Cherry barb or rosy barb?

[NikkiY]

I have a small outbreak of staghorn algae in my community tank. I was told that cherry barb and rosy barb will eat them. Is that true? Which barb should I get? How many do I need to keep? Will it school with tiger barb?

TIA.

Nikki

 

[Lateral Line]

The vast majority of barbs will pick at algae a bit and like some vegetable matter in their diet. None of them are really what one would call a true algae eater though. If you're looking for an algae eater, you'd be better of with SAE's, Ottos or a small plec.

Rosy barbs are a shoaling fish and should be kept in a group. Cherry barbs not so, they are best kept as a pair, or trio 1 male to 2 females. 2 males together in a small tank may fight.

 

[NikkiY]

I have SAE and oto already and they are really good on the green algae. Hoewver, they don't seem to devour the staghorn algae at all. When I goosgle, I found a couple of reference to Rosy barb as well as Cherry barb as good candidates to devour the Staghorn algae. Will the Rosy barb shoal with the Tiger Barbs I alreadyhave in the tank?

Nikki

 

[dragoon459]

groups of rosies can quickly clean a tank of hair algae, but one will definitely not do the trick

 

[NikkiY]

Thanks for the info. Do you think I can get away with 2 Rosy? I am afraid that they will grow too big. I only have a 32 g tank with plenty of fish already.

Nikki

 

[dragoon459]

if you get enough rosies when their still small, they shouldn't get to be over 1 1/2" if you also already have plenty of fish...i would say to get at LEAST four small ones.

-oh, and the males generally stay smaller-

 

[Ferris]

If its an algae problem, I'd go for a Bristlenose Plec, they don't get too big and should clear the algae in no time.

 

[NikkiY]

My LFS doesn't carry Bristlenose Plec here I can only get the common plec Perhaps i should just get 4 little rosies.

Thx for all your advices! You guys are so

Nikki

 

[Lateral Line]

If you already have a lot of fish in the tank, then you need to take stock of your situation. Adding more fish to a heavily stocked tank will produce more nitrates and could make your algae worse.

Overstocking is never a good idea.

I have had Rosy barbs 100mm/4" - to give you some idea of what they can grow uptil given the right conditions.

 

[dragoon459]

i still don't think 4 small rosies should hurt at all, but i don't think i ever heard how many fish you already have.

 

[NikkiY]

i still don't think 4 small rosies should hurt at all, but i don't think i ever heard how many fish you already have.

My tank info and number of fish are in my profile. Will 4 rosies be too crowded? I have plan to add 10 cardinal tetras in the future.

Nikki

 

[dragoon459]

if the goldfish and SAE aren't too big and wont get too much bigger, then i still think the rosies are a good idea

 

[LoachLover]

I personally like Rosy Barbs

 

[NikkiY]

I got just a pair of rosy barbs now. They are cute, aren't they I will see how they do and get a few more later. I wonder if I have picked a pair of male and female. Take a look at these pictures, what do you think?

Nikki

 

[Bloomjack]

cherry barbs tend not to shoal but mine do