Tiger barbs with long-fin bristlenose pleco in 36g bowfront?

[Luananeko]

I have a 36 gallon bowfront tank that I'm working on restocking (had some issues while I was on vacation 2 months back that decimated over half my stock). It currently just has a school of White Skirt Tetras. I was considering adding Tiger Barbs, and my upstairs neighbor's bristlenose pleco just had babies... I'd love to add one of their long-fin albino babies once they grow out a bit. I'm worried about whether the long fins of the pleco would be too tempting for the barbs though...

Tiger barbs have always been one of those fish I've avoided in the past because of the horror stories about their reputation for nipping and aggression, so I wanted to get opinions from people that actually have experience keeping them in a community tank.

Is this workable if I keep the barb school around 8+? I've heard they'll keep their nipping to themselves if they have enough of them. Between themselves, the White Skirt Tetras, and the Zebra Danios I'm also planning on, would that be enough to keep them ignoring the pleco's fins? Also, the tank is pretty deep and heavily decorated (fake plants + driftwood, will supplement with veggies, seaweed, and algae tabs), so in theory the pleco would be out of their way most of the time.

What do you guys think?

 

[Reygan2]

We had a school of 10 in our 75g school tank, that is until I noticed that they were tormenting the resident pleco. Poor thing, nothing he could do. It wasn't obvious either...I happen to be sitting nearby watching when I saw several randomly swim down to take jab, one at a time. They lived up to their name, and I finally convinced everyone to trade them in for some friendlier community fish.

 

[Luananeko]

Hmmm, that's good to know. Was the pleco long fin or regular fin?

 

[thing fish]

I have not had the nightmare experiences with tiger barbs that others have had. So I suppose it could go either way. But...

I think you will be just fine, especially with hiding spots for the pleco. It will probably come out more after lights out, at which point the tiger barbs (not sure about the tetras) will be doing their nighttime thing (mine just sortve suspend vertically overnight, resting).

I would get the pleco established a bit before starting to add the tiger barbs. Let him get into his comfort zone and establish territory. Maybe rearrange a bit before you add the pleco, to keep the tetras from getting nippy with it. Then wait a week or two before adding the tiger barbs. Just my $.02

 

[Reygan2]

Hmmm, that's good to know. Was the pleco long fin or regular fin?

It was a regular fin.

 

[PNWaquarist]

I wouldn't do White Skirt Tetras with Tigers either. The Zebra Danios should be OK.

 

[KyloRen]

I think it all comes down to luck I've had some barbs that never bothered any fish and a few that killed one of my bichirs very sad


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice