Pic of the tank I might get.

[SworDTail KeePer]

Here is a picture of the tank I am going to get for my birtday. http/www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1110936937329

manly for chiclids

 

[nc_nutcase]

40 Gals are nice tanks. I am a strong believer that large (or soon to be large) cichlids require more than a 11.5 inch deep (front to back) tank. The 40 you showed is 15 inches. 40 Gal will offer some limitation in variety/quantity of fish that can be housed, but if this is your first cichlid tank I think it is a good choice. But while your setting it up... keep an eye out for a place to put a 125 Gal This fish stuff is addictive....

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

Yeah i know I got my fisht tank last year and I can't get off of fish. So you think it is a good size that great. Yeah this is going to be my fist chiclid tank and owning my first chiclid. Should I get sand or gravle? I like the sand but it may not be good for them. Also what kind of fish can I put with them? Any suggestions or information will be taken thanks.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Hi, nice looking tank too! Does it come with a hood and base?

 

[nc_nutcase]

Since you are starting with nothing and building according to your own personal desires your options are huge. I would approach it from one of two angles... and to decide which angle would suit you best ask yourself this base question... 'Which is more important, having your favorite cichlid? or having your tank’s appearance a certain way?

1) If you are dying for the tank to look a certain way... then design it all out (without purchasing anything). Do the research, make sure that everything you want is available and within your budget. Then find out what kind of fish will thrive in the desired environment you created.

2) If you would rather chose the fish, then create the environment to suit, it's time to pick your base fish. I would suggest doing a Google (or comparable search) for these two words with no punctuation: cichlid profile. This will keep you lost online for hours looking at pictures of fish and learning about their nature and requirements. Search far and wide and learn as much as you can. When your done pick your favorite cichlid (No, only pick one!) and find out what kind of needs it has.

Chances are whatever you pick could live happily with a sand substrate. Off the top of my head I can't think of a fish that 'needs' gravel although some seem to do better in it.

Be careful asking a forum as large as this one questions like "what should I put in my tank?" Each one of us will post an elaborate answer to what we would do with the tank if it was ours... but... guess what... it isn't. It's yours. All yours. So do the research. Something will reach out and grab you. There are several fish I would suggest you not pick as some are more delicate than others, but I'm not going to tell you what they are because you will fall in love with them and want them That’s just the way it is. We all want what we can't have (and some people go to jail for taking it anyway).

Also while your researching read up on fish care. Especially things like cycling your new tank and water changes. Your at a great place to be in fish keeping ENJOY IT!!!!

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

nutcase about that i can or I am also thinking of a 75 gallon insead. This because you are almost saying 40 gallons is to small for chiclids. I don't know?

 

[nc_nutcase]

Well, it highly depends on what cichlids grab your attention. Personally I have a 125 Gal for my large cichlid tank and recently realized I needed more space to collect the fish I want in the way I want them. I ran to the extreme, but this is about you, not me.

A 40 Gal will happily house pretty much any cichlid you want, but it very well may only house one fish. It all depends on what fish you like best and how large it grows. I highly recommend that when you first stock your tank, even though the fish are small, you find out how big they are full grown and only stock your tank with what it can hold full grown. In other words, don't put four Oscars in it when they are 2 inches long. When you look at Oscars that are two inches long... see a 10-12 inch fish. Because that's how big they will be before you know it.

"Cichlids" can mean a lot of things from a 3" apisto to a 16" Oscar. There is also a wealth of fish that fill in the middle.

All that being said, let's set aside the professionalisms... Heck ya dude get the 75!!

If you already have tanks (which I see you do) then you have a pretty good idea of what it takes to maintain them. If housing fish is a 'phase' then don't waste the money on a 75, stick to the 40. But if this is something that you see yourself doing for a long period of time, then see it as an investment in your hobby and get the absolute largest tank you can (and remember a 75Gal is almost 2 40Gals. No tank is 'big enough' yet a 75Gal is a very nice sized and shaped tank. When raising large fish the dimensions are as important as the gallonage).

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

Dang man you know a lot about fish don't you> but the thng I did not get is when you said "phase" you mean I am hooked on fish then loose interest in them two years later. Well whater you mean by that i dosen't matter I will probially get the 75 gallon if I can find a place to put it. Maybe on my dresser. Just have to take the tv off of it.

 

[amazingbioloboydp]

Dang man you know a lot about fish don't you> but the thng I did not get is when you said "phase" you mean I am hooked on fish then loose interest in them two years later. Well whater you mean by that i dosen't matter I will probially get the 75 gallon if I can find a place to put it. Maybe on my dresser. Just have to take the tv off of it.

fish are more fun to watch anyway!

 

[nc_nutcase]

Yea, I meant phase as in sort lived interest. Now don't take me wrong. I'm not suggesting it is a phase... I just didn't want to seem too obviously pushy suggesting the 75 Gal. I'm glad you reconsidered. I'm sure you'll be happier.

Also don't think I know too much about fish. It's just that I've made a ton of mistakes try to remember what I did wrong

 

[Blue Lobster]

You know you can probably find a used 75 gallon setup for the same 200 bucks as that 40.
http/www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_usedtanks.php

His reserve was less than $150 for this one with all the extras. Too bad it's 500 miles from you.
http/cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=WDVW&tc=photo

 

[amazingbioloboydp]

very very cool tank!


Acrylic is ALWAYS a good decision.

 

[nc_nutcase]

There are pros and cons when comparing acrylic vs glass. Acrylic is much stronger and can much more easily be bent to form rounded corners or add shaped tanks. Yet acrylic is ultimately a form of clear plastic and is therefore subject to scratching. I choose to stick with glass because I'm used to dealing with it's cons. I know some people who are fanatical glass fans and others who think glass is an unnecessary risk. It's up to the purchaser to compare each and make their personal call.

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

The fish tank that guy was selling on ebay where did he live?

 

[SworDTail KeePer]

well I use glass nutcase that it well I have one platis tank but its for breeding fish. The thing I like about glass v. plastic is that glass is much clearer forplastic can see right there it, Thanks though.