Black Widows Vs Tiger Barbs: Which Is Best?

[RipSlider]

Hello,

I'm currently planning my stock for my next tank, which goes into cycles tommorrow. ( hurrah!! )

Mrs Steve really like Tiger Barbs, and so do I to be honest, but I understand that they can be nippy, so instead I was thinking about Black wodow tetra's instead, but now find that these are nippy as well.

Tank stock will be:

Mountain minnows
Coolie loack
Cory's
Shrimp
maybe a couple of Bolivian Rams
Possibly a few other things space permitting

Tank is 3ftx15"x15"

Which would be considered the more socialable of tank mates? I am planning to have at least 6, and maybe as many as ten.

However, if both are pretty unsocialble, I'll go back to the drawing board and think of something else. I want this to be my main community tank, and so don't want to drastically limit my future options by having demons in my tank.

Many thanks

Steve

 

[danny101]

Tigers are great entertaining fish and can liven up any tank!

Ive had tigers in every tank ive had and can honestly say contrary to belief ive never had many major problems with tigers.

At the moment ive got 2 rams, an indian loach, 2 clowns, congo's, sail fin plec and 7 tigers.

Depending on how big your tank will be i'd recomend at least 8, as you will not know how they will behave with your new stock.

In my opinion they are better looking than black widow tetras and are very hardy.
They are fin nippers, however you look at it, but by keeping them in a group they should not bother any of your other fish.

Get some more advise if your not sure, but in my experience you cant go wrong....oh and the tank sounds fine for the stock you mentioned!!

Thanks

Danny

 

[Lateral Line]

In large enough groups, Tigers tend to keep their squabbles amongst themselves, but even so, they will nip any trailing fins regardless.

Black Widows are less aggressive, but being front toothed, a small nip does proportionally more damage then that of a Tiger Barb.

Either in a giid sized group would do, and both are attractive species.

 

[smithy05]

not had tiger barb might have my next tank just for barbs i get bout 3-4 diff types at LFS so nice mix although i had widows before and they great look mean when they full grown but never any problems my serpais were worse lol