Tiger Barbs

[New Boy]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I'd just like a bit of advise.

I've got a 190 Litre Juwel tank and I'm planning on adding some Tiger Barbs.
How many should I add? I've heard that you should try and add a shoal of 8 so that they don't have a go at anything else but I was planning on 6 - that sound ok? Also I was going to mix normal and albino green tiger barbs - will they still shoal together?

One last thing, my tap water ph is 7.6. I've tried reducing it in the past and it';s only been temporary and ends up stressing fish out more. Another forum told me it's better not to mess with ph as most barbs are bred in captivity in ph of 6-8. Just want to check if anyone else happily keeps them in higher ph's?

Thanks

 

[LesGerber]

First off, 6 tiger barbs will be fine, I had 6 for the longest time till I lost one due to being egg bound( I believe). You can have say 4 regular tigers and 2 greens(thats what I had) and they all seem fine. I would guess that any mix would be ok.
As far as your PH.....its more than likely that you LFS is going to have thier fish in the same type of water as you are. My Ph runs around 7.8 and my tigers dont seemed to be effected by it....Just make sure the water from the LFS is close to what you have and you should be fine


Les

 

[new_fish_guy86]

YAY another tiger barb lover like myself

I think any shoal of at least 5 would work out fine. And like LesGerber said you can mix different types of barbs too.

What other fish are you going to have?


Oh and welcome to the forum.

 

[LesGerber]

Now a bit of forwarning.......there are some who say that barbs dont get nippy toward tank mates, but mine will give chase to about all my fish and I believe that if I had fish with long fins(ie angels) they would have a field day. So keep in mind that any fish you have join the community needs to be chosen with that in mind.


Les

 

[Jamnog]

wise words les wish such a large tank would it be posible to have a larger shoal if he wanted? i have seen 20 or so mooving with each other in a shop im glad i want a beta in that tank heh heh

 

[LesGerber]

Yes a large shoal of 20 or so would be cool to look at. Maybe there is a barb lover out there willing to do up a barb tank and take pictures.....it would look impressive to say the least.
With a 190 L (50 gal) tank he should if he decided could have up to around 25 or so with room for them to grow. Most people dont wish to go that route but it would be sweet


Les

 

[New Boy]

I've already got some fish in the tank.

2 spotted dora catfish (or raphael cats as they are sometimes known)
1 bumblebee african cichlid (although he'll be off when he gets bigger than 4 inches -maylandia crabro)
6 Lions cove Yellow Labs (labidochromis caeruleus - another african malawi, pretty passive though and grows to only 3 inches or so)

I want to keep tiger barbs because I like them and because I've been advised on an african cichlid forum that they work like a charm together. i must also admit that I have also got two blood parrots - they were the first fish I got before I knew the history -and the wife has told me that if they go then the tank goes. one day they will be too big for the tank though and i can get some other fish.

Still think 6 sounds ok?
By my calcs I think that should be pretty comfortable - 1,600 litres filtration per hour and 10-15% water changes weekly - and allow plenty room for growth

Cheers

 

[LesGerber]

6 Should be fine.....just keep an eye on the water params


Les

 

[New Boy]

Does that mean you think I may have problems and will be running close to full capacity or just general advice for everyone with a tank? I thought that it was fairly comfortable.....but I've not been keeping fish very long

Advice greatly appreciated

 

[LesGerber]

2 spotted dora catfish (or raphael cats as they are sometimes known)
1 bumblebee african cichlid (although he'll be off when he gets bigger than 4 inches -maylandia crabro)
6 Lions cove Yellow Labs (labidochromis caeruleus - another african malawi, pretty passive though and grows to only 3 inches or so)

I want to keep tiger barbs because I like them and because I've been advised on an african cichlid forum that they work like a charm together. i must also admit that I have also got two blood parrots

the 6 yellow labs are at maturity going to give you 18 inches of fish,
dont know about the spotted doras and how big they get. Lets say 2 inches each so thats 22 inches.
The bumblebee you he will go up to 4 before you move him so there is another 4 inches to make 26. If you add 6 tigers figure 9 to 10 inches there so thats 35 inches
The blood parrots are pretty good sized fish so let call them 5 inches each so thats up to 45 so you are with in 5 inches of recomended fish on average. Now I have read the bloods are messy and some cichlids are messy too so that is going to strain your bio system so thats why I said you are going to need to watch the water, You will be on the border thats all


Les

 

[New Boy]

Ok, I wasn't aware that blood parrots were pretty messy. The catfish, allegedly, grow to 4 inches max. and I also thought that tiger barbs grew to about 3 inches ? so if I change those two figures in your workings then that takes me 8 inches over. hmm, do tiger barbs really get to 3 inches or are books exaggerating? Do you think I should consider moving the blood parrots and bumblebee before they get to that size?

 

[New Boy]

Anyone know if Tiger barbs usually grow to the 3 inches noted in most books or if that's a maximum and most grow to 2 inches or something?

Cheers

 

[Jamnog]

i have not seen a tiger barb 3 inches long but i wouldnt say that they dont get that big in the right tank.i would keep some myself but they would not mix well with the other fish i plan on keeping.

 

[LesGerber]

I have never seen a three inch barb but I have seen alot pushing that 1 1/2 inch mark....My tank would be scary if they got that big





Les