Barbs (Tiger)

[stubs]

Hi all,

So currently I have a 60l and a 240l the 60l has now gone to my daughter (cycle is now in qualifying week!!)I think we are going to just go pretty simple with this maybe just some guppies to start off.

As for the 240, It's currently in cycle as well, and all going in the right direction. I have started to consider my options for this tank, I am still very new to fish keeping, I have visited my lfs (which is pretty good) on many occasions and I always come away thinking the same thing " I want Tiger barbs" I know these fish can be a bit aggressive but I want to try them.

My question, if I wanted to base my tank around them what would be the best way to go? I understand I need 10+ to try to keep the pecking order within the species but what other tank mates would best suit?

Thanks

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh, a tiger barb thread; I love tiger barbs! If I could only ever keep one species of tropical fish, tigers are what I'd pick

Personally, I'd just have the barbs, with maybe a few catfish. If you think it might look a bit boring you could have a mix of green, albinos and normal; they'll all shoal together

 

[stubs]

Oh, a tiger barb thread; I love tiger barbs! If I could only ever keep one species of tropical fish, tigers are what I'd pick

Personally, I'd just have the barbs, with maybe a few catfish. If you think it might look a bit boring you could have a mix of green, albinos and normal; they'll all shoal together

That is an option, and tbh I have considered it, I think if having Tigers or a mix of Tigers and other barbs alone is the only way then I will do it, I think it would look awesome tbh

I suppose I just wanted to know if there were other fish that went well with them? and if so that they would not be unhappy/beaten up/nipped?

But thinking about it a barb only tank is appealing tbh!

 

[fluttermoth]

I've kept mine with (over the years, not all at once, lol!); neon and silvertip tetras, platies, swordtails, bristlenoses and other small plecs, corydoras, loaches, dwarf cichlids and gouramis and I've never had a problem with them; but I always have at least a dozen or so.

In all honesty, I think their bad reputation comes more from people not keeping a large enough group, although I wouldn't try keeping them wuth guppies, Siamese fighters or angels; I wouldn't want to risk it that much!

 

[Tizer]

My Tank has 18 Tigers in it, its 90 litres. I enjoy watching them a lot, very fun fish to have.

I've since added a breeding pair of Kribs along with four inch long juvies from the first spawn i had a few months ago. They mingle with the tigers and hold their own while the breeding adults have setup a home in a corner and are probably at it...again...

It makes for a nice tank with an interesting center piece pair.

Not the greatest of shots but here you go.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I had tigers with my serpae and von Rio tetras, common plec, dwarf gouramis (I think there was something else in there too) and I just might get a dozen more again. They were NO problem with any of the other fish. I had such great fun watching them. I miss them a lot!

 

[Hunterprey]

I had four Tiger barbs with Gold n Blue Gouramis before they were chasing the Gouramis around for a few days then eventually the Gouramis were fighting them all back at the same time n the Gouramis established that theyre the boss
Julii cories, peppered cories, swordtails, kuhli loaches, BN pleco are fine with them too.

 

[thisguyek]

i agree with fluttermouth. if you keep the numbers up theyll fight amongst themselves. Keep it to the faster paced fish like danios for instance and you should be just fine!

I am actually going to start a tiger barb shoal within the next week or two! I can't wait. i've always loved those fish!

 

[Stephan]

Well mine just randomly roam the tank. No schooling most of the time. But I've had them with danios and with neons. Really I think they're more of an issue with fins than general aggression.

 

[Miles_hot]

Tigers on on our hard water tank hit list - we're going to be keeping them with a number of Asian fish, including passive Indian Glass fish, so we'll have a good number of them (though not the 18 to match Tizer I think!) Other fish on the current hit list include: Flying Fox, Dwarf Gouramis, Loach (chain / zebra and maybe others) and Harlequin Rasbora (Spelling??). The fine details (i.e. which ones and how many) are still to be worked out but we're so pleased to be having Tigers as they look very interesting.

One thing thought - I know that Green / Albino etc will shoal together however the chap in the shop (and I'm sure I've read this elsewhere) was fairly clear that the dominance struggles would only go on between fish of the same coloration - hence you need to keep a big enough pack of Tiger in addition to a large enough number of Greens to keep aggression within that group of fish.,,, Thus if the "minimum number" of tigers is say 6 you will need a shoal of 6 tigers and 6 greens not 3 of each.

Miles

 

[Tizer]

Im not entirely sure the dominance/colouration thing is such an issue or entirely true, however, having had a mix of tigers in the past (when i was a weeee nipper myself) i can honestly say it seems a lot more intersting to have a school of the same colouration than a mix of them.

Jumping back to the beginning of your post, re: Harlequins, i would leave these fish as the last purchase, you may find that the tigers are more than enough for a schooling fish in your tank and you might decide it better to increase the number of them instead of introducing a new species. if you do plum for some Harlequins, i highly recommend looking at some "XL" size ones, they colour up really really nicely, but obviously may not be available in your lfs.

 

[Miles_hot]

Thanks for the tip tizer - how big do the xl sort get (with space being at a premium)
Miles

 

[Tizer]

Thanks for the tip tizer - how big do the xl sort get (with space being at a premium)
Miles

not much bigger mate, maybe talking a couple of mm, i just found them far more eye catching than the standard size coppers.

 

[stubs]

Well,the responses in this thread seem to suggest that the Tiger Barbs rep is a little unfair, definatly decided to go for them maybe around the 20 mark and see how it goes

Thanks all!

 

[thisguyek]

good luck! Ill be starting a group within the next week myself!