Ideas for a 40 gallon tank

Good day,

Must admit I'm a bit confused by all the Natives, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Unfortunately due to living in an apartment the largest aquarium I am looking is around 40 gallons (and I've got an eye on the Seaclear 40). Any suggestions on stocking? I live in California if that means anything.

I'm probably right in thinking that Channel cats and Pickerels are out, although curious about Orange Spotted Sunfish and maybe Dollar Sunfish or Hogchokers.

Many kind regards, and Happy Christmas,

Matt

A single pickerel could actually live in a 40 for life. Just make sure you get a redfin, not a chain, which gets 30" long. Redfins only get 10-12" long.

Dollar sunfish are one of the most beautiful fish you'll see in you life. They also stay small, so you could put a few in a 40 gallon. Males get a little aggressive though, so that could be a little bit of a problem, but if you get 4 or 5 then the aggression will be more spread out, so it won't be as bad.

I don't know anything about keeping hogchokers. I bought one from Walmart 5 or so years ago and it lived for a week.

You might also want to consider a stream tank, with several species of colorful minnows, darters, and some of the smaller species of madtoms. There are some amazing looking minnow species out there as well as a large selection of darters of every color in the rainbow. It all really depends on what you like. Would you rather have a large predator, or a school of colorful minnows and a few pairs of speedy darters? I'm more of a sunfish person, so I could talk to you all day about all of the centrarchid possiblities for a 40 gallon. You could even have a nice sunfish community, with a few orangespots, bluespotteds, bandeds, and bantams. There are sunfish of every size and color, so if you want a pretty predator, large or small, I can suggest one for you. Check some of the vendors for ideas. That way, if you find something you like, you can buy it.

And welcome to the forum!!!

Steve

There's just so much to choose from, it's hard to make a suggestion.
Do you want to collect your own fish? For many, myself included, that's a huge part of the appeal. If so, start by researching the laws in your state and from there, what local species are both legal and appropreate to being kept in captivity.
If collecting is not your main interest, I suggest you scroll through the forum and read old threads and look at lots of tank photos. That way if something catches your interest, you'll have a great source of ideas and FAQ already layed out for you.

Having said that, if it were me, and I was in Ca, and IF it's legal [don't know Ca laws], I'd be looking very seriously at a tide pool tank. I love all tide pools but the Pacific ones have some particularly cool inverts.
Prolly not for beginners though. And stay away from garibaldis. I know they are protected. Too bad.

Thank you for the replies! I went ahead and ordered the tank, total cost including delivery is $193, which isn't too bad I think. It was listed as a combo, but that probably means just a hood with a light fixture. I'll see how exactly it is once it arrives.

Thanks for the suggestions! Looking at California it seems from what I can figure out that I need to a State license ($38 for a year) and Skinner Lake, which is my closest waterway, charges $4 a day to fish. Not bad I think.

I'll keep a lot in mind from the advice given so far, still got plenty of time! Tidal pools is one thing that hadn't crossed my mind, so will consider that too. Lived in California for 8 years and still learning.

Many thanks,

Matt

Tidal pools have some of the coolest collectable fish you can find, and saltwater natives aren't really kept too much, so it's worth a try.

Sunfish would probably be your best bet, but you would have to go to a lake where they have been stocked for fishing or buy some from someone on the forum. I can get you some of the more common ones and send them for the price of shipping, since I don't have an aquaculture license to sell them. I'll have to look at the CA laws first to make sure it's legal, though. If you don't mind buying them, then you can get a nice selection of the smaller species and put them in your tank.

If you live in CA you are SOL except for buying from one of our vendors. This is your opportunity to move to Mississippi!

If you live in CA you are SOL except for buying from one of our vendors. This is your opportunity to move to Mississippi!

I agree with Irate. The southeast has to have the best selection of fish available. Mississippi itself has a wide variety of fish and other strange critters, including Irate. And set aside from all other fish in the southeast, is the almighty bluenose shiner, our pride and joy. It's one of America's most treasured species. Is it against CA law to bring fish into the state that are collected elsewhere? Another idea for getting fish is "feeder-tank collecting", a method several of us on the forum use to obtain certain fish (swamp darters, bluefin killies, rainwater killies, etc.). Just go to your LFS and look in the ghost shrimp and feeder guppy/minnow/whatever tanks.

I'm a little fuzzy on this, but as I understand it, collecting natives in california is not allowed at all, since almost all Cali fish are endangered.

Its pretty confusing as most of the laws seem to be aimed at stocking of ponds and waterways. Trying to get clarification from Department of Fish and game, but at worst it seems I'd be limited to buying from an instate aquaculturist and the common species they sale would be:

golden shiner minnow
black crappie/white crappie
channel catfish
smallmouth bass
bluegill
fathead minnow
largemouth bass
Sacramento perch.

There seems to be no provision for importation of other species from other states for aquarium use (or found thus far) as the forms suggest stocking of ponds or waterways. More forms here.

Perhaps I should move to Missi...Missis, MS .

Although I am definitely open to purchasing from one of the vendors here, and the kinda cool part is that I still have time to choose species as I doubt I'll have the aquarium here for at least another two or so week.

Ok, I'm looking at a community tank with a brindle/speckled or tadpole madtom, some type of Minnow/dace and if I can manage it a Sunfish. Not sure precisely on species yet...

Looking at filters, oh dear...Seems that my choices are:

Magnum 250 or 350
Eheim Ecco 2234
Fluval 305 (this is the most expensive unit).

What sort of gravel will work best? Looking to plant this aquarium as I think it looks best with plants and also have to consider the madtom, if any are possible in a community tank with a small shoal of minnows/dace.

Many thanks for any advice, think I am getting there slowly .

Matt

Ok, I'm looking at a community tank with a brindle/speckled or tadpole madtom, some type of Minnow/dace and if I can manage it a Sunfish. Not sure precisely on species yet...

Looking at filters, oh dear...Seems that my choices are:

Magnum 250 or 350
Eheim Ecco 2234
Fluval 305 (this is the most expensive unit).

What sort of gravel will work best? Looking to plant this aquarium as I think it looks best with plants and also have to consider the madtom, if any are possible in a community tank with a small shoal of minnows/dace.

Many thanks for any advice, think I am getting there slowly .

Matt

If you want a sunny keep the current low. Look at the Enneacanthus species and bantam sunfish.

For gravel, go to Lowe's and look for "decorative stone". It's natural gravel that comes from streams and rivers. It looks good too IMO. It's about $4 a bag. You might need 4 or 5 bags for a 40 gallon. I'm not exactly sure how much. Half a bag gives you 1.5" of gravel in a 10 gallon. I've only used it alone in a 10 gallon, and I have some of it mixed with sand and small rocks from the creek in my backyard in a 30 gallon tank. For plants, your going to have to add some type of "soil" under the gravel. You can use soil from your backyard, sand from a stream, and I've heard Georgia red clay is good too. 'Course I guess it won't help much since your in Cali.

You can use soil from your backyard, sand from a stream, and I've heard Georgia red clay is good too.

You need to send him some! I remember that stuff. Laterite's got nothin' on Georgia clay.

Here in Mississippi we have this stuff called Yazoo clay. It's grey, not red with iron like Georgia clay is. I dunno what's in the stuff. It's like wet cat litter actually.

What sort of gravel will work best?

Check out this article from FarmerTodd. All the cool kids are doing it now.

http://www.farmertod...e_fish_tank.pdf

Check out this article from FarmerTodd. All the cool kids are doing it now.

http://www.farmertod...e_fish_tank.pdf

Just read the PDF, seriously helped a lot! Now I've got more of an idea on substrate I've also settled on an Eheim 2234 as the filter, so at least thats a start.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Matt