40 gallon tank

[CaT209]

A couple pictures of the 40 gallon breeder I set up for some swordtails and Corydoras...

Need to make a top for it and set up a old light as well, eventually add a few more plants and take the silk one's out... But off to a decent start so far...

 

[PorshaF]

Might need a bigger heater, a 250watt with an adjustable knob should do you well. I have that same preset 100w in a 10gallon and it works good there. Have you picked a species of corydoras yet? They're so interesting! Can't wait to see more plants!

 

[CaT209]

Might need a bigger heater, a 250watt with an adjustable knob should do you well. I have that same preset 100w in a 10gallon and it works good there. Have you picked a species of corydoras yet? They're so interesting! Can't wait to see more plants!

Not worried about a heater until winter summers are dry and hot where I live so it's not something to be too worried about right now. Keeping the tank cool on 100 plus degree days is what I'm preparing for now.

I have 4 Panda 4 Julii and 4 sterba together in the tank now.. wanted to see how small groups of Corydoras interact together. The Julii and sterba interact like all of one kind would, the Panda's join in as well and they do their little dances and schooling behavior it's very interesting to watch them all interact schooling as one group yet they still have individual quirks and characteristics for their species type..

Might add a few more to my 55 gallon that has 5 orange venezuelan Corydoras in it. But I also have 3 different kuhli loaches, trying to identify them isn't easy but I think one might be a giant kuhli his bands are huge the other 2 are half banded and a more lighter color. also a clown pleco.
Was thinking of something that will blend with the orange venezuelan Corydoras like emerald cory's maybe another pleco..

 

[PorshaF]

I have a newly established soft spot for clown pleco, though they are poop machines! Haha. Black loaches would look nice on your sand with emerald Cory's. Have you thought about some driftwood pieces for the pleco? Mine loves her piece so much. My high fin pleco(in my 75, not in with my clown) loves rock caves and a broken pot tipped over. I've never seen those Venezuelan Cory's before! Just googled them. Wow! Did you order them online or your lfs stocked them?

 

[CaT209]

I have a newly established soft spot for clown pleco, though they are poop machines! Haha. Black loaches would look nice on your sand with emerald Cory's. Have you thought about some driftwood pieces for the pleco? Mine loves her piece so much. My high fin pleco(in my 75, not in with my clown) loves rock caves and a broken pot tipped over. I've never seen those Venezuelan Cory's before! Just googled them. Wow! Did you order them online or your lfs stocked them?

I found 2 at a LFS someone donated to them, and grabbed them without knowing much about them. And was lucky that another lfs actually does carry them in their store along with snakeskin barbs (harder to find barb, but a solid orange and black with a green sheen to them) I was afraid I'd have to order them online but got lucky.
The pleco has some Cholla wood to much on, I need to get him a little pot or something else to rest in, he's very aggressive right now bullying anything that comes in his area. I use oil warmers as Corydoras hotels they seem to love them, even have a goofy gourami that sleeps in one but the pleco hates them lol .. got the clown pleco because I was tired of looking for bushy nose plecos, they haven't been available in stores for almost a year now, they can't order them from wholesalers and there's no local breeders selling to stores right now either... A albino bn pleco breeder could do really well right now if they have a lot of fry or younglings...
The poop machines are Gourami's.. they are non stop, having three makes cleaning the tank like that scene from ace Ventura when he comes out the bathroom... Lol..

 

[PorshaF]

I have half a dozen odessa barbs, whom I admire greatly! In the store they were just silver but after being home they glowed up to a brilliant red and green shimmer dusted with black on the males, I'm putting together a 55 next month and once its cycled I want to do a barb community. BN are hard to find here too! My mom has a golden orb pleco, those add color if you can't find a BN when you're ready for the addition of the clean-up crew. I never had gourami so thanks for the warning haha?

 

[CaT209]

I have half a dozen odessa barbs, whom I admire greatly! In the store they were just silver but after being home they glowed up to a brilliant red and green shimmer dusted with black on the males, I'm putting together a 55 next month and once its cycled I want to do a barb community. BN are hard to find here too! My mom has a golden orb pleco, those add color if you can't find a BN when you're ready for the addition of the clean-up crew. I never had gourami so thanks for the warning haha?

One gourami is fine, multiples are when they get bad, usually fighting with each other. Very peaceful, a little curious, but more a stationary fish than one that moves around a lot...

Barb tank is what I am doing next in my 55 gallon but that will be a while right now it is has 1 Golden male gourami and 2 opaline female gourami. 7 danios and a blue ram that's the tank Boss and bullies everyone... It's funny watching a 3 inch gourami run from a little ram. Or a ram try and intimidate a pleco and somehow the little ram wins every time...

I enjoy my snakeskin barbs a lot, I could only find 2 of them so far but they are super chill, my ram stressed them out too much in the 55gallon unfortunately and gave one ick from the stress but he is doing better in the 40 gallon
Barbs are fun because they are zooming all over the place like danios. and make feeding time fun to watch..

 

[Utar]

I like the background on your tank.

 

[CaT209]

I like the background on your tank.

Thank you..
It is two pieces of 16 x 20 inch canvas I made a few years ago.. looking around for background ideas I saw a video on YouTube about using stuff from the dollar store and thought maybe the canvas paintings would work. And surprisingly they do look good. If you flip them vertical you can fit three across the back of a 55 or 75 gallon tank as well..
You could experiment with different artists and paintings.. imagine a Van Gogh starry night painting as a background for a tank.. that would be beautiful in many different ways and it's own form of art

 

[CaT209]

When 4 different species of Corydoras school together as one it's a sight to see...

Their schooling behavior effects the other fish in the tank and gets them to school with them.

Watching one species of Corydoras interact with each other is fun, but my philosophy is if the group is large enough the species of Corydoras won't matter as much and their natural instincts to come together kicks in and it becomes a Corydoras family picnic where everyone has fun ..