new 75 Gallon setup.. question on if i can add africans with my tiger barbs???

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yankeeslover

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i just upgraded my 29 gallon to a 75 gallon...currently i have 12 tiger barbs, 1 Krib and 1 Rainbow shark... I really have a liking for Tiger barbs and will be adding more in the future, maybe as many as 8 more. I would love to know if there are any african Cichlids that are compatable with my setup? i dont want any big cichlids, but i do love the yellow labs.. If I get a yellow lab how many labs can you have per tank? these would come from petsmart so no idea if male or female... i do have plenty of hiding spots in the tank.... would labs be ok with my setup? if so or if not, are there any other cichlids that would go with this setup? with or without the labs? I would love to do africans but not sure how compatable they are with Barbs... small africans that is..
Any other ideas on what else i can get? I am running two filters a Marineland emporaer 400 and a aquaclear 70..so filtration is good..temps are around 75... PH is high though, i say around 8, i can never get it down.. i do have driftwood in there, and i also am now going with all sand where in the 29 gallon i was gravel...any ideas would be great..thank you..
 
Barbs and Danio's are used as dither fish in African set ups. As long as the fish you are buying are the same size, you should be okay. The Krib is iffy. The rainbow shark is hopefully smaller than the Yellow Labs. Africans are normally purchased in groups of three ideally in the male and two female ratio.
Yellow Labs enjoy the higher ph. You can google how to tell males from females by venting. Africans also breed like mice, so you may wish to read up on mouth brooders.
Clown Loaches also work amazingly with Tiger Barbs.

Good luck.
 
thanks ralfieboy... I actually purchased three cichlids today to give it a go...worse case scenerio is i can give the tiger barbs away to a local petstore..hate to do that as i like the barbs, but the whole reason up the big tank upgrade was to get the cichilds.. I purchased a Yellow Lab, a Demasoni and another light blue Cichlid. I will admit i purchased these from petsmart.. I tried to keep the stock limited to those that stay somewhat smaller.. so far so good... The tiger barbs are more concerned with each other, actually the Demasoni is swimming with them for the past two hours.... The yellow lab which is half the size of any of my barbs, has been the most agressive, the lab keeps chasing the barbs around, but so far no nipping.... The shark can care less and the Krib has his own home that he is staying in... If i get another Yellow lab will that take some agression away from the one i have now? and i was also looking at a bumblebee cichlid.... i was really impressed by the looks of that one....how do these compare to the ones i just got?
I will admit, i know nothing about Cichlids..since they are all African, can i get any african Cichlid? or are some a big no-no? thanks....
 
thanks ralfieboy... I actually purchased three cichlids today to give it a go...worse case scenerio is i can give the tiger barbs away to a local petstore..hate to do that as i like the barbs, but the whole reason up the big tank upgrade was to get the cichilds.. I purchased a Yellow Lab, a Demasoni and another light blue Cichlid. I will admit i purchased these from petsmart.. I tried to keep the stock limited to those that stay somewhat smaller.. so far so good... The tiger barbs are more concerned with each other, actually the Demasoni is swimming with them for the past two hours.... The yellow lab which is half the size of any of my barbs, has been the most agressive, the lab keeps chasing the barbs around, but so far no nipping.... The shark can care less and the Krib has his own home that he is staying in... If i get another Yellow lab will that take some agression away from the one i have now? and i was also looking at a bumblebee cichlid.... i was really impressed by the looks of that one....how do these compare to the ones i just got?
I will admit, i know nothing about Cichlids..since they are all African, can i get any african Cichlid? or are some a big no-no? thanks....

I meant three from the same species. Please read up species profiles before buying. Cichlid-Forum has great info. It sounds like you have a Metriclima cobalt zeba or a ice blue red top aka Metriclima Greshaki. Stay away from the Bumble Bee or at least look up what it will look like when it grows. I believe their name is Pseudotropeus Grabbo.
 
Dither fish are used to spread aggression especially when you have breeding groups. I do not use dither fish, however I know many people that do.

Wrong side of the earth... this is common for sa/ca cichlids and dithers are not for aggression their to bring out shy fish and let then know there is no danger from predators. Target fish are for aggression but again not for Africans.
 
Wrong side of the earth... this is common for sa/ca cichlids and dithers are not for aggression their to bring out shy fish and let then know there is no danger from predators. Target fish are for aggression but again not for Africans.


Exactly, thank you mike.


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Info on keeping Malawi cichlids 1

Interesting link on the use of dither fish for Africans.

That link hasn't been updated in 9 years possibly 16 years. I understand its there in righting but remember its the web most is misinformation. Even major companies like the big box store I was at today says a flowerhorn or Oscar only needs a 40 gallon tank. Search and you will find anything.
 
That link hasn't been updated in 9 years possibly 16 years. I understand its there in righting but remember its the web most is misinformation. Even major companies like the big box store I was at today says a flowerhorn or Oscar only needs a 40 gallon tank. Search and you will find anything.

Here are sone recent pictures of one of my fellow Canadian Hobbyists. If you look at the background of these pictures you will see the use of dither fish namely Giant Danios that he uses to spread aggression. Many others use rainbows, barbs. I use females from various species.

http://pnaquaria.com/c/xystixchromis_phytohagus___pure__christmas_fulu_/346299

I have been an aquarist for over 40 years and currently have 8 aquariums and brred catfish and african cichlids. I came on this forum to help people. Please take my lead and help this fellow with some of your tips.

Cheers
 
40 years and you haven't learned the difference between dither fish and target fish? Unlikely.


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Hehehe.. geez mog.. you should probably listen here...

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I have mentors who know what they are talking about.


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Yah...well this is the Internet so mentors are born every minute:)

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Biting my tongue and not saying any more. Op maybe take a look at firemouths or convicts? a 75 would be great for them and you could probably use tiger barbs as DITHERS.
 
Biting my tongue and not saying any more. Op maybe take a look at firemouths or convicts? a 75 would be great for them and you could probably use tiger barbs as DITHERS.


Firemouths would work well with the tiger barbs, though they would likely act more like targets especially during spawning. It would be a colorful and active tank for sure. Pasionis would be another good choice of available locally.


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Here are sone recent pictures of one of my fellow Canadian Hobbyists. If you look at the background of these pictures you will see the use of dither fish namely Giant Danios that he uses to spread aggression. Many others use rainbows, barbs. I use females from various species.

"xystixchromis phytohagus " " pure " christmas fulu " - PNAQUARIA

I have been an aquarist for over 40 years and currently have 8 aquariums and brred catfish and african cichlids. I came on this forum to help people. Please take my lead and help this fellow with some of your tips.

Cheers

Im sorry but sticking a schooling fish in a tank with africans and letting them beat on them isn't really a practice to alleviate aggression, just seems like a misinformed move. I can stick some tiger barbs in with a bunch of large and aggressive fish and call them "dithers". I use dithers to encourage my apistogramma cacatuoides to come out of their caves not to let them get beat on. A properly stocked african tank should not require "Target fish". :thanks:
 
Firemouths would work well with the tiger barbs, though they would likely act more like targets especially during spawning. It would be a colorful and active tank for sure. Pasionis would be another good choice of available locally.


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Good to know.
 
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