Adding fish

[New Boy]

I’m moving home soon and once I’ve set up my tank and run it a little while I want to add some tiger barbs to my tank. I was planning on adding four tiger barbs at first but some people suggest you need at least 8 to get them to ignore the other fish.

I have some Raphael cats(2), blood parrots(2), and Lions cove cichlids (or Yellow labs – 4) so nothing with trailing fins. 50 US gallon tank, filtration 420 us gallons per hour.

I don’t want to overcrowd the tank so don’t want to get too many tiger barbs but just enough for them to look cool and not bother the other fish. Also if I put two rosy barbs in will they shoal with the tiger barbs?

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[CFC]

You could add 8 tiger barbs to that tank but you will be towards the upper limits of stocking unless it has a oversized filtration system.
I would leave the rosy barbs out,the males develop quite long finnage and may become a target for the tigers.

 

[New Boy]

If I only add four instead of eight will they be a pain though? I don't want to really stock my tank to the limit but I am quite attached to the fish I already have and would like to add tiger barbs as I've always liked them.

Anyone keep four tiger barbs in a shoal or do they just fight with other fish then?

 

[CFC]

With tigers you need as many as possible or they can get aggressive with each other and your other fish,although all the fish you have listed are capable of looking after themselves,if you really only want 4 then you can but they would be happier in a bigger group and IMO look better too.

 

[gazat]

New Boy,

I wouldn't stock any barbs with the fish you have. The Yellow Labs are african cichlids, blood parrots i believe originate from south america, just both these fish fish have different waters requirements.

The yellow labs that i have are peaceful but they are in a Malawi species tank only, i dont know if they would kill the barbs after a sort while.

Gaza

 

[New Boy]

I got the idea of keeping Tiger barbs in my tank from a moderator on a cichlid website who regularly keeps barbs with african mbuna as they act as dither fish and are stroppy enough to stand up for themselves. The moderator says that they use different areas of the tank and have been acclimatised to the same water conditions through mass breeding - one of his set-ups is a tank of lions cove and some tiger barbs (but his tank is much bigger so he can keep many more). Lions cove cichlids (or yellow labs) are s'posed to be the least aggressive of those african cichlids and I like the idea that they don't get that big - I prefer to have lots of small fish as opposed to a few bigger ones.

Since I've got back into fish keeping a year or so ago I've realised that Blood parrots are an emotive subject and I won't be buying anymore but the ones that I've got I'll continue to look after (especially as the wife loves them!)

Would six be enough?? Would I be better building the population up slowly or put them all in together?

Cheers

 

[impur]

Why don't you try it with the 4 you have. If they become aggressive and nippy, add some more. As for the mbuna in with the rest of the fish, i am with gazat. The labs require higher PH as well as different landscaping. I hope you at least have some good hiding spots for them. People with mbuna cichlids typically overstock the tank to keep aggression down. These are still aggressive cichlids.