Fun Stocking Ideas for Your Medium Sized Aquarium

Ready to set up a 40-gallon or 55-gallon aquarium? These tank sizes allow you to keep many different kinds of medium-sized fish. Check out our top 5 fish stocking ideas, ranging from a planted community tank to a set up with only one fish.
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At Aquarium Co-Op, we focus on your aquariums. We specialize in freshwater tropical fish, aquatic plants, and the overall betterment of the freshwater fish keeping hobby. Our goal is to help you with your first pet fish and graduate you to an advanced aquarium hobbyist. If you'd like to take it to the next level, subscribe to us and check out our weekly videos.
Cory McElroy is employed by Aquarium Co-Op LLC. He also owns Aquarium Co-Op LLC. Therefore, all content is sponsored by Aquarium Co-Op.
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[@itscindylouu9347]

Dang it my first problem with this would be that I thought a medium was 20-30 gallon tank 😅 good info to know! Hopefully in the future I can consider these beautiful fish options 😊

[@bobsaquariumscreaturesandp5461]

Haha I enjoyed this comment because size is relative so ur absolutely right as well. In my opinion: Nano: 5-10G Small: 20-30G Med: 40-80G Large: 90-190G Giant: 200+G

[@TazawaTanks]

Haha! Yeah...I knew some people would have different ideas as to "medium". For me, I have always considered tanks less than 10 gallons as nano, small between 10-20 gallons, 29-55 for medium/medium large, large between 75 - 125, and giant for tanks over 125.

[@TheNguyenben85]

@@bobsaquariumscreaturesandp5461 hello

[@bodhithomasina4991]

It’s actually weird, but the larger the tank you have (esp. in SW) the easier it is to keep a tank bc you have way bigger parameters, more room for error, more room to have more interesting fish (SW fish need more space per fish I think thank FW) It’s the perfect size to do almost anything in… within moderation or start. The 40g breeder does really well bc it’s a lowboy so it is shorter and has more space for the fish vertically vs. horizontally. So it’s usually a size ppl get if they start off small lke 10-30G & aren’t ready for a 55/75/150G tank & start to get more confident & it’s a good size for so many different combos of fish so in the idea of ppl who are in the fish hobby that’s def. A medium size. Lol I’ve got industrial racks for days

[@silverpandaws6230]

@@bobsaquariumscreaturesandp5461 I agree with this I love have all sizes of tanks. You can do all sorts of things with different sized tanks. I have a 5gal, two 10's,29,55,75 and a 150gal. I love them all.

[@ProjectGameVault]

That sucker fish that pops up around 0:54 is hilarious 😂

[@amyhedlund9874]

This was a pretty delightful and surprising list. Never thought about a brackish forty but now I want one.

[@harrisontropicals2987]

Loved this Video 👍 May be starting a small fishroom and this is perfect for some inspiration 🐠

[@Pyraus]

I love the puffer + night goby idea.. wonder where I'll ever find night gobies though lol

[@disgustedvet9528]

Knight gobies are frequently available or can be ordered at Locally owned fish stores , not likely to find them in the big box dog food stores .

[@k0olmini11]

Loving this video

[@joestephens1506]

Awesome video very informative.

[@Teddzworth]

Thank you Zenzo!

[@brendanwalsh6640]

Our new 40 gallon community tank * 4 Amazon Puffers (mid and top, lots of personalities, not too mean to any other fish) * 9 Kuhli Loaches (bottom) * 5 Ottos (bottom) * 1 Grumpy Green Phantom pleco. (nocturnal bottom) 5-6 inches. If I had to remove anyone I would remove the puffers (only compatible with a few others) or the Pleco because he's so shy, and replace them with Rams, Pistogramma, or a bigger school of tetras. Kulhis really come out all the time for fun when they are comfortable in big numbers. Just got the pleco a nice 3D printed cave for his big self because he's so grumpy all the time and his current rock cave wasn't protective and secure enough.

[@bodhithomasina4991]

Oh if the puffers are your first to replace you need to change the way you interact with them. They are my favorite type of fish & they remind of dogs of the ocean. Mine all get hand feed, they all flip over for tummy rubs & all go crazy when they see me & try to get my attention doing jumps or spitting water out or different silly things. I’ve taught them to do various different tricks & they are so smart… like they will allow me to cup my hand & transport them that way to another aquarium (this was a tank broke & emergency) And Amazon puffers should be like little balls of energy & fun to watch. How do you have your tank set up? What do you feed? Live or frozen? Puffers can be some of the best pets & I’ve grown up in the hobby. Give them some time & interact with them…. Get their trust. I put my fingers in the water & they might nibble for attention….. lol but my dad came over all angry & put his hand in that tank & they all went on him hard… he was bleeding for over an hour. They have sharp beaks that never stop growing. They also 100% remember ppl - they interact with other ppl in different ways depending on who they are. Did you fully treat them for parasites yet? If they aren’t interactive they may need to be medicated & better food or better setup. Their white bellies will turn colors to show their mood or health FYI 😊

[@elijah.9139]

Can I add some tetras as well if I get a 60 gallon breeder?

[@brendanwalsh6640]

@@elijah.9139 I would suggest establishing tons of healthy plants early on, it has allowed my tank to be pretty well stocked and have zero nitrate problems. The only issue has been certain fish playing nice over their assigned territory, which would be better in a 60.

[@karis3673]

I have a question how would u remove the fish, would u return them to the store? Or do u have other tanks?

[@SavageFoxProductions]

Great informational video

[@TerraMagnus]

40 gallon breeder is the most perfect aquarium size/shape ever created.

[@TerraMagnus]

But not gonna lie... I am coveting the 50 lowboy.

[@bodhithomasina4991]

I’ve only seen it once & it’s not on their website… but I was at a Flagship Petco during their last tank sale & they make 60G breeders now. I was so excited, but the one they had had already been bought & was being picked up later. Never see it online or anywhere else. Be on the lookout tho

[@beddetsoryerrrr]

No

[@RenegadeLK]

I have a 40g that I been thinking of rescaping and I love some of these ideas like the shell dwellers!

[@cameronstoneadams1183]

@Tazawa Tanks. Thank for the Membership gift. I plan to give forward. Thanks for the content.

[@TazawaTanks]

You're welcome!

[@terrymartins2552]

Nice ideas, well done video.

[@MrPaulmilk]

Another great video 📹

[@TheOriginalAndBestTim]

Oh that puffer is so cute, makes me wish I had a fish shop near me that stocked weird stuff

[@briancooke2435]

I love the gobies with the puffer

[@2ssrs950]

I have a pair of marble angel fish as my center piece fish with 8 serpae tetra 4 Cory cats 1 clown pleco a rainbow shark and finally 5 swordtails in a heavily planted 55 been up and running for about a yr and everyone is happy and doing well

[@pondgators]

Great video!! Your channel seems really cool!! Just subbed too!!

[@elvinsworld11]

Lovely

[@benniebarnett9944]

You guys are in Edmonds?? I’ll have to stop by next time I’m up north from the south sound. Need more answers in person haha

[@njmoonfrost6145]

I have a 45+ tall and a 55 long so this is helpful

[@johncameron4194]

Nice

[@jaycarbonbuca]

Hello new subscriber here from Philippines I'm a Swordtail hobbyists ☺️

[@marinociano]

Mini monster set up 60-75G red wolf fish, jaguar catfish and plecos

[@bodhithomasina4991]

I have a trio of Green Spot Puffer (they were shipped together & have all lived peacefully with about 12 bumblebee gobies for about 3-4 years. They puffers do almost everything together… they feed together, they sleep next to each other, they are always swimming in the same areas of the tank… the bumbles keep their distance, but all lived happily no aggression or deaths. I will say that my tank is crazy aquascaped from doing PVC tunnels under substrate to mazes… tons of massive rock formations & different types of woods & tons of silk plants & random castle & little cichlid rock stacks & I always will change their tank around & add new things or re-arrange things which they like. I’ve never heard of the knight gobies… can these live peacefully a little shoal with my puffers & bumblebee gobies? They are all in a 50 or 55G atm.

[@Pyraus]

That's cool. Is the pvc maze for the bumbleebee gobies?

[@TazawaTanks]

The knight gobies would probably eat the bumblebees.

[@bringembackhuntingbeagles7895]

Do the cichlids at the 1:45 mark do fine with those tetras???

[@metallixro]

40 gallon is a medium tank ? American homes must be pretty spacious heh :)

[@TazawaTanks]

LOL

[@JustMeJustEvi]

No African Clawed Frogs on this list? I have a 40g breeder with a Dojo loach and 3 female ACF. Absolutely can't have any other fish though. They generally need to be in a species only set-up.

[@650RepzOFC]

Considering I provide ample hiding opportunities and caves/live plants in your opinion could you house Amazon Puffers or Pea Puffers with a musk turtle? I have a 100 gallon custom built aquarium or about 90 gallons to provide room for the turtle to bask. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

for me i would do a 55 gallon asian fish aquarium with lots of wood, caves and hardy plants do 1 asian bumblebee catfish, 6 black ruby barbs 1 gold gourami 5 zebra loaches and some bigger rasboras

[@laurag1076]

What was that black eel thing in the brackish

[@michaelrivera1474]

Could I put electric blue Johannis in a 65?

[@TazawaTanks]

Which was your favorite idea in this video? What would you do in a tank of this size?

[@harrisontropicals2987]

Probably the Chiclid Tank Idea Zenzo. Haven't kept cichlids before because of the size they need. Now I am thinking of starting a small fishroom so I am considering doing some of these tank designs. Personally I would also like to try some of the small Geophagus species in a medium ish size tank. Thanks for the video anyway Zenzo bug fan of your tanks 🙂👍👍

[@lucyholmes1168]

my 60G tank initially housed my pet goldfish they were a lot of fun and really interactive. It is now a planted community tank. So who knows what's next maybe brackish but those blue and yellow cichlids are tempting.

[@cyndifalk]

I'm really excited about the shell dweller "community" tank! I even have an empty 40 breeder just sitting around feeling lonely - thanks for the great ideas!

[@R3Devi7]

What is the red/black with yellow fins fish @ 1:09, left of center? Thanks Tenzo!

[@fishy_vinny]

Those are Odessa Barbs! Very beautiful fish!

[@josearias3645]

Does anyone know the name of those red fish with white spots on the belly? in minute 1:10

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

another good 55 stocking idea for someone with good filtration. 1 blood parrot 8 tiger barbs 4 bronze or albino cories 1 clown pleco 5 buenos aires tetra

[@katvalentine5748]

I love tiger barbs ❤ I always wanted corydoras, but thought tiger barbs would give them a hard time. Have you successfully kept them together?

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

@@katvalentine5748 although i have no experience with tiger barbs most bulky cories should work well due to their armoured body and short fins. just avoid longfin cories and pygmies and have the tigers in a big group with spots for the cories to hide

[@carolynsaquariumaddiction6469]

Hi Corrie, I used medicine for ick on my black Moor goldfish and made a terrible mistake. Always remove the carbon filter before putting it in the tank with your fish, my little guy looked frantic because I didn't do that and he died. I am still horrified I killed him and feel awful don't want anyone else to go through that. Thank Carolyn from Ontario Canada I have now a 60 gallon tank with mollies, platies, Skirt tetras both types delmation mollies silver mollies and 4 Black moores which are two are a year old and two are 4 months old.

[@thethingwithfins]

While I do love that goldfish are on this list, I would like to add one addition to their recommendation as a goldfish keeper. Make sure you have at least a pair cause they do get lonely. And you can certainly notice the difference in liveliness.

[@megumiyang]

he just described my tank with apistogramma pair!

[@mattzach34]

what fishes are those at 0:37?

[@RemedialRook775]

in a 40 breeder for a wet pet i would do a parrot cichlid. and maybe siamese algae eater too. :)

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

dont sae need to be in groups or is that another bs myth like with synodontis

[@RemedialRook775]

@@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030 its a myth

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

@@RemedialRook775 thx for clarifying

[@michaellawson2751]

I thinking about starting a barkish water tank in an 32.5 gallon fluval flex gallon tank. Would an 8 figuer puffer do good in that tank size?

[@TazawaTanks]

Yes, a figure 8 puffer would be fine in a 32.5 gallon Flex.

[@michaellawson2751]

@@TazawaTanks awesome thank you so much and awesome video

[@irenebearly8367]

*What are your favorite fish stocking ideas for a medium-sized tank?* If you're not sure how many fish can fit in a tank, check out our tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHbKqIKmequhrdE

[@AlthosWTF]

4:22 lol dawh

[@MyBadHandle]

I have one 30 gallon tank...I really want more tanks though I'm on a budget and just don't have enough space. Can anyone suggest something to keep me interested?

[@TheBlueBee98]

I'm new into the hobby, but have been doing research. Maybe try a 15 gallon tank with some Rasboras and cherry shrimp!

[@dawsonhudson9871]

Facebook or Craigslist tanks just stay on the look iv gotten free tanks online before

[@jordan9503]

whats the name of the angelfish in the brackish tank ?

[@kieranrichardson6929]

Monodactylus argenteus/Monodactylus sebae, the two species of 'moony'.

[@bunkfoss50yearsago53]

I want to see Zenzo aqquascaping!

[@TazawaTanks]

No you don't! LOL!!!!

[@bunkfoss50yearsago53]

@@TazawaTanks I would watch it, even if it's just the building part. It could even bring a whole new audience.

[@Blockheadfk]

0.52 what is the name of that fish ???

[@richardcolligon4277]

I love your video's but I do have one question. Many fancy goldfish keeper's keep them at around 78 degree's, where as the comet style can handle colder temperature's. Checkout Luke's goldies. I hit on the link to San Francisco and I read that someone predicted an earthquake on October 5, 2022. You might want to take a trip somewhere that has a public aquarium. Have a great day!

[@krispy3681]

I breed Sakura Ryukin and keep them outside up until well after the frost here in Pennsylvania with no heat. It's been this way for 10 years now. You can't let them freeze. Other than that temperature change at a natural gradient will slow their metabolism like normal goldfish. Terrible genetics and conditions is what makes fancy goldfish from some places or countries not be able to survive lower than 50°f

[@richardcolligon4277]

@@krispy3681 that's what I always believed, and you can't argue with experience. Thank you and I live in New Jersey, what time can I come over to see your fish? ( Lol ).

[@EpicConspiracy]

Awesome informative video! Also Did Sandy City Cichlids ever respond to you. I think I’m going to have file complaint to get my money back. My deadline is almost here.

[@TazawaTanks]

Sadly, I have not heard back from them.

[@EpicConspiracy]

@@TazawaTanks was very weird with them. When you first advertised them a few months ago I ordered some multys and got them the day after I ordered. Super fast shipping. Then a month later I ordered Some similis they went AWOL and took everyone’s money. I’d love to know what happened.

[@nanachi2613]

Idk why it took me so long to notice u have hair, hahaha

[@TheNguyenben85]

Hello

[@benjobling6861]

Omg I have just found the secret channel why did nobody tell me ? 🤦🏻

[@johncameron4194]

Only one… 😉

[@Apriliars]

You really tall or does the ceiling look really low??

[@TazawaTanks]

Haha! The ceiling in my basement is around 86" (218cm...just over 7'). I am not tall...just an average 5'10" (178 cm).

[@Apriliars]

@@TazawaTanks that’s one of the nicest fish rooms I have ever seen. Need to see more of this, so tell Cory that’s what we request now 🤤 great video & always informative. Love the exact measurements 😂 we aquarium folks are so precise :)

[@PazLeBon]

20-30gallon is small, not medium, anything smaller is like driving a bicycle and thinking its an f1 car

[@justinellis2936]

Stop telling people to get spotted puffers I have two leopard puffers that have terrorized and killed over $1,000 of fish. 6 clownfish, 2 knight gobies and, 2 chocolate chip starfish

[@placeholder7213]

This is kinda sad i thought 20 was medium it was the highest size i could afford maybe i shouldn't have gotten into this hobby

[@TazawaTanks]

A 20 gallon tank is a great size. I have many of them. Enjoy the hobby!

[@berkrunkel4077]

zenzo isnt a real name