Tigers in a ten gallon?

[AquaNut]

Okay. I swear, I've gone totally fish crazy as of late, and I thought it was bad before! As some of you may know, I have fish sorting issues due to the purchases of second hand tanks that came complete with incompatible communities of fish, as well as the newbie purchases I made years ago that still live. I was going to put my CAE in a 15 gallon tank of his own, so I siliconed a leaky one I had in the basement for him, but when I filled it with water, it was still leaking on one side where there's actually a small chip in the glass. So, the next plan of attack was to find a 20 gallon that I could put the CAE and my five tiger barbs in. I haven't found one yet (second hand .. there's no way I'm paying 100 bucks for a 20 gallon tank with hob filter at the store). Just now, a friend of my mother's called to say her son no longer has any fish in his 10 gallon tank, and would I like to have it for free! So, seeing as I'm going to have an empty 10 gallon that's ready to go, do you think five tiger barbs and the CAE would be okay in there? I already know that the CAE is going to get even bigger and would probably like a bigger tank, but he's a renegade and will have to settle for whatever I can offer him because my lfs doesn't want him. I think as long as I give him his cave and his favourite piece of wood, he'll be satisfied. It's the tiger barbs I'm wondering about. Do you think ten gallons will give them enough swimming space?

 

[FloridaFishGuy]

I was wanting to know the same question. I have a 10 gallon with no fish in it yet and I still am deciding what fish to get. I was wondering if 5 tiger barbs could do well in a 10 gallon with 1 or 2 cories.

 

[mrV]

Don't ever mix tigers and corys! Tigers tend to snap corys fins. And when keeping tigers, you should keep them in large shoal so that they wouln't be so aggressive. Tiger is also guite big, but real lively fish, so it needs space. 160 liters sounds reasonable (35-42 uk-us gal).

 

[AquaNut]

The five tiger barbs I have now are in with angelfish (I know, I know, highly frowned upon) and they're really not aggressive at all. The angels they're in with spawn regularly and are extremely nasty (but my favourite two fish); they seem to have beaten them into submission or something. Either way, I wasn't planning on putting any other fish in with the tiger barbs, aside from the CAE. Nor will the nasty angels have any tankmates when this sorting is all finished. My five tigers won't be getting a 35 or 40 gallon tank to themselves. I simply don't have the room or the electrical outlets to do so. However, I trust your advice MrV, and I'll use the ten gallon tank for something else.

 

[FloridaFishGuy]

Well it doesnt sound like a good match to me. I think i am going to stick with my original plan. It is 2 gourmis, 2 cories, and 3 tetras.

 

[Rose]

In all reality they do like having swimming space however I have had 8 full grown tigers in a 10 gallon tank. Granted it was very heavily planted and got lots of water changes to keep everything in line. They did just fine. They were the most crapmed and never got sick out of any of my fish. It is doable till you can get a bigger tank for them to call home. Mine lived in the 10 for over a year before they got their new home.

Rose

 

[mrV]

FishNewbie, corys are shoal fishes so you need to buy at least 6 of them to having some kind of shoal. (Many of them live in shoal where are thousends individuals ) And tetras too... It depends on what tetras you're planning to buy. They're usually shoal fishes too.

Shoal is important to small fishes. It keeps them calmer and they feel safety when more individual are around.

So if you have 10gallon tank, you can have 2 small gouramis (Colisa sota/lalia) and small group of some small corys. I don't think it's very good idea to buy tetras, because 10 gallons is still quite small tank. Water values stays better when not overstocking tank. However... Those gouramis aren't either calm fishes, so don't buy more than one male! In small tank it's also important to decorate it right, that female can hide or escape if male harass it too much. Heavy planted tanks are good.

 

[Inchworm]

Sounds like a great place for an opaline gourami.



__________
Sorry, AquaNut. But you know I just couldn't resist saying that, don't you?

 

[AquaNut]

lmaoooo Inchworm!!!

The naughty opaline gourami is actually going to move into the 33 gallon tank where the tiger barbs and angels are now. He'll be sharing it with three yo yo loaches and two skunk botias.

The angels are going to move into the 45 gallon tank where that overstocked community that includes the opalines currently is. They'll have that tank to themselves so that they can finally raise some fry if they want to. They spawn all the time but never let the eggs hatch because there are so many other fish around.

I'm shopping the classifieds for a used tank for the crowd in the 45 gallon tank. I'm thinking a 90 gallon would be good. I have a pleco who needs a big home, as well as the fact that I bought two baby silver dollars yesterday to go along with the two monsters (monster size, not personality) I already have. I did this knowing that I'll have a new tank in the very immediate future, and also knowing my lfs very rarely gets them in stock.

I'm hoping this will end my fish sorting troubles forever!

 

[Inchworm]

That gourami is really lucky to be yours, AquaNut. He is going to be getting better digs than he deserves. Next thing you know, he'll be wanting a wife!

I can't wait to see you posting about the angel babies you'll be raising. How exciting!!!!

You mentioned another problem I can relate to, also. That is the shortage of electrical outlets. I have power strips with wires hanging off them all over the place. You have the right idea going for larger tanks.

Of course, you will probably just buy more fish and next year have the same problem all over again. I know I would!