Tiger barbs and Ram Cichlids

[rebe]

What are your thoughts on these two species in the same tank?

I have always wanted tiger barbs, and I'm going to let myself get some soon. I'm aiming for 35-40 barbs, which I will quarantine in a 29 gallon (75x35x40 cm) and move into a bigger tank after 2 months or so.
I have one male bolivian ram in my 75 gallon community tank, whom I adore. I've been thinking for the last few weeks of changing the stocking anyways (there are currently panda corys, beckford pencilfish, hengeli/espei rasboras, and rosy tetras). So I was wondering how a bolivian ram would fair with a tank of tiger barbs.
I had not considered keeping the two together, as I had just assumed the tiger barbs would be too boisterous for the ram. However I was looking at the types of cichlids people keep with tiger barbs out of curiosity, and I've seen the two species kept together.

For me it would make things simpler if the two species could cooexist, as it means I can keep just one bigger tank long term if I preferred to.

The 75 gallon tank is 4ft long and about 2ft tall.
(120 x 40 x 60 cm)

 

[CassCats]

If you have Cories with that stocking, I'd definitely avoid any and all barbs with corydoras. They like to target the dorsal fins of corydoras

 

[rebe]

If you have Cories with that stocking, I'd definitely avoid any and all barbs with corydoras.

So this is a hypothetical stocking.
It would be just the tiger barbs and the bolivian ram/s in the tank

 

[GaryE]

I used to keep rosy barbs with some tough Central American cichlids, and the Cichlids made the barbs understand the meaning of death. There were no attacks after the first day or two. I'm just not sure that altispinosum would defend themselves as well.

Rosys and tigers behave similarly. Sometimes they want to be rowdy and just can't help themselves. They get bigger than most fishkeepers expect, and can really be annoying for tankmates. It might work. maybe, but I wouldn't go into it if I didn't have a back up home for the Bolivians.

 

[CassCats]

I'd consider cherry barbs most. They're smaller than the ram (Tigers ironically get larger potentially, a friend of mine has had some as large as my hand). The ram can defend better with smaller cherry barbs and they tend to be much more docile than Tigers. Plus they're rather pretty. Can do a much larger group of them in a 75g as well plus enjoy the same temperature range as Bolivian rams.

 

[gwand]

I'd consider cherry barbs most. They're smaller than the ram (Tigers ironically get larger potentially, a friend of mine has had some as large as my hand). The ram can defend better with smaller cherry barbs and they tend to be much more docile than Tigers. Plus they're rather pretty. Can do a much larger group of them in a 75g as well plus enjoy the same temperature range as Bolivian rams.

CC, Can any species of Apistogramma thrive in water with a GH of 200 ppm?

 

[CassCats]

CC, Can any species of Apistogramma thrive in water with a GH of 200 ppm?

Apistogramma borellii (Umbrella Cichlid) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Borelli, it comes from southern south america, specifically areas of Paraguay and such where the water is higher in mineral sediments from mountain runoff. It does need colder temperatures. No hotter than 75F ideally, better 72-74F range longterm.

It's smaller than most other apistos, more docile than many (can still have an attitude though, but more like Bolivian ram type attitude). It plays by different water parameters than most other apistogramma, and while not as vibrant with reds and oranges like others, the nice shiny blue is very lovely. I personally like borelli a lot! Sometimes subtle is better than flashy