44 Gallon Pentagon freshwater livestock suggestions wanted

B

Barber Mike

AC Members
Nov 16, 2016
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Connecticut
Real Name
Mike
Hi folks.

Returning hobbyist here. Been about 3+ years since I've kept fish, and I've missed it. Finally situated at the house and wife gave the green light to get a tank going in the dining room. We've got a small 1,100 sq. ft. 1940s cape, so unfortunately my 150gal discus tank is still just a personal dream. We settled on a 44 gallon pentagon aquarium for the corner of the dining room.
So, as stated in the title, I'm looking for livestock suggestions. Would like a decent sized school of fish, maybe a bigger centerpiece fish, and obviously some corys and or an otto cat or two.
Well, I'm looking forward to any ideas!

Thanks guys,
(first time post by the way)
Mike
 
Welcome to AC.

Before offering specific fish, what kind of activity are you looking for? Do want fish that are busy all the time, tight schoolers, or something that's maybe a little on the shy side but has interesting behavior? Pretty, interactive? You mention cories, but that covers a huge range of sizes and behaviors.

I'm a fan of keeping the number of species to a minimum (single species tanks are pretty cool).

Some ideas that I'd like in that tank:

30 chili rasboras
10 aspidoras spilotus

-or-

20 Orange Flame von rio tetras
10 panda type cories

If you wanted a predator tank, go with endlers and a leaf fish. Busy, colorful but some cool behavior from the leaf fish.

If you want otos, please don't go with 1 or 2. They are social fish, and will be happiest if kept in the largest group you can support. Any of the setups above would easily support the addition of 10 otos.
 
Thanks OrionGirl.

So I'm definitely with you on limited number of species and really appreciate the suggestions. I like that leaf fish too! Never seen one before. I will probably go with tight schoolers - maybe the chili raspboras, or perhaps some tiger barbs as I had a few in a 20gal in the past and liked how cool they looked schooling. I just worry that this tank being a pentagon and definitely more tall than it is wide and schooling fish. My 20 long allowed for the school to swim back and forth - will the pent be more jammed for them?

Aside from that,
10 tiger barb
10 pandas
10 otos

How's that sound?
 
I've never been a fan of tiger barbs, since they get big (I keep fish that stay around 1 inch), but looks good for numbers, and the height will allow the barbs to hang out at the top and the cories at the bottom. The benefit to chilis is that they're much smaller, so you can have more of them and they will still school nicely in a taller tank.
 
I hear what you are saying, yes I suggested 10 tigers bc they do get up to 3" long. Well, I guess I'll run it by the wife - quantity sounds good to me so the chili's are a definite contending suggestion. Going to go check this pentagon tank out tonight - the employee at my LFS was nice enough to send a picture ... only I can't tell by the picture if the point of the pentagon faces the corner, or juts outward. Would be pretty lame if it was a flat-backed pentagon, thus rendering it useless for the corner of our dining room where we intend for it to go. Do they even make flat-back pentagons?
Here's the picture - will try and get down there and see it in person tonight.

IMG_0584.JPG
 
They do, but not in 44. I have 2 of these tanks dry in my basement right now. It's basically a square with one corner cut off, while the other pentagon tank is a rectangle with 2 corners cut off, if that makes sense.
 
OrionGirl said:
They do, but not in 44. I have 2 of these tanks dry in my basement right now. It's basically a square with one corner cut off, while the other pentagon tank is a rectangle with 2 corners cut off, if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Hahaha you lost me. So the pictured tank will fit into the corner as desired?
 
OrionGirl said:
the other pentagon tank is a rectangle with 2 corners cut off, if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Pssst... that's a hexagon.


And the point of the tank will face whichever way you put it, if you use the standard stand that comes with it, the door is on the opposite corner, so it makes sense to have the point in the corner.

Just remember that tanks this shape can be a pain to light if you decide to go with a planted tank, you will likely end up with suspended lights, or something that looks funny, if you go with the standard plastic cover, I think the lights go parallel with the shorter side that's opposite the point.
 
Thanks for all of the input guys, and hello dougall!

So I never made it to the LFS last night. My wife and I however are having dinner tomorrow in the same plaza so we are gonna go have a look then.

Glad you mentioned lighting dougall, as that was another concern. Any suggestions? I would like to have powerful enough lights - A. for aesthetics, and B. For plants. Not going all out and infusing CO2, just some java fern and whatever else may be hearty/less dependent on extreme lighting/CO2.

Also while I'm at it, I was thinking of a fluval 306 canister filter - will run hoses up the back and in, not allowing for a completely snug fit into the corner, but definitely won't be as obstructing as a HOB. Should be more than enough filtration, even with the odd shape, yes?
 
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