Tiger barbs and black skirt tetras?

[Kwhite]

I posted a little while back about all my fish problems, we had a fishpocalypse due to ich then fish stand issues required me to move my survivors out of the 25g to a 10g, then water issues, etc.

Well anyway, my pleco, my Chinese algae eater, and my 1 little black skirt tetra have been hanging in there. My husband is finally finishing up on building us a new stand that will support the 25g tank, so I'm hoping to have it filled back up and started cycling sometime this weekend.

I'm really looking forward to getting some friends for my tetra, since I know being all alone these last few weeks has been hard for him. My question is, do his new friends need to also be black skirt tetras? Would he be able to get along with tiger barbs? There is a fish tank where I work and they have a school of tiger barbs in there and I have fallen in love with them. I would love to have a school of them here at home but I'm already committed to my poor little tetra who has already been to hell and back so if they wouldn't accept him or if the two species wouldn't be compatible then ill have to go ahead and get him some friends who he will be compatible with and just enjoy the tiger barbs at work. (When I get a moment when I'm not running myself to death that is haha)

Anyway buying fish is a little ways of yet since I need to cycle the tank but I'm just trying to get ideas and plan a little. I'm excited that we are getting to set our tank back up soon!

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Slade]

I have a school of about 20 tiger barbs with 6 black skirt tetras in a 55 gallon tank and have had no problem for two years now. I also had Cory catfish which died, so now have three BNP as clean.

 

[Bo-Gee]

I would say your best bet it to up the black skirt tetra shoal - you will see an amazing, positive change in their behaviour. I started out with four skirts, at first they swam happily, but after about 2 weeks, I noticed they would confine themselves to certain areas of the tank. I then added four more, and they became more active...after upping the shoal to 12, it was like I had all new fish in there! I now have 15 skirts and they are as happy as can be. Do expect a bit of a 'pecking order' as you introduce more...these guys can be nippy, but this spreads out as more are added. Good luck!

 

[Bo-Gee]

Just realized I'm late coming into the conversation...ahh well, maybe my words of experience will help someone else out!

 

[Kwhite]

Thanks y'all. My tetra is still schooling with my barbs. There is 1 in particular he seems to have bonded with. Sometimes they sit around just the two of them hangin out, then they rejoin the group. I will probably get some more black skirts soon, once I am sure these fishies are all gonna be ok. Unless they totally adopt him long term, then maybe I better not upset the balance lol

 

[Bo-Gee]

That's good news - I'm glad the little guy is liking the company of tiger barbs! If you have room, I'd still add 2-3 more skirts...you'll likely be amazed at how much more vibrant that lil' guy will be with more of his own kind