Tiger barbs , I have 5 in a tank

[Pauluk]

Tiger barbs , I have 5 in a tank what else would be a good addtion ? Any recommendations ?

 

[mostanks]

what size tank ya got??

 

[Pauluk]

its a 3foot by 1 and a half foot.
The barbs look a bit lonely in it

 

[mostanks]

3x1.5 what's that?thats like a 40 or 50g breeder
are you looking for a cichlid type fish?

 

[Pauluk]

Any type of fish really , ones that are interesting to watch as the tank is visable and close (2 foot) to my desk

 

[Alex]

Maybe some bottom dwelling fish would be nice so that you make use of all your space. Maybe some corys or some loaches; loads of different sorts of them around, sure you could find some you like. Remember when you are thinking about new fish to get quite tough ones as tiger barbs can be nippy. Hope you have fun finding your fish

 

[mostanks]

well w/tiger barbs you're somewhat limited,tiger barbs are a real pain coz they're extremely nippy.
stay away from-slow moving fish,fish w/fancy long trailing fins(bettas,angel fish)
my choice for that tank would 2=angelicus pictus cats,and a cichlid,something like firemouth or Thorichthys aureum or A. nanoluteus


these are some nice choices and they can defend against the tiger barbs

shoot!!! the pics didn't show up-give me a minute
check out the link
archocentrus sajica,they grow up to 5"s the ones i mentioned above are also listed there.
http/tangledupincichlids.com/images/sajica.pair.jpg

 

[Pauluk]

thanks

 

[mostanks]

well did you find anything that interests you?

 

[playfulalliecat]

With 5 tiger barbs, you shouldn't have too many problems with them being nippy as they will be busy chasing each other all over the tank, if they are anything like mine. I have had excellent success keeping tiger barbs with black skirt tetras, serpae tetras, swordtails, platys, corydoras, a lg pleco, clown loaches (they all thought they tiger barbs as well!), green spotted puffers, and for a time now they have been in the tank with my gymnogeophagus bahia red cichlids. Some bottom dwellers such as loaches or corys would be nice, maybe even some catfish varieties depending on how many fish you want as some of these can get quite large! Good luck and happy fishkeeping!

Allie

 

[mostanks]

sorry but i have to disagree w/ you on that

With 5 tiger barbs, you shouldn't have too many problems with them being nippy as they will be busy chasing each other all over the tank,

5 is not enough,believe me i have 13 in my 10g right now coz they're such pains,they were in my 55g and they beat the crap out of my roosvelti(silver dollars)mind you the silver dollars are 5+"s and the t-barbs are not even an inch,they managed to kill 2 spotted raphael cats also.these are not easy fish to house w/other tankmates outside of their own species.

 

[playfulalliecat]

As I pretty much always say in a compatibility type of post, each fish has its own personality and fishkeeping is trial and error. There is always someone who has had problems with each type of fish being aggressive. I have had zebra danios terrorize everything in my tank. Once I had a blue dwarf gourami who had to be returned after he killed over half of my fish, some of them being tiger barbs, black skirt tetras, and zebra danios. You just really never know what's going to happen until you put them together.

Mostanks, I can understand yours have given you problems but honestly, mine have been no trouble at all. Maybe the reason is they didn't have enough space. Just searching for answers here. Mine are in a 55 gallon with 5 gymnogeophagus bahia red cichlids which are around 4-4.5 inches now and one 6 inch pleco which isn't a whole lot of fish in that size tank. Not knowing how many silver dollars you have but knowing the size of them and the large amount of tiger barbs you had would make me think they may have needed more space. They are fast moving fish and the more space for them to swim in without others in the way seems to make them happier.

I would never recommend putting fish together if I thought there was going to be a problem with them. All that we can do is post what experiences we have had and let others make their choice. I wouldn't put any fin nipper type of fish in with something with long fins or slow swimmers as that is way too tempting.

But then maybe I just have good natured fish as my green spotted puffer which is reputed to be extremely aggressive has been in with my bahia reds and tiger barbs and was in my community with black skirt tetras, serpae tetras, platys, swordtails, and corydoras for a few days and never bothered any of them.

Fish are like any other animal............some are good natured and some are terrors, you just have to use common sense as I can't stress enough.

Allie