To.The.Hilt
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I have a 55g FW currently-becoming-well-planted (still buying/adding/growing) tank. Yes, I did a fishless cycle. Everything is good there. (High PH and alkaline cuz we have hard water in Idaho, but I work with it)
To make a long story short: I wanted a QT and found one for free on craigslist. When I got it I discovered it came with two tiger barbs and a HUGE pleco. Poor things.
So I put them in the 55g (and they are so happy) and now I am figuring out what to do with them. I know that if I plan to keep the tiger barbs I will need to get more than just the two. (I know they prefer a school and everything I've read says they will stay nippy-among-themselves if they are in a larger group) But I have so many questions.
What I want: is a Blood Red Parrot Cichlid.
Before you jump on the soap box and tell me how horrible hybrids are and how some are dyed... I know already. I swear on all-that-is-holy-in-fish-world I shall not get a dyed one, and I don't mind the hybrid thing for my own personal reasons. 
But the problem is the Tigers. Yes, they are nippy. I know I need more than two if I am going to keep them. But here are my questions:
1) Assuming they have a school, and allowing for differences in fish personality, will they *in theory* get along with a BP? The two I have are already 2" will they bother the little BP before it has a chance to grow bigger? (My LFS only has small ones at about 2" to 3" in size... for now)
2) Will Tiger barbs school with other (more peaceful-ish) barbs such as Cherry Barbs or do Tiger Barbs only want to school with Tiger Barbs? (Does that question even make sense?)
3) Should I just find a new home for the Tiger Barbs and find other fish for the BRP? And if you think so... what would you recommend for tank mates?
Oh and please don't bring up the pleco and how he is gonna grow to be a monster at 12". I know... I'm crossing that bridge as I come to it. Tigers is my first problem.
Please assume I live in the sticks and that the only LFS here are huge corporations along the lines of "smart, pet" and "co, pet" and the blankity-blank "mart, wal"
To make a long story short: I wanted a QT and found one for free on craigslist. When I got it I discovered it came with two tiger barbs and a HUGE pleco. Poor things.
So I put them in the 55g (and they are so happy) and now I am figuring out what to do with them. I know that if I plan to keep the tiger barbs I will need to get more than just the two. (I know they prefer a school and everything I've read says they will stay nippy-among-themselves if they are in a larger group) But I have so many questions.
What I want: is a Blood Red Parrot Cichlid.
Before you jump on the soap box and tell me how horrible hybrids are and how some are dyed... I know already. I swear on all-that-is-holy-in-fish-world I shall not get a dyed one, and I don't mind the hybrid thing for my own personal reasons. But the problem is the Tigers. Yes, they are nippy. I know I need more than two if I am going to keep them. But here are my questions:
1) Assuming they have a school, and allowing for differences in fish personality, will they *in theory* get along with a BP? The two I have are already 2" will they bother the little BP before it has a chance to grow bigger? (My LFS only has small ones at about 2" to 3" in size... for now)
2) Will Tiger barbs school with other (more peaceful-ish) barbs such as Cherry Barbs or do Tiger Barbs only want to school with Tiger Barbs? (Does that question even make sense?)
3) Should I just find a new home for the Tiger Barbs and find other fish for the BRP? And if you think so... what would you recommend for tank mates?
Oh and please don't bring up the pleco and how he is gonna grow to be a monster at 12". I know... I'm crossing that bridge as I come to it. Tigers is my first problem.
Please assume I live in the sticks and that the only LFS here are huge corporations along the lines of "smart, pet" and "co, pet" and the blankity-blank "mart, wal"
