Thinking About Tiger Barbs

[basboi85]

This is as difficult as choosing a name for a baby lol

Why is it every fish I like is never good for each other grrr lol

 

[Tuxyu3]

This is as difficult as choosing a name for a baby lol

Much more difficult than that

It is true you are forced to make sacrifices in terms of choice of stocking if you want certain fish. Makes it all the more satisfying when you find a species you both love and works well.

 

[greenmumma141]

I can't speak for gourami's and tigers together, but I highly disagree that barbs cannot go with any other fish. I have both tigers and green in a tank with cories, angels, plecs, Ive even kept them with platies and mollies, and not had a single problem. Ive only had problems when another barb was sick and they would pick on them. My barbs keep to themselves and I've seen the same in my friend's tank as well where she has barbs and guppies. I realize every tank/situation is different and this won't always be the case, but saying barbs cannot go with any other fish is quite extreme IMO.

 

[leighton_87]

barbs do not make very good community

I assume when you say barbs here you mean Tiger Barbs - the vast majority of barbs have no aggression and are perfect community fish.

 

[basboi85]

The wife's so stubborn and won't budge on the shark.

I like gourami's but I also like tiger barbs.

I'm unsure whether to try the barbs or not as there's both conflicting points of them being a problem and not being a problem.

 

[garyspence84]

If you want tiger barbs then I advise finding a new home for your gourami. Your shark will be fine. I have tiger barbs with a red tail and there fine together.
But I would advise heavily on getting tiger barbs though! I got 10 of them a couple of weeks ago and I'm in love with them. Amazing fish.

 

[Mrsdubs]

I went to my lfs to get some tiger barbs but was advised against it as I have guppies so I settled on black phantom tetras and I'm glad I did, they are active and interesting, they are also quite playful so fun to watch

Maybe a possibility for you?

 

[basboi85]

I like the look of them how many could I have in my tank ???

 

[Mrsdubs]

I'm not great with stocking advice but they are a shoaling fish so you would want a minimum of 6

I currently have 6 and I'm going to add another 4

 

[garyspence84]

You have a pretty good sized tank so you could have as many as you wanted. I have a 200ltr tank and I'm aiming for 20. I currently have 10.

But they will destroy your gourami so I would heavily advise re homing if you get tiger barbs.

 

[tyedyefishy]

I started with 3 tiger barbs. They were so aggresive, constantly attacking each other but not any of my other fish. So I kept getting more and more to try to ease down the aggression. lots of money and time wasted later, I had like 14 tiger barbs and I hated them. Kept having to use a hospital tank because if they bit each other enough, they would get really bad wounds. Tiger barbs are the worst when you have a wounded fish, they'll pick at it until it dies. I thought they were pretty fish at first but I hate thier personality and would rather give up fishkeeping over having a tank of these little hellions again

you have a large tank with soooo much potential. I wouldnt waste the time, space, and money on tiger barbs. But thats just my opinion..

 

[fluttermoth]

My son would agree with you, tyedyefishy; he hates ours; says he's sick of looking in that tank and seeing fish with no tails

I still love them, had them for getting on 25 years now, but they are a nightmare. As you found, they really don't get any better in big shoals either. Even I've been thinking of getting five banded barbs instead, but I'll have to wait for the last of my tigers to die off first

 

[Mikey1]

I started with 3 tiger barbs. They were so aggresive, constantly attacking each other but not any of my other fish. So I kept getting more and more to try to ease down the aggression. lots of money and time wasted later, I had like 14 tiger barbs and I hated them. Kept having to use a hospital tank because if they bit each other enough, they would get really bad wounds. Tiger barbs are the worst when you have a wounded fish, they'll pick at it until it dies. I thought they were pretty fish at first but I hate thier personality and would rather give up fishkeeping over having a tank of these little hellions again

you have a large tank with soooo much potential. I wouldnt waste the time, space, and money on tiger barbs. But thats just my opinion..

this is a sign of stress.....

it probably happened because your tank was not big enough, or the decor was not to their liking.....when taken care of properly, tiger barbs are peaceful fish

 

[basboi85]

So even with say a shoal of 20-25 there will be bad news in a tank my size.

I really like them.
I'm in two minds to either keep the gourami's and add have a good amount of them or pass them on and get a big shoal of tigers

 

[greenmumma141]

I started with 3 tiger barbs. They were so aggresive, constantly attacking each other but not any of my other fish. So I kept getting more and more to try to ease down the aggression. lots of money and time wasted later, I had like 14 tiger barbs and I hated them. Kept having to use a hospital tank because if they bit each other enough, they would get really bad wounds. Tiger barbs are the worst when you have a wounded fish, they'll pick at it until it dies. I thought they were pretty fish at first but I hate thier personality and would rather give up fishkeeping over having a tank of these little hellions again

you have a large tank with soooo much potential. I wouldnt waste the time, space, and money on tiger barbs. But thats just my opinion..

this is a sign of stress.....

it probably happened because your tank was not big enough, or the decor was not to their liking.....when taken care of properly, tiger barbs are peaceful fish

I have to agree with Mikey1. I have have a 30 gal, a vertical at that, and my barbs never pick on anyone, I sometimes see a little squabbling between a tiger and green, but never any wounds or even close to, and my fish are never showing signs of stress, even down to my cories