Lonely male swordtail?

[Zeugirdor]

I've got a 30 gallon tank cycled since January with five tiger barbs in it. This weekend I bought three male sword-tails (I know they get aggressive towards each other to fight for mates, but I figured with no females they'd be fine) and two of them have already died. I tested my water at the store before I bought them and it was fine. I'm guessing they died from the stress of the tiger barbs? They have nipped their tails a little, but they mostly nipped the one that's still alive and he doesn't seemed stressed at all. I think he had nipped at his fellow species members as well. Should I return him or will he be fine with my barbs? He does seem like a trooper.. I'm planning on buying some more barbs to help their aggression but this is my first tank and I really didn't want a species only..

Sorry for the long post, I'll learn to shorten up, this is my first time on the forums thanks in advance!

 

[Zeugirdor]

I'm also considering either giant danios or Bosemani (sp?) rainbows, but I'm not sure if I have enough room. And I started to develop brown algae and wouldn't mind a nice bottom dweller to help that out if there are any suggestions?

 

[ejaramillo01]

Rainbows do better in groups, for a 30G tank Bosemani Rainbows maybe are not going to be good.

 

[Zeugirdor]

If it's a group of say three or four I could probably handle them? I'm just not having luck with getting fish with these barbs. They devoured a baby pleco I bought a couple weeks in, so I don't want to buy any more expensive fish unless I'm sure they'll be fine. So do you suggest the danios?