Introducing new fish

[Emma91]

Hi there, I’m quite new to fish keeping having only been keeping fish for about 6 months or so. I recently upgraded to a 100Litre tank in which I’m currently keeping 4 Black Skirt Tetra and two Bristlenose catfish.

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One of my friends is unfortunately having to give up her tank and has asked me if I would like to take her fish. She has two balloon mollies and 5 tiger barbs.

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What I’m worried about is that I’ve heard the tiger barbs are aggressive towards Black Skirt Tetra. Is there a way I can introduce them so they won’t kill each other? Also would there be any issues with the mollies and the tetra?

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Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Emma

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[pip walters]

Hi Emma

Black skirts and tiger barbs have a reputation for fin nipping. This is part of their normal behaviour as shoaling fish - within the shoal they will squabble and nip at each other to establish a pecking order. If kept in singles or just a couple of fish, they may nip at other fish to try and establish this order, often damaging more delicate or long finned fish in the process.

You have 4 skirts and five tigers, so you should be fine. All are fast enough to get away from one another and as a group, each shoal will look after its own, so to speak.

I always also consider that a reason for some aggression among 'community' fish, is that some would never naturally encounter each other, as they come from different parts of the world. However, despite this being the case with your fish here, the similar size and temperament of the fish should mean they will live happily together.

I would have no qualms about keeping them in the same aquarium

 

[flitabout]

You have a few issues going on. Bristlenose pleco need at least a 30g tank or just under 200liters. If you take your friend fish that will leave you seriously overstocked. Mollies should also be in a 30g tank and yes the tiger barbs may get nippy especially in a tank that size. There really isn't any place for the other fish to get away from the barbs. If you want to take your friends fish I would look in to getting a much bigger tank.

 

[HN1]

I agree. Even in a bigger tank, the barbs and skirts aren't going to be able to co-exist for long though.

 

[pip walters]

I disagree
I buy baby bristlenose from a lady who has a pair in a tank of around 15g with several large neons, three very large pearl danio and some large corydoras.

This week I got 50 babies from her and there are still some left in the tank. So they are breeding in a tank half the size you recommend just for bristlenoses. I think they are happy.

Let me ask a question - when it is stated that a fish 'needs' a certain size tank, is that just for them, or can you keep other fish with them?

If we went with the outdated '1" per gallon' system then Emmas tank would only just be 'overstocked' with the fish at full size.

Emma, keep your water well filtered and maintain your cleaning regime and these fish will be fine. I can give you countless examples of far higher stocking densities than the one you suggest here.... I have said it before - ask any keeper of mbuna cichlids about their stocking densities.

If we are to believe what many hobbyists think about stocking densities (with regard to space per fish) then most, if not all, public aquaria are well overstocked.

 

[HN1]

It is not a matter of "overstocked", it is a matter of incompatibility. How many of the species mentioned in this thread have you kept? You'd keep them together long term?