Question on Tinfoil Barbs....

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Lonewolfblue

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Joined
Jul 24, 2005
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Wenatchee, WA
Just looking for ideas when I get a huge tank. I was looking at moving my fire eel for sure, but ass for what my stocking will be, I was looking at Angels, Tinfoil Barbs, and either a large group of Rummy Nose Tetras or Cardinal Tetras. But what I want to know is since the Tinfoils get big, will the smaller tetras be safe? I know they will work with my eel, as he doesn't go for smaller fish as long as he's well fed. I know they will be sae with the Angels, but if I'm correct, the Tinfoils get bigger. Anyone with experience with this combo?

Was looking at the 265G or 300G Wide or the tank, and will have fewer groups of fish, but more of them. And will be planted as well. I think it will be a Low Light tank as well, I want something that will take less work.

I was looking at 8 Angels, 6-8 Tin Foils, and a group of about 50 smaller tetras.
 
OMG, how soon will you be getting this tank and when can we see a new giant planted tank thread? 8O
 
LandGhoti said:
OMG, how soon will you be getting this tank and when can we see a new giant planted tank thread? 8O

Might be a little while yet. I was hoping at the first of the year, but it's being delayed some. Don't have all the money yet. I like the 300G Wide better, because it's not as deep, but wider from front to back, and 8 feet long. lol. As for where to put it? In the Master Bedroom of course. It's on concrete slab, so no worries there.

The only other fish I would replace the tinfoils with is Silver Dollars. I want something that won't bother the smaller tetras, preferably Rummies. Jchillin got me hooked on them, lol.

Now, if I really got the money, I'd do 20 Roselines instead, but they are too spendy.
 
Rummies are awesome, I agree! No other tetra species that I've kept can match the schooling behavior of the rummies IMO. The roseline sharks are totally sweet as well, and I've always had my eye on them, but they are even spendy for me with an LFS employee discount! Anyway, my suggestion is, why not take some of your larger schooling fish, like your serpaes and/or bleeding hearts, and move them over to the 300. That way, you could keep more rummies like you had planned, but with no danger of them getting eaten.

BTW- that 8 footer is going to look amazing! I'm also on a slab, so I'm lucky there, but anything really large is just waaaay out of my budget at this point. The store I work for is really far from you, obviously, but we have a 300 gal custom tank w/ custom black cabinet stand for $2999.99, and I was just curious what they are going for in your area. Would you use a sump for filtration? The 8 footers I've seen (which are not many!) all come with dual overflows.
 
I would get one without overflows. For filters, probably 3 XP4's.

As for the tetras, I don't have many left. The serpae's do good for me for a while, then look like they start getting dried skin, then the fins start deteriorating, then they die. I have 1 left, and he's now looking in sad shape, and starting to surface as well, so I think his time is limited. But the Blue Flames on the other hand are looking good. They don't have that problem, and neither do the Bleeding Hearts.

So what I may end up doing is maybe just the angels with rummies and maybe Blue Flames. I just don't like the idea of different small tetras in the tank. Any other tetras that get larger, that would work?

Also, how would a school of 80 Rummies look? lol...
 
Also, how would a school of 80 Rummies look? lol...

Clearly, we both know the answer to that... lol! But the real question is, would 80 rummies be cooler than 40/40 rummies and cardinals??? lol.

So I'm confused... would you have the angels, rummies, and blue flames with the tinfoil barbs, AND the fire eel? From what I've read, it seems that the barbs and eel may be a threat to the small tetras. If you're looking for larger tetras, Buenos Aires or red and blue Columbians come to mind, or maybe lemons? IME the latter is more passive than the others, if that matters. That's weird about the serpaes, they are supposed to be hardy. Maybe you are just not finding good quality stock; it's tough when many of the LFS's in a given town probably get their fish from the same supplier. Any links to the blue flames? Never seen 'em.

As for filtration, IMO you should check into your options. I'm not sure that you wouldn't save some money by just running a DIY sump, like I will in my future reef tank. It doesn't seem too difficult to silicone in the baffles. You could stick multiple heaters in a 55 gal sump, but then again, you're probably planning on using the Hydor inlines anyway. If you go the canister route, I think the XP4's are a great choice. My boss has had trouble with the Fluval FX5, as well as others I have read about, so I would be iffy about buying one. JMO.
 
Oh, you've seen Blue Flame Tetras before, lol....
Blue Flame, Colombian Tetra (Hyphessobrycon columbianus)

Well, with an 8 ft tank, maybe 2 schools wouldn't be too bad.

The stocking would consist of the following:

1 Fire Eel
6 Angels
School of 6-8 either Tinfoil Barbs or Silver Dollars or Roseline Sharks
School of 45 Rummies, or 90 if no Cardinals or Blue Flames
Possibly school of 45 Cardinals or Blue Flames (Columbians)
6-8 Bolivian Rams
6-8 Apistos (Just 1 type)
4 BN Plecos
8 American Flagfish
Maybe a school of loaches, Striped, Yoyo, or Skunks

3 Caves, as well as a bunch of driftwood and low-light plants.
 
AWESOME. When you do this, I will be expecting the tank setup diary in usual LWB form!

*edit* I'm sure we can work out a trade, low light plants (I have an abundance of really nice anubias and tall java ferns) for medium-light plants! 8)
 
If you want a planted tank you're definitely going to have to nix the silver dollars. They are all voracious plant eaters. The tin foils and angels aren't really the best combination either. Many barbs view the long angel fins as something to be nibbled, and if a barb the size of a tin foil gets that idea, say good bye to the angels.

Check out the Alestes Tetra. A small school will look awesome in a planted tank of that size. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alestiidae
 
flagfish can be bad for planted tanks too(so i have heard) they east alot of algea, but they will also eat alot of plants.

I am so excited to see this. Skip the big barbs though. They just dont belong with smaller tetras IMHO
Check out these http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_tbarb.php T-barbs, they are very very cool, and are extremely peaceful, and dont get as big.
 
They are very beautiful. Their mouths are rather small. I don't know if a fish would fit. Angels are the same way.

They are a very sensitive fish, so handle with care.
 
If you want a planted tank you're definitely going to have to nix the silver dollars
Interesting, I didn't know that.

I've never seen flagfish nibble on plants myself, and since low light plants seem to be less tasty for fish I bet they would be ok.

I would skip the skunk loaches and choose a more peaceful species. IME skunks can be very aggressive, and I once had to move a pair of Bolivian rams at the store because a skunk loach was literally going to nip/harass them to death.
 
[quote="Lonewolfblue"
The stocking would consist of the following:

1 Fire Eel
6 Angels
School of 6-8 either Tinfoil Barbs or Silver Dollars or Roseline Sharks
School of 45 Rummies, or 90 if no Cardinals or Blue Flames
Possibly school of 45 Cardinals or Blue Flames (Columbians)
6-8 Bolivian Rams
6-8 Apistos (Just 1 type)
4 BN Plecos
8 American Flagfish
Maybe a school of loaches, Striped, Yoyo, or Skunks[/quote]

What is to keep the fire eel (eventually a 4' fish as thick as your arm) from predating the smaller fish?
 
LWB - have you considered congo tetras ? They're larger and IMO gorgeous - I love the finage and when they color up they're quite stunning
 
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