Two 55 gals. Tiger barb Qs and other Qs

[cowgirluntamed]

So...I really need to quit changing my mind. Lol.

So, for this first 55 gallon that is getting close to being set up....I plan on getting harlequin rasboras for it first. This will also house a male bristlenose, peppered cories and a blue 3 spot gourami.

However....this depends on how the blue gourami acts to the rasboras.....but if he did fine with them, I really love glowlight tetras. I know they aren't ideal tankmates with the gourami, but if he's not aggressive would I be fine? I would try a small school of them first to see how he acted around them before going full blown. But rasboras first for sure. Though, I still may do the 2nd 55 gallon as a mostly glowlight tetra only tank...so on the fence about this unless I just d a huge shoal of harlequins with the gourami.....lol. I could always get the other kind of harelquin (black or purple) to offset the regular but I would have to source them online. This is what I am trying to avoid a bit, so local petsmart is the only place.

So...2nd 55 gallon. If I don't do glowlight tetras in it and put them in with the gourami....I was thinking of a tiger barb tank. I like the regular ones and the green ones (not platinum or glofish). Though I sort of like the red glofish ones but not sure how they would look with the other two.

Now, if it was tiger barb only, could 30 work in a 55? More? Less? Would you mix glofish tiger barbs in with the other two colors?

I've looked up tankmates and no its really hard to do. But was curious on everybody's thoughts on this. The only fish that interested me were pictus cats but I'm not sure that would work well in a 55. I know they need a group themselves and I would be hesitant as well because of their long whiskers.

The other one was giant danios but I doubt a 55 is big enough for them. And I would think they would be in the same area of the water column.

So, thoughts anyone? Thanks! And I apologize for my mind constantly changing. Lol. Bound to happen more though probably. Lol.

 

[Byron]

Re tank 1 (rasbora, tetra, gourami, cories) I see no issues. The only question is the behaviour of the gourami, as you know; removing him is an option if he acts up.

Re tank 2, the pictus catfish in a group of five may be fine with a large group of Tiger Barb, and in a 55g, 30 is OK. The more in the group, the less inclined to nip. And I don't know if the pictus would entice them or not. Another try it and be ready to separate. I would put the pictus in first, and give them lots of chunks of wood. However, as an alternative that would work in your water and not be a problem...the Black Ruby Barb. Females look so close to Tiger Barb they are sometimes mistaken for them. And the males are just beautiful. A group of 15-20 would bee stunning. They are very peaceful.

The Glofish Tiger Barb...I am not a fan of any "artificial" fish when it involves something like this. I don't know how these fish are created; general views seem to be by selective breeding, which sound fanciful but maybe so. The point is that other fish are genetically modified, or injected, or painted, to achieve such oddities, and encouraging any of these is I feel wrong. It only leads to more and more garish fish. Look what we've done to dogs, creating breeds with these "cute" oddities that the poor creatures suffer just trying to live. This is not right. And, I'm not saying that is the case with these bright TB, but it is part of the same appeal and that should bee thwarted.

The regular TB, green TB and Albino TB are certainly natural selections and will go together if you want.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Tank one, yes I will leave his current 20 gallon open just for that reason until I know if he is settled or not.

Tank two. I'm not really into the albinos. Weird eyes. Lol.
I did look up the pictus cat again and at least live aquaria said they needed a minimum of 70 gallons? So a 55 would probably rule those out, right? I probably wouldn't want to try it since I wouldn't have any good long term place to separate them too.
I did see Ruby Barb at PetSmart but I'm not sure if it's the one you are talking about. Here is the link.
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/live-fish/rosy-barb-15273.html?cgid=300205

As for the controversy on glofish. I have looked it up before and their website explains it I believe. If I remember correctly, they injected jellyfish dna into the eggs? Might have been the first fish but I'm not sure. I think it was the eggs though. And this is what produced the colors. However, after that first generation, it is a breedable trait in the fish.so now they are bred with those colors. They were trying to come up with some way to look at pollutants or something in different water systems by making the fish change when encountered with something. At least this is what they say. Lol. Now they just make a profit from them and continue to produce different types of fish with bright colors.

Anyway, it was just the red that caught my eye. I may not do those as they are more expensive than the regular types. So if in a tank by themselves, no more than 30?

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Ok, I just noticed that the link says Rosy barb......lol. though I was sure it said Ruby at the store but maybe not!

 

[Byron]

This is the Black Ruby Barb, Pethia nigrofasciata.
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pethia-nigrofasciata/

You asked about 30 TB so I said fine in a 55g. You cold have more. You could have other species too, provided they are similarly active, robust, and no flowing fins.

I did look up the pictus cat again and at least live aquaria said they needed a minimum of 70 gallons? So a 55 would probably rule those out, right? I probably wouldn't want to try it since I wouldn't have any good long term place to separate them too.

Dimensions are more important as this is an active fish. SF recommends 48 inches (120 cm) by 18 inches (45 cm). I had taken your 55g to be 48 X 12 inches, but I wouldn't rule it out for 6 inches missing in the width, depending what else you have with it, and the aquascape.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

This is the Black Ruby Barb, Pethia nigrofasciata.
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/pethia-nigrofasciata/

You asked about 30 TB so I said fine in a 55g. You cold have more. You could have other species too, provided they are similarly active, robust, and no flowing fins.



Dimensions are more important as this is an active fish. SF recommends 48 inches (120 cm) by 18 inches (45 cm). I had taken your 55g to be 48 X 12 inches, but I wouldn't rule it out for 6 inches missing in the width, depending what else you have with it, and the aquascape.

The black ruby is pretty cool but I would have to get it online. So I may just stick with different colors of TBs. How many more could I have in a 55 if it was just them? I would probably just have malaysian trumpet snails and nerite snails for a "clean up" crew if algae happened to break out. Mts for sure. I'm not sure if a bristlenose would work well with that many active fish. Lol. Also, I will probably set it up similarly to the other tank, nice plants and have 2 aquaclear 50s on it. Sand substrate of course.

Next time I'm in petsmart I may look again and see if there are any other fish that catch my eye. The only thing I can think of right now is that they had some different types of rainbow fish. Now....at the one small local fish store I have, when I was there a while back, they had Oddessa barbs. I do love the look of those. I almost forgot about that place since it's newer. I just didn't like the advice she gave me when I went in to look around. Lol. I believe she is more salt water knowledgeable really. But she had nice healthy tanks and beautiful fish.

 

[Byron]

The black ruby is pretty cool but I would have to get it online. So I may just stick with different colors of TBs. How many more could I have in a 55 if it was just them?

You are in the US, so ordering fish online is a snap. And there are some excellent places (according to what other members have mentioned). If I order from the US I have to deal with customs and believe me that can be stressful what with the long delays and fussing. You're lucky in that regard. The Wet Spot in Portland, Oregon comes to mind. There is also a place back east, I think in Pennsylvania, not sure, but there are likely others.

There are several barbs that would work. Nothing wrong with a tank of Tiger Barb alone, that's up to you. I would want more interest and colour. But it's your aquarium. As for numbers, you've a range if only TB (and maybe a BN or similar), I probably wouldn't go over 50.

Rainbow fish are another option, many of them prefer water on the hard side, and they are larger and colourful.

I don't worry about advice when I am just buying fish, because I know about the fish I buy (I absolutely never acquire any species I have not thoroughly researched). If I think the fish look reasonably healthy, and I check every tank in the store on this, they can advise nonsense till the night falls. I get my fish.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

You are in the US, so ordering fish online is a snap. And there are some excellent places (according to what other members have mentioned). If I order from the US I have to deal with customs and believe me that can be stressful what with the long delays and fussing. You're lucky in that regard. The Wet Spot in Portland, Oregon comes to mind. There is also a place back east, I think in Pennsylvania, not sure, but there are likely others.

Yeah, there are a bunch of places. I would order from the wetspot as they have an awesome selection but....it's almost $50 for shipping to here. I've checked. There are other places though that aren't as bad. Lol.

There are several barbs that would work. Nothing wrong with a tank of Tiger Barb alone, that's up to you. I would want more interest and colour. But it's your aquarium. As for numbers, you've a range if only TB (and maybe a BN or similar), I probably wouldn't go over 50.

Awesome! That'd be a heck of a tank. Would oddessas work with them? I think they may get a bit bigger possibly though, right?

Rainbow fish are another option, many of them prefer water on the hard side, and they are larger and colourful.

So rainbows possibly with a group of tiger barbs, yes? This could be interesting.

I don't worry about advice when I am just buying fish, because I know about the fish I buy (I absolutely never acquire any species I have not thoroughly researched). If I think the fish look reasonably healthy, and I check every tank in the store on this, they can advise nonsense till the night falls. I get my fish.

That's very true! It's kind of a hit and miss at the tanks at my PetSmart unfortunately. I saw quite a few not so great looking fish in the tanks this time. But maybe they hadn't gotten them out yet. I went at a different time than normal and I know they are bound to lose fish with the volume they get in I'm sure. The neon tetras looked pretty good and that's one fish I see mostly paled out there. So I guess they are doing something right. Lol.

 

[Byron]

Would oddessas work with them? I think they may get a bit bigger possibly though, right?

Slightly larger, but not by much. Large groups of any barb will or should mean less chance of nastiness, but one never knows. (It's the Tigers that are the issue mainly).

So rainbows possibly with a group of tiger barbs, yes? This could be interesting.

No, this will not work. Rainbowfish are moderately active, but do like cruising, and that always invites nipping from Tiger Barb. Other barbs (the Black Ruby would work for example, and there are others) fine, but not Tigers.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

Slightly larger, but not by much. Large groups of any barb will or should mean less chance of nastiness, but one never knows. (It's the Tigers that are the issue mainly).



No, this will not work. Rainbowfish are moderately active, but do like cruising, and that always invites nipping from Tiger Barb. Other barbs (the Black Ruby would work for example, and there are others) fine, but not Tigers.

Ok, I wasn't sure at first what you meant about the rainbows. Lol. I'll keep looking around and such but it may be a strictly tiger barb tank. Or with some odessas, not sure. We'll see what my mind comes up with later since that tank is furthest away. Lol. Thanks again for the great advice Byron! I'll be sure to update on the tetra tank and how my gourami acts though it could be a bit. The tetras and rasboras were super tiny when I saw them they other day so would need grow out time before he was introduced at all. I may end up getting a good group of harlequins and glowlight going before introducing him in in it just for the growth they will need. I'm glad he's ok in the 20 by himself right now. It just looks so bare with only him. Lol.