Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I can't believe I'm this serious about considering getting a larger tank... So...my largest tank has always been 29 gallons. It's all I've needed because I like nano fish. Well...then 2 things happened. 1. I got a pearl gourami trio. They are super happy and been extra colorful lately but 2 are young and small and won't always be so. 2. I found a 40 gallon on marketplace listed for free. Should I go for it? The plan would be to keep literally the same stocking. The worry is I get tempted to fill more haha. As is, the 29 is over stocked. It was under stocked until I got the call to rescue a bunch of fish and now it's no longer under stocked. Full stocking: 12 panda cories 5 hillstream loaches 5 otos 3 pearl gourami (those alone might like space) 12 green neon tetras 4 pseudomugil furcata About 6 pseudomugil luminatus About 4 pseudomugil gertrude Yeah, that's a lot of fish. It's working out fine in the 29 right now but of they always like more space and there's a lot in there right now. I could also always move some to my 15 long that's being stocked but that still leave the issue that the 3 pearl gourami alone might like a larger tank regardless of what else is with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knee Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 That's less fish than what I have in my 40 breeder. When I had that amount in fish the tank, it looked empty and it made me buy more 😅 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I use the rule that if you are happy with the maintenance level your stocking is fine. It's as much about maintenance as space my tank is technically overstocked but most of the time only 50 % of my fish are visible so they certainly aren't cramped. If you want the new tank get it, be aware that it's free but how much of your existing equipment can be used and how much you'll need to buy. And you will buy more fish odds on this is going to be an extra tank not a replacement one. Do you have the house space for the tank? Is it a long or a tall so shapes are better than others. How easy is this tank to get to? Bigger is generally always better for those in the inside but your going to be doing the work and I find it much easier to work on my small tanks than my big one is not tricky just a bigger time commitment it's not a massive difference between the sizes so you might not notice. Just make sure you yes the free tank is water tight outside before you set it up in the house. Free can be great but nothing wrong with caution. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Replacing the 29G with a 40B..... yeah. That's a major upgrade and it'll be night and day when it comes to the space you have when working on the tank. 20L/29G ---> 40b ----> 60B/75G Those are the tank sizes I think make sense to keep (for me). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 2:32 AM, nabokovfan87 said: Replacing the 29G with a 40B..... yeah. That's a major upgrade and it'll be night and day when it comes to the space you have when working on the tank. 20L/29G ---> 40b ----> 60B/75G Those are the tank sizes I think make sense to keep (for me). I didn't even think a larger tank would work in my space until I realized it's the same length as my 29 which means it would fit on the same stand. But I'm still slightly confused about the posting tbh. Well really there's 2 postings. The free one is tank only. Says it's a 40 gallon. Lists dimensions as 30 X 12.5 X 23. So same length and depth as my 29 but taller? Odd idk. The 2nd is $40 for tank and stand. Tbh, idk that I can afford the $40 right now but anyway..it's a super nice stand. Comes with filter and EVERYTHING. The dimensions listed here make more sense at 48 X 12.5 X 17. Longer but since it comes with a stand, I wouldn't have to find a new stand which is a major deterant for me for getting a larger tank. Still, $40 is a lot to me rn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 12:42 AM, Cinnebuns said: Well really there's 2 postings. The free one is tank only. Says it's a 40 gallon. Lists dimensions as 30 X 12.5 X 23. So same length and depth as my 29 but taller? Odd idk. 29 30¼ x 12½ x 18¾ 40 Breeder 36 3⁄16 x 18¼ x16 15⁄16 a 40 is essentially a 3 foot long 75G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 2:42 AM, Cinnebuns said: dimensions as 30 X 12.5 X 23. @nabokovfan87 that's what the marketplace ad says the dimensions are on the tank they are saying is 40 gallons. That's what confused me tho is I'm pretty sure that's not 40 gallon dimensions but I can't find it as a dimensions of any standard tank size on Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 Makes me think maybe they think it's a 40 but it's actually a 35 or something. Finally found it. 37. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 My 29g does not seem overstocked anymore! 😄 A bigger tank is always a quality of life upgrade. You can always make an excuse and keep both tanks together. Thats what I did. I started my extra 50cm cube for snails. It ended up being a whole seperate tank now and snails are still in the 29g!! 😄 If you have a chance, as you mentioned, it is definitely a good upgrade especially for pearl gouramis. Those guys are big big. On 3/7/2023 at 11:56 AM, Cinnebuns said: Makes me think maybe they think it's a 40 but it's actually a 35 or something. It is aprox. 37g yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 3:00 AM, Lennie said: It is aprox. 37g yeah Looking at the dimensions it's hard to justify it really giving them much space. The foot print is exactly the same. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 you found it nvm! 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 3:01 AM, Lennie said: you found it nvm! 😄 JINX! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 12:01 PM, Cinnebuns said: Looking at the dimensions it's hard to justify it really giving them much space. The foot print is exactly the same. Is it just really tall right? Hmm Gouramis may enjoy the taller tank more but yea, lenght would also play a good role. How about you keep both 29g and 37g running together? ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 (edited) On 3/7/2023 at 3:03 AM, Lennie said: How about you keep both 29g and 37g running together? ;D I wouldn't have the space to do that. I already have the 29, 20T, 15L and 3 10s running in a small 1 bedroom apartment. Unless I somehow move things to move the 20 out instead of the 29. Either way, the gourami alone might appreciate more foot print once they get full sized. Another option is to seek another home for them. It wouldn't be too hard to find a home for a trio that's shown breeding behavior. I like them and enjoy them but I also want what's best for them. Edited March 7, 2023 by Cinnebuns 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 12:07 PM, Cinnebuns said: I wouldn't have the space to do that. I already have the 29, 20T, 15L and 3 10s running in a small 1 bedroom apartment. Unless I somehow move things to move the 20 out instead of the 29. Either way, the gourami alone might appreciate more foot print once they get full sized. Another option is to seek another home for them. It wouldn't be too hard to find a home for a trio that's shown breeding behavior. I like them and enjoy them but I also want what's best for them. yea makes sense! I wonder, do 5 hillstreams compete otos for food? Do your otos accept any veggies/commercial foods too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 (edited) On 3/7/2023 at 3:15 AM, Lennie said: wonder, do 5 hillstreams compete otos for food? Do your otos accept any veggies/commercial foods too? The hillstreams and otos have migrated tanks a few times and aren't always in the same tank. I've considered moving some, or all, of the otos to the 20 gallon recently. To answer your question, yes they do accept commercial foods. They even eat shrimp wafers. I catch both the hillstreams and the otos eating shrimp pellets and wafers more than I ever thought possible before I got them lol. I've also on and off considered trying to breed the hillstreams in a 10 gallon. I half-heartedly tried once with strange success. No babies with the 3 setup specifically for breeding in the 10 yet the 2 left in the 29 produced a fry that didn't make it. Idk, I could revisit that idea tbh. One 10 right now is literally just ramshorn snails. It never gets water changes or even fed. Still hundreds lol. Edited March 7, 2023 by Cinnebuns 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 I will add: the benefit of setting up a 10 specifically for them is I can increase the flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 On 3/7/2023 at 12:18 PM, Cinnebuns said: I've also on and off considered trying to breed the hillstreams in a 10 gallon. I half-heartedly tried once with strange success. No babies with the 3 setup specifically for breeding in the 10 yet the 2 left in the 29 produced a fry that didn't make it. Idk, I could revisit that idea tbh. One 10 right now is literally just ramshorn snails. It never gets water changes or even fed. Still hundreds lol. I love the idea. Such an oddball fish. Bottom dwellers are my fav! It is also exciting to breed fish that are considerably hard to breed. Would love to see a journal about that one day 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Yes that's a 37. I have one. It's a tall 29 and I hate it. But all depends on what you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I would get it. My 40 B is so much easier to deal with. The wider area actually makes viewing more pleasant as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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