I couldn't agree more. In addition, I have a parrot in a 75 gallon whose body is the size of my hand. I've had the fish for nearly 6 years. It's a large, bulky fish with a big bioload that simply does not belong in any tank less than 55 gallons.
I suggest you start your own thread with this post. You will probably get more responses. To answer the question, the Emperor 280 is a good choice. You could get a pair of rams or look into dwarf apistos.