One day my hamster Sadi will pass on, and she will leave behind a very sad hamster-mommy, as well as a beautiful 40 gallon breeder tank.

I will be able to clean up and fix the tank to get it ready for it's next inhabitant(s)... so here is the question:

If you had a 40 gallon breeder tank, what pet(s) would you use it for? Why?

What pets do really well in this kind of environment (land AND sea pets)? What kinds of pets would you NOT recommend?

I'm trying to get ideas because I don't think I want to get another hamster to live in a gorgeous aquarium! I was thinking fish, or frogs..... But I'm open to any ideas! Thoughts? Certain Species you would recommend?

I'd be considered a beginner with fish, but I desperately want to break in and get some experience with fish so that one day I can have a beautiful tank with exotic fish and plants (who doesn't.......) and I feel like a 40 gal breeder tank is a GREAT way to start, because I wouldn't want a smaller tank anyway!

what about geckos ?

Does the 40 gallon hold water? Do you know if it was sold as an aquarium or a reptile tank?

Aquarium, the sticker is still on it. I can take a pic if that would help. But, at the same time, I am able and willing to take it in to get resealed if need be, after use by the hamster.

If you're thinking about fish, maybe look up some species or check out a fish store for ideas? Then post back here about which species interested you. There are so many fish available that it's tough to recommend them without knowing which kinds you like.

Can you advise me on this idea?

"You could have a betta and probably 6 oto in your 40 gallon easy. Maybe even some other schooling fish that don't nip (most tetras like to nip fins and will nip a betta's fin if they feel bold enough). Otos like to be kept in groups of three or more, with plenty of plant cover to hide in. I'd suggest 1 betta, 6 oto, and maybe 6 of the corydoras (they come in all different patterns) because they'll clean up any food your betta might drop"

Otos aren't exactly the best beginner fish. They're wild-caught and tend to be seriously underweight by the time they're bought. If you got some you'd need to wait until your tank had been set up for a while and was stable. They also need some algae around to munch on . Cory cats and bettas, however, are great "starter" fish...they're both hardy and easy to care for.

A 40-gallon would give you enough room to have more fish than just a betta and a school of cories/otos. But it would be a great start and understocking is always better than overstocking, anyway . I bet the betta would love having all that space! All of the species you listed appreciate live plants and hiding places so maybe consider some hardy live plants like java ferns and water sprite . As for other betta companions, I've had a lot of success keeping them with cherry barbs. Cherry barbs are peaceful and very easy to care for.

It's true that many of the tetras will nip at a betta's fins but it won't be as much of an issue in a 40-gallon provided there are hiding places for the betta to go if needed. I personally have only seen tetras nip bettas when kept in smaller tanks (10 gallons and under) and/or tanks without ample hiding spots (big, open set-ups with few decorations/plants). A peaceful tetra species I've kept with multiple bettas (at different times, of course) is the pristella tetra. The gold ones are gorgeous, look them up .

Cool thanks for the tips! Again, these are just tentative plans as the tank is already in use. But this is def a step in the right direction!