help needed choosing Tiger Barb tankmates for a 37gal

[chasgood]

Ok 6 Tiger Barbs have been cycling the tank for the last two weeks. In a week or two it will be ready for more fish.
PH and hardness is on the high side so soft water fish are out. From the tap PH >8.4, GH >300ppm, KH >300ppm. 33% RO water and PH is 7.8, GH 150ppm, KH 180ppm.

Was thinking about this combo to go with the Barbs.
6 Serpae Tetras
1 pair of Dwarf Cichlids CA or Africa

Any thought on other fish for this water

 

[fishstixs05]

For the cichlids, I would go for a pair of kribs. They are relatively small and comstantly breed. Some people say that they get to aggresize towards other fish when they breed, but this is mre towards bottom-dwelling fish like cats. If you are interested, I could get you two small ones I have. They need to come out because there parents just layed mare eggs. Once that happens, the juvinilles go frm their parents best friends to worst enimies. As for the serpae, I have no experience with them, but being full-bodied tetra with no flowing fins, I think they should do well with the other fish. If you feel you woud like some more fish, I would reccomend a school of marbeled hatchets and a few ottos. I keep ottos with my kribs and other full-bodied tetras with no problem, and they should also do fine with the tigers.

 

[TankGirl]

Serpaes are good candidates for tiger barb tankmates, as they remind me very much of tiger barbs in their behavior, and they are so colorful. SA dwarfs are for the most part going to prefer softer water (someone correct me here) so I agree that kribs would be good, and probably one of the best choices. They are mildly aggressive but nobody usually winds up getting hurt and the barbs are often paired with somewhat aggressive cichlids anyway.

Your water is so perfect for Africans! Otherwise, your solution to the issue by use of RO water is exactly the right thing to do, if it is not too much of a pain in the neck for you. The fish should be perfectly happy with those parameters.

 

[chasgood]

fishstixs05
How much do you think it would cost to ship a pair of Kribs? I have a blue glass flowerpot in the tank they might like.
Tankgirl
Was kind of thinking maybe I should sell back the tiger barbs. Anyone know of a small schooling fish that loves this hard water? Refilling bottles with RO may get old after awhile.
I agree about the SA cichlids. I was thinking the C A (central America) cichlids as they like hard water.
never had cichlids before except angels. Very different from the tetras.

 

[Menagerie]

Was kind of thinking maybe I should sell back the.

 

[TankGirl]

If you sell back the tiger barbs then you could go with a pair of N. brichardi, you would have to get about 4-5 babies and wait for a pair to form, then return the rest. The pair would spawn and permit their spawns to set up household in the tank for a while - too cool.

You could also have a very nice shelldweller tank at that size. Otherwise most of the Africans get too large and territorial for a 37gal. Also you will need to keep stocking relatively light with the Eclipse filtration.

Many rainbows like hard water, if you want something completely different than what we have discussed so far! Don't forget livebearers.....

 

[chasgood]

I have upgraded the media in the eclipse filter. I was thinking I would still need a bit extra. Have looked hard at the smaller sized canisters to supplement the built-in filter. The Eclipse bio-wheel is great but comes up short on the mechanical side.
I read the Dwarfs don't dig up the tank like other cichlids do. Is this true?
How likely is it that if I buy a pair they will be brother/sister? Does it matter with fish?

 

[TankGirl]

You should not have a problem with digging, and the chances are good if you pick 2 fish from a tank at the LFS that they will be siblings. This is not really a concern, and is typical breeding practice. You have to "freshen" the line if you do it long-term, but I would not worry about it for your tank - good call to supplement the filtration!

 

[chasgood]

Made a list of possible cichlids. Small size, high PH and can be in a community tank.

Kribensis
Cockatoo or Crested Dwarf
Firebird or Peacock
Keyhole
Electric Yellow
Auratus
Agassiz Dwarf.

 

[fishstixs05]

Soory about not returning the message. Um, not sure how much it would cost. Tried calculating it on UPS and it gave me something nuts like $30! So you could figure it out. BTW, why do you want to remove the tigers? They should do just fine in harder water w/ high pH. I would take the electric yellows off the lists. They need the "liquid rock" water.

 

[chasgood]

After further reading I took the electric yellow and cockatoo off the list. From what I can tell the Krib will make a great first cichlid.
If you pack them in 1gal of water that is a 9 or 10 pound box. Shipping next day air isn't cheap anyways. Looked at a online store. They charge $25 to ship fish. Stores always inflate the charges. I know a guy that works at UPS. will see what he says about shipping cost. If it is higher than What I can buy them for locally I will have to pass on your offer. Will see.
If the Tigers can handle the high PH then great, I will keep them. Have to cut back on the food as they are getting fat.

 

[TankGirl]

Many electric yellow labs nowadays have been tank bred for so many generations that they can tolerate a much broader range of water parameters. They can sometimes get big, as with the peacock (if you are talking about the Aulonocara sp.). Convicts would work.

 

[TankGirl]

I just shipped some fish (Endler's) overnight with USPS and it cost $33! Almost not worth it to me, but if you avoid the middleman (LFS) and save the fish from being netted and bagged an extra time then maybe it is worth it. I have seen shipping charges for fish run into the $65-75 range. A lot of LFS will order fish for you and you won't pay shipping, and you could tell them to just leave them bagged when they arrive and call you to get them.