Best fish for a 40 gallon tank
A 40 gallon tank holds 151 litres and is about 36 inches (91 cm) wide. 83 of the 100 species on this site fit it.
Three stockings that work
Busy community
- 12 × Neon tetras
- 8 × Bronze corydoras
- 1 × Dwarf gourami
- 1 × Bristlenose pleco
Angelfish pair
- 2 × Angelfish
- 8 × Harlequin rasboras
- 6 × Bronze corydoras
Fish that fit
Neon tetra
10 gal+70–81°FpH 6.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Cardinal tetra
20 gal+73–84°FpH 5.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Ember tetra
10 gal+73–84°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 6+
Harlequin rasbora
10 gal+72–80°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Chili rasbora
5 gal+68–82°FpH 4.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Zebra danio
10 gal+64–77°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
White cloud minnow
10 gal+60–72°FpH 6.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Guppy
5 gal+72–82°FpH 6.8–7.8Groups of 3+
Platy
10 gal+70–80°FpH 7.0–8.2Groups of 3+
Molly
20 gal+72–82°FpH 7.5–8.5Groups of 3+
Betta (male)
5 gal+76–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Dwarf gourami
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Bronze corydoras
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Pygmy corydoras
10 gal+72–79°FpH 6.4–7.4Groups of 6+
Otocinclus
10 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 4+
Bristlenose pleco
29 gal+73–81°FpH 6.5–7.5
Kuhli loach
20 gal+75–86°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 5+
Angelfish
29 gal+76–84°FpH 6.0–7.5
Tiger barb
20 gal+68–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Cherry barb
20 gal+73–81°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Fancy goldfish
20 gal+65–72°FpH 7.0–8.0
Cherry shrimp
5 gal+65–80°FpH 6.5–8.0Groups of 6+
Amano shrimp
10 gal+70–80°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 3+
Nerite snail
5 gal+72–78°FpH 7.0–8.5
Black skirt tetra
20 gal+70–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Glowlight tetra
10 gal+72–80°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Rummynose tetra
20 gal+75–84°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 8+
Black neon tetra
20 gal+72–80°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Lemon tetra
20 gal+72–82°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Serpae tetra
20 gal+72–79°FpH 5.5–7.5Groups of 8+
Bleeding heart tetra
29 gal+72–80°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Congo tetra
40 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Diamond tetra
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
X-ray tetra
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Green neon tetra
10 gal+75–84°FpH 5.0–6.5Groups of 8+
Marbled hatchetfish
20 gal+73–81°FpH 5.5–7.0Groups of 6+
Scissortail rasbora
29 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Lambchop rasbora
10 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Celestial pearl danio
10 gal+68–78°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Rosy barb
29 gal+64–77°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Gold barb
20 gal+64–75°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Siamese algae eater
40 gal+75–79°FpH 6.5–7.5
Hillstream loach
20 gal+68–75°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 3+
Swordtail
29 gal+72–79°FpH 7.0–8.3Groups of 3+
Endler's livebearer
5 gal+72–82°FpH 7.0–8.5Groups of 3+
Sailfin molly
29 gal+75–82°FpH 7.5–8.5Groups of 3+
Pearl gourami
29 gal+75–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Honey gourami
10 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Three-spot blue gourami
40 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–8.0
Sparkling gourami
10 gal+72–81°FpH 6.0–7.5
Paradise fish
20 gal+61–79°FpH 6.0–8.0
Female betta
5 gal+76–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
German blue ram
20 gal+78–85°FpH 5.5–7.0
Bolivian ram
29 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5
Kribensis
20 gal+75–81°FpH 6.0–7.5
Firemouth cichlid
40 gal+75–82°FpH 6.5–8.0
Convict cichlid
29 gal+68–80°FpH 6.5–8.0
Electric yellow lab
40 gal+74–82°FpH 7.5–8.6Groups of 4+
Shell dweller
10 gal+75–81°FpH 7.5–9.0Groups of 4+
Electric blue acara
40 gal+72–82°FpH 6.5–8.0
Panda corydoras
20 gal+68–77°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Peppered corydoras
20 gal+64–77°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Sterbai corydoras
20 gal+75–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Yoyo loach
40 gal+75–82°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 5+
Dwarf chain loach
20 gal+72–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Clown pleco
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Rubber lip pleco
29 gal+68–78°FpH 6.5–8.0
Glass catfish
29 gal+75–80°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Dwarf neon rainbowfish
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.5–7.5Groups of 6+
Threadfin rainbowfish
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.0–7.5Groups of 6+
Golden wonder killifish
20 gal+72–79°FpH 6.0–7.5
Clown killifish
5 gal+73–79°FpH 6.0–7.0Groups of 6+
Pea puffer
5 gal+74–82°FpH 6.8–7.8
Japanese rice fish
10 gal+64–75°FpH 7.0–8.0Groups of 6+
Mystery snail
5 gal+68–82°FpH 7.0–8.0
Ramshorn snail
5 gal+64–82°FpH 7.0–8.0
Assassin snail
10 gal+70–82°FpH 6.5–8.0
Ghost shrimp
5 gal+65–82°FpH 7.0–8.0Groups of 3+
Bamboo shrimp
20 gal+73–82°FpH 6.5–7.5
Crystal red shrimp
10 gal+68–76°FpH 5.8–6.8Groups of 6+
Dwarf orange crayfish
10 gal+65–78°FpH 6.5–8.0
African dwarf frog
10 gal+72–78°FpH 6.5–7.8Groups of 2+Wait for a bigger tank
- Giant danioNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Denison barbNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Rainbow sharkNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Red-tailed black sharkNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- OscarNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- Jack DempseyNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- SeverumNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- DiscusNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Peacock cichlidNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Clown loachNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Common plecoNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Pictus catfishNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Chinese algae eaterNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Boeseman's rainbowfishNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)
- Bala sharkNeeds at least 125 gallons (473 L)
- Common goldfishNeeds at least 75 gallons (284 L)
- Dojo loachNeeds at least 55 gallons (208 L)