So many, but what to choose...

[FrozenFins]

Alright, I was in my lfs today looking for stocking ideas for  my 40 gallon community tank.

The aquarium already has three angelfish, and a school of cardinal tetras (10)

I have been needing some corydoras in that tank, I'm thinking the Julii Corycats.

I saw a honey gourami when I was there (and he was so cute, and his persanlity was great) I heard that this particular gourami isn't that agressive. unlike my pearl gourami that was sold to me as a "community tank", I shortly after gave him away. And I have been wanting a gourami thats wasn't a jerk for a while now.

Some I'm thinking I will get some of the fish above.

The only problem is the following two fish also caught my eye,

Marble Hatchetfish, I've never really liked these guys until I saw thim in person, all though if I get this I'll have to improve my lid.

Flame Tetra, only problem is I don't know if I want a another tetra school in that tank.

so what should I get? Flame tetra or the hatchetfish.

both of these fish will do great within my water parameters.

Or are there any other fish you would recemond?

 

[Alison]

I would probably go with the flame tetra myself. I think they'd make a lovely splash of color and compliment the other colors in the tank. I tend to go for a lot of color and movement though so that is definitely my personal preference. I guess part of my unconscious thought processes that just hit me is I'd want to leave the angelfish as kinda the big main feature fish and not get anything that could complete for the job of focal point.  

[JettsPapa]

I'm sorry the pearl gourami didn't work out.  They're one of my favorite fish. It likely would have done better with more of his own species.  While gouramis aren't shoaling fish like corys, tetras, rasboras, and rainbowfish, they are social, and do better in groups with females outnumbering males.  (Dwarf gouramis are the exception to this.  Multiple males will often result in them fighting until only one is left alive, and females are rarely sold in stores in the US.)  I had just one male in my 40 gallon breeder tank for a while, and he'd halfheartedly chase the other fish, but when I added more pearls he stopped that completely (I'm up to 8 now, 2 males and 6 females).

Now that I have that out of the way, since you have the angels already I wouldn't add another centerpiece type fish.  I would suggest adding a school of fish near the bottom, like the trillineatus corys (commonly labeled as julii in stores) you mentioned.

Other than that if you want more fish I'd just add to the existing school of tetras.  To me a single large school looks much better than two small ones.

Edited December 8, 2020 by JettsPapa