Tigerbarb Tankmates

[cee219]

I've read oodles of information on Tiger Barbs and compatibility, but it seems very vauge.

I am an "experienced newbie" to aquariums. I have a 55g set up that will be cycled shortly. I would like to get a school of Tiger barbs, at least six...probably eight. I also know no Angels, guppies, Bettas, ect.

The only fish I know I will be getting are a bristlenose pleco and some Zebra Danios. The rest is completely open. I'm in need of some ideas that are fairly hardy and will fit into a 55g healthily.

I'd also like to know if Cory cats will get along with Tiger Barbs? I've heard that they will terrorize them, and I've heard they will ignore them. Also if swordtails or platys would be a good idea?

 

[greenmaji]

Cory's should be fine with tiger barbs... I dont think sordtails or platys could hold there own with the barbs over the long term.. and the danio's will need to have a good sized school to have an apporprate deffence from the tiger barbs, and you will never have a problem with them not schooling!
As far as fish to recomend with them.. I would go with a medium sized south american cichlid or two.. but you will probibly get more exact answer from other members..

 

[cee219]

Thanks for your suggestions! I haven't really researched cichlids much, but perhaps I'll be looking into small-medium varieties.

I had been planning for a tank full of lots of little fish in a potentially neon-friendly community, but since my interest in Tiger Barbs picked up, I've been starting to plan around them and I don't know much about larger cichlids, loaches, ect.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Actually, when tiger barbs are in a school, they tend to calm down drastically. You might actually find them rather peaceful. It depends on the individyal barbs you get however...you would be surprised at the personality differences in fish in regards to getting one very mean or very calm. Schooling is a calming behavior. The fish do it to feel protected, etc.

IMHO, try some species that you want. You might find that they are perfectly capable of coexisting. If not...make sure you can return them if there is a problem, but I doubt there would be.

Just my two cents. Good luck.

 

[Fruitbat]

I keep a small group of 8 Tiger Barbs with some Asian anabantids (Java Combtails, Ceylon Combtails, Blue Gouramis, Paradise Fish and a small Climbing Perch) and loaches. If anything, it is the Tiger Barbs that occasionally get picked on (by the Combtails). There are also four Brilliant Rasboras (Rasbora borapetensis) in that tank - a 55 gallon - and they get along with everybody just fine.

-Joe

 

[azn_fishy55]

You could put Glass Catfish. They are a rather nervous fish but if you keep them in a school (4 fish and up) the'll calm down a bit. BTW they are kinda hard to feed, live foods work and you can try frozen foods but I rarely heard of them eating flake or dry foods.

 

[fishyrican]

I have kept a school of tiger barbs with a school of zebra danios and have not had a problem.

 

[millym]

hi
have a look at my signature to see what we have with tiger barbs & we've never had a problem with the barbs nipping anything apart from their own kind we also used to have zebra & leopard danios in with them too & the tigers ignored them as well as all their other tankmates, get a group 6+ of tiger barbs & you should be ok as they'll be too busy annoying eachother to bother anything else in their community. we've tiger barbs for over 3 years in our tropical community with no problems at all. i dont know what shape your tank is but its improtant for tiger barbs to have a large 'footprint' to swim in ie: no tall skinny tanks they need long tank space to be happy

 

[cee219]

Thanks...your siggy gave me some good ideas!

I think that glass catfish are extremely interesting, but I'm not an experienced aquarist and have never had to feed my fish live food...but I suppose there comes a time when I must learn to.

 

[azn_fishy55]

I have never had them either but they really are interesting fish. Live brine shrimp and live tubefix worms work. They are usually availible locally but if they aren't, you can purchase them online. Frozen foods workmost of the time, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp should work. BTW if they are wild caught it would be harder to feed them. Since brine shrimp aren't a natural food for them they might be reluctant to eat it...I think ^_^. Also their diet CANNOT be only live brine shrimp because they don't really have a good nutritional value.HTH ^_^

 

[Blazeherd2306]

If tiger barbs are kept in a school of 8 or more they should nip upon themselves instead of on other fish. IMO I wouldn't get the glass catfish. They aren't active and just hover there with each other if they are in a school.

 

[Guest]

i was thinking when i get a new tank i would make it a barb only tank, with Tiger Barbs, albino tiger barbs, and rosy barbs, cherry barbs, etc...(along with loaches and cory's of course ) But i think that that would be a very interesting tank with all of them being schooling fish.

 

[cee219]

That would be a really nice looking tank, especially if you have it planted. Tiger Barbs against plants are gorgeous.

I've heard Serpae Tetras look really nice with Tiger Barbs too. They have such a beautiful red contrast. Some people would recommend against housing them together, but if you had a big enough tank...

 

[madchild24]

you could have any kind of mollies with tiger barbs.(my sig)

 

[azn_fishy55]

But don't mollies have long fins that can be nipped by tiger barbs?

 

[fearlessfisch]

millym, just curious. does your neon school with your cardinals? does he know he is different?