6X2X2 For Tiger Barbs....

[Fluval-1200]

Lol I wouldn't pay £80 for one, theres alot out there which have outgrown tanks so people give them away.

 

[MojoDex]

Lol I wouldn't pay £80 for one, theres alot out there which have outgrown tanks so people give them away.

Exactly! But at 16" very few can house them, I offered to house it but he was adamant he had a fish "worth at least 100"!

 

[Maehlice]

 

Why do you need tank mates? Try without

Because my days of 20 odd tanks are gone and who wants just 1 species? I'm also quite adamant something can co exist with them! They need to get on with 6 big synodontis regardless as I already have them!
 

 
Contrary to what a lot of the Internet says, consider Bolivian Rams.  I have Rams with my Barbs, and they definitely hold their own.  Sometimes I think it's the Rams with the upper hand.
 
Rams tend to be bottom-dwellers, so each species tends to keep to its own level in the tank.
 
I only have 8 Barbs and 2 Rams, though.  I haven't a clue what might happen when those numbers go exponential.

 

[MojoDex]

 
 
Contrary to what a lot of the Internet says, consider Bolivian Rams.  I have Rams with my Barbs, and they definitely hold their own.  Sometimes I think it's the Rams with the upper hand.
 
Rams tend to be bottom-dwellers, so each species tends to keep to its own level in the tank.
 
I only have 8 Barbs and 2 Rams, though.  I haven't a clue what might happen when those numbers go exponential.
 

 Yup the numbers seem to be the sticking point with this one, For such a common fish no one seems to of tried them in the setting I want to.
 
What size is your tank, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Maehlice]

 Yup the numbers seem to be the sticking point with this one, For such a common fish no one seems to of tried them in the setting I want to.
 

 

 
What size is your tank, if you don't mind me asking?

 
I don't mind at all.
 
I just upgraded from a 29g to a 125g.  Oddly enough, I've seen more aggression from the Rams in the larger aquarium than I ever remember seeing in the smaller one.  I would swear they're out for blood, because they go for the gills when it's against a Barb!  
 
My guess (hope, really) is that they're all just vying for new territory.  Nevertheless, I certainly don't worry about them not being on equal footing.

 

[MojoDex]

 

 
I don't mind at all.
 
I just upgraded from a 29g to a 125g.  Oddly enough, I've seen more aggression from the Rams in the larger aquarium than I ever remember seeing in the smaller one.  I would swear they're out for blood, because they go for the gills when it's against a Barb!  
 
My guess (hope, really) is that they're all just vying for new territory.  Nevertheless, I certainly don't worry about them not being on equal footing.
 

That's interesting, more space made them more aggressive! Do they have a certain area of the tank or do they move around the bottom? Any change in Tiger behaviour with the huge upgrade in space?

 

[Maehlice]

That's interesting, more space made them more aggressive! Do they have a certain area of the tank or do they move around the bottom? Any change in Tiger behaviour with the huge upgrade in space?

 
BTW, this upgrade happened about 2 weeks ago.  The new tank was a fully-stocked purchase, so the Barbs, Rams and Pleco from my 29g are also acclimating to 5 Silver Dollars, 2 Clown Loaches, 2 Kribensis, 8 tetras, and 2 Denison's Barbs.  I don't know for how long acclimation and territory bids should last.
 
In the small aquarium, the Rams were always near the bottom hanging around or under a decoration.  They seem to like being under anything over-hanging -- like being under the branches of a tree.  The Barbs tended to be higher up in the tank and were generally all over the place; it's only at night they'd hunker down near a decoration or at the surface.
 
I've had them for almost a year and don't recall ever seeing them aggressive towards each other.  In fact, I'd attest to the opposite; I'd swear I've seen them communing with each other amicably.
 
I have noticed, though, one of my Barbs has begun picking on the Pleco.  I am certain I never witnessed that behaviour before, so I'm still leaning towards "new territory" syndrome or whatever it would be called.
 
The aggression of the Rams is something I've only witnessed maybe twice, and I believe it was on the same side of the tank both times.
 
The aggression of the one Barb against the pleco is something I've seen multiple times.  I've seen my pleco crush and kill a Barb against the side of the old tank before, so I know he has it in him.  I guess he's not yet upset enough to retaliate.  I've seen nothing on the pleco appearing to be injury caused by the Barb -- just a single scratch on his head that looked self-inflicted against the driftwood.

 

[Plecc]

Great idea! barbs are such characters, 
 
I don't have any issues with my tigers together with firemouth cichlids and bulldog plecos, 
but I have a much smaller shoal! 
 
Personally I would have thought, in such a large group the tigers would become more boisterous and aggressive towards other species, (like piranha) 
 

 

[MojoDex]

I know I said I was going to do a journal but sadly I just never found the time! The tank is now set up and I thought I'd post up a picture for the people who were interested
 

 
I'm still waiting on a few more plants arriving, on top of waiting for the bulbs that are in there to grow hopefully! The tank is cycled and currently has just 6 cherry barbs in it purely to keep the cycle ticking over until I can source my tigers in the numbers I want.
 
So what do we think?

 

[hobby5]

Love it and cannot wait for the tigers to move in

 

[Ruskull]

That tank looks great and almost any fish would love to call that place home!

 

[MojoDex]

Love it and cannot wait for the tigers to move in

 
 

That tank looks great and almost any fish would love to call that place home!

Glad you both like it . Hopefully it looks slightly more natural once the plants grow in!

 

[jkusnierz]

My 90 gallon is tiger barbs(38) lemon tetras (25) and Columbian tetras (18) its an awesome display. Always something happening in there!!

 

[Fluval-1200]

jkusnierz do you have a picture of your tank? would be awesome to see.

 

[jkusnierz]

yea when i get home today from work i will post a few pics up of my tank/ Sorry it took so long for me to reply. been busy busy busy with work. as long as i have the time i will post up some pics!!