40 Gallon Breeder tank dimensions
36×18×16inches
Length × width × height. In metric, 91.4 × 45.7 × 40.6 cm.
A standard 40 gallon breeder aquarium is 36 inches long, 18 inches front to back and 16 inches tall. By the numbers it holds 44.9 gallons to the brim, which is more than the name says. Once you add gravel and leave a gap at the top, expect a little less water than that.
How much a 40 gallon breeder tank weighs
Empty, the glass tank weighs about 54 pounds. Filled with water and two inches of gravel it comes to roughly 457 pounds, before rocks, wood or equipment.
A weight like this is fine on any sound floor, but it needs a stand built for aquariums: ordinary furniture is not made for a load that never moves.
| Empty tank | about 54 lb |
|---|---|
| Water (40 gallons) | 334 lb |
| Gravel, 2 inches deep | about 70 lb |
| Filled, with gravel | about 457 lb |
| Load on the floor | about 102 lb per sq ft |
Stand, lid, heater and filter sizes
The stand and the lid both follow the footprint, 36 by 18 inches. A stand has to support the whole bottom frame, so it can be bigger than the tank but never smaller.
The 40 gallon breeder has the same 36 x 18 inch footprint as the 30 gallon breeder, 65 gallon, so they share stands and lids.
For a heated tropical tank, a 200 W heater suits a normal room. Pick a filter rated to turn the water over four to six times an hour.
| Footprint | 36 x 18 in (4.5 sq ft) |
|---|---|
| Volume | 40 gal (151.4 L) |
| Heater | 200 W |
| Filter flow | 160 to 240 gal per hour |
| Typical glass | about 1/4 in thick |
What fish can live in a 40 gallon breeder tank
How many of each fish would fill this tank on its own. Mix species and the numbers come down, so plan a real community with the calculator.
- Betta1 only
- Neon tetraup to 50
- Ember tetraup to 76
- Guppyup to 25
- Harlequin rasboraup to 33
- Zebra danioup to 30
- Cherry barbup to 30
- Platyup to 30
- Panda coryup to 30
- Bronze coryup to 20
- Honey gouramiup to 6
- Dwarf gourami1 only
- Pearl gouramiup to 4
- Tiger barbup to 25
- Mollyup to 18
- Angelfishup to 5 *
- Fancy goldfishup to 2
- Bristlenose pleco1 only
- German blue ramup to 2
- Electric yellow labup to 10
* Fits by volume, but the footprint is under what Seriously Fish recommends for the species.
Too big for this tank
- Boeseman's rainbowfish needs a bigger tank: the recommended minimum is a 47 x 12 in footprint.
- Discus needs a bigger tank: the recommended minimum is a 47 x 18 in footprint.
- Clown loach needs a bigger tank: the recommended minimum is a 71 x 24 in footprint.
- Oscar needs a bigger tank: the recommended minimum is a 59 x 24 in footprint.
- Common goldfish grows too big for this tank.
- Common pleco needs a bigger tank: the recommended minimum is 75 gallons.
Gear for a 40 gallon breeder tank
Searches on Amazon for the right size. Check the tank size or flow rating on the listing before you buy.
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