Rams and Barbs...

[Andrewz00]

can i mix rams and barbs?

specifically... odessa, tiger, cherry, albino tiger, green tiger.... along with amano shrimp, bamboo shrimp, MTS and cory cats....

 

[meegosh]

I would say no just based on the fact that barbs are nippy fish and like slow moving fish with long fins. Rams are slow - compared to other fish - and may get nipped at. The rams may hold their ground though. My gut would say no though.

 

[Andrewz00]

just more detail: its a 90g planted tank....

 

[severum mama]

I wouldn't recommend it.

The only barbs I've kept that would make good tank mates for rams IMO would be snakeskins (Puntius rhombocellatus). They are active, but not nippy like a lot of other species. They can be difficult to find.

 

[BigJim]

I have cherry barbs and five-band barbs in a 29g with two bettas and I don't have nipping problems. The five-band barbs look like little tiger barbs with an extra stripe. I was given the ones I have. I can't seem to find them in the stores by me.

 

[severum mama]

Pentazonas are cool fish, I've never kept them but I have read that they behave more like snakeskins than tigers, even though they look more like tigers. Sounds like yours are behaving themselves. I also forgot about cherry barbs, I think they would be fine with rams.

 

[Tropical boy]

Pentazonas are great I had 5 in my last tank and they look like tiger barbs but don't nip at all and are a little slower moving. A great fish for the community aquarium.

 

[Pvtdgrif]

I have cherry barbs and five-band barbs in a 29g with two bettas and I don't have nipping problems. The five-band barbs look like little tiger barbs with an extra stripe. I was given the ones I have. I can't seem to find them in the stores by me.

Hi Jim, just a side note... The garden centre at Otley have five band barbs! Not sure about price.

Edit: LOL wrong Jim! Sorry

 

[Luna112]

I have 3 cherry barbs with my electric blue ballon ram. No fighting as of yet.

Sent from my iPhone