before I do it. Do you have any powerhead suggestions for a 40 gallon? Any filter suggestions? The tank is a SeaClear 40 Gallon - Dimensions: 36"L x 15"W x 16"H.

Thanks!


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## Aquashi

Jakarta said:


> Other notes:
> 
> A) "Peaceful" has multiple meanings in the aquarium trade. "Incapable of causing harm" as in a neon tetra. "Will usually not eat other fish" ...but will if they are small enough as in most catfish not named cory or pleco. ect... Other times there are *'s that are understood but often left out. Such as peaceful* (* = when not breeding) or peaceful* (*= for a cichlid).
> 
> B) if you keep a pair of fish with complex breeding habits, often times they will try to breed. Do you really want to breed fish? Do you just want 1 tank, or do you want to convert the basement into a fishroom? Do you want to fiddle with preparing fry food?
> 
> C) Your squeaker is a territorial bottom dweller who likes to have a cave or flower pot to hide in. In the absence of this, he will find the cloest thing, even if it is the underside of the driftwood or the coner of the tank. It is mostly noctorunal, and will hunt the bottom of the tank for scraps after lights out. It is also a "passive" predator. It may not hunt the lampeyes in open water, but as they bed down for the night he will eat them if he comes acorss them. This will become a worse problem as he gets larger as the smallerfish get more bite sized. Small, slender tankmates will just vanish over time.
> 
> D) Egyption mouth brooders (if you can find them, they were once popular but now most stores don't carry them) are not open water breeders. They mouthbrood in a cave. Placing a cave structure in the tank will encourage them. If no cave is available, they may breed anyway, in the most sheltered area available, such as under the driftwood or in a coner (sound familiar?)
> 
> Now, summing A+B+C+D=?
> 
> The EMB's are peaceful for a cichlid, when not breeding. When they are breeding, they will establish a territory and take out their harmone driven agression on their tankmates. They may have a conflict with the squeaker over cave structures, and the squeaker will want to eat the fry. He may get beat up a bit, but will probably be tough enough to survive repeated scraps with the EMBs. The delicate glass cats, the slow gourami, and the small lamp eyes on the otherhand may incure damage as the EMBs enforce their territory.
> 
> If you have your heart set on having a "peaceful" pair of african cichlids, you may want to consider kribs. (don't try jewel cichlids in a community. Very aggressive when breeding)


I see.. that would be bad. Would it be better to get two males instead? They would then be peaceful without the frenzied breeding.

My squeaker is a bit passive. He's about 3 1/2" long right now and has been in a tank with little Glofish and Ghost Shrimp. The Ghost Shrimp were never harmed by him, and they were much smaller than he is. I don't know if he hasn't hit that really aggressive, territorial stage yet or if this is his real personality. I have put my hand in the tank before to feed him and he doesn't run off. He's a pretty friendly guy from what I can tell. This may change.

So, possibly, would two male Egyptian Mouthbrooders work? Two females? The guy at the LFS said they are seasonal and he can get them. In the meantime I'll check out the kribs you suggested. Thanks. =)


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## Jakarta

I would suggest that you start where you are, and gradually go where you want to be.

Where you are, is with a gourami (slow, easily targeted filament fins), a glo fish (danio?), and a catfish that will grow larger.

where you seem to want to go, is a pair of dwarf cichlids in a community setting with an African theme. 

I assume you want the cichlids for the behavioral aspect, and perhaps for contrasting shape with the other fish (variety).

I suggest that you get a pair of "the un-cichlid": _Jordenella floridia_ the American Flag Fish (AKA Florida Flag Fish, after its state of origin, the flag pattern looks vaguely like the _Stars and Stripes _) They are 1.5 inches at most, and were misclassified as dwarf cichlids, then as pygmy sunfish, and are now considered "pup fish" or stout bodied killie fish (killie is Dutch for stream). They are non live bearing members of the "livebearing tooth carp" family. They are swamp fish from the Everglades, and act vaguely like cichlids, eat algea, and tend to swim slowly. Mine hang out under my floating plants most of the time.

To this you can add some a pair of _Bandis bandis_. These are cousins of the gourami family, look like a composite of a female betta, a dwarf gourami, and a dwarf cichlid, behave vaguely like cichlids, and will probably stake out another section of the plants and be good decent neighbours for the Flagfish. Round this out with the lampeyes, and some neon dwarf rainbowfish. Get some younger rainbows in the 1 inch range. they will eventually grow to 2.5-3 inches, and are very pretty. You will have a pretty tank with 2 pairs of "false cichlids".

As these catfish grows, and the lampeyes, glofish, and gourami age out, you can replace them with Congo tetras. They will look good with the rainbowfish, and are large enough not to be eaten. At this time you can pick out a pair of kribs or some other dwarf African cichlid. Then you will have your "African theme tank".

Or, you will be happily distracted by something else by then.


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## Aquashi

Glofish are Zebra Danios. I actually gave those away, so I just have the Gouramis and the Featherfin now.

I am still aiming for the African biotope with species native to the Nile region. I just need to wait for Ambassador Sanchez to pass on (hope it's not soon - she's a riot) before it is fully native to that area. Thanks~


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## Jakarta

...but where are you going to put the crocodile?


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## Aquashi

I'm modifying the cabinets under the tank to hold a bigger specimen like that one. Some contortion might be needed on the crocodile's part, but it should make for a great biotope once finished.


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