tiger barbs

[fishman1234]

In a 12 gallon tank howmay tiger barbs could I have, any good companions other than barbs?

 

[fishman1234]

Anyone?

 

[rich311k]

None they are social fish that get too big for a 12 gallon tank.

 

[adadkins1]

+1, Tiger Barbs need a minimum of 20 gallons and at least 6 fish, with more being better.

 

[fort384]

Moved to Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion

 

[koz]

Tiger barbs will grow to about 7 cm and will be aggressive to other fish particularly fish with decorative fins like guppys

The rule of thumb is
1" of fish to every 1 uk gallon (cold water)
1" of fish to every 0.5 uk gallon (tropical)
I.e A 10 gallon tank can hold up to 20" (50 cm) tropical fish.


Seeing that 1 tiger barb would reach just under 3 inch fully grown. It's an impractical fish to have in your tank size. Max of 8 fish

Look at something like Neon tetra, harlequins or zebra danios.

Even though the rule of thumb applies it is a general guild line and can be more flexible with small fish.
Good luck

I have 65lt 15gal tank and according to my filter handbook I can put up to 75cm (30in) of fish into my tropical tank.

 

[FoxRob]

I have 6 tiger barbs now, moved them into a 29 gallon tank after coming home to my rosey barbs being all nipped up. We put a pair of kissing gouramis in the 29 gal along with a common pleco and 3 cory cats, the tiger have nipped 2 of the corys today and one of them has already died waiting to see what happens with the other since there are big chunks taken out of them and they were still chasing it when I got home. So I'm moving the corys into a 10 gallon that I'm going to a friends house to pick up. The corys are currently in a breeder to separate them from the tigers.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

I have 6 tiger barbs now, moved them into a 29 gallon tank after coming home to my rosey barbs being all nipped up. We put a pair of kissing gouramis in the 29 gal along with a common pleco and 3 cory cats, the tiger have nipped 2 of the corys today and one of them has already died waiting to see what happens with the other since there are big chunks taken out of them and they were still chasing it when I got home. So I'm moving the corys into a 10 gallon that I'm going to a friends house to pick up. The corys are currently in a breeder to separate them from the tigers.

Be careful with the kissing gouramis they get rather large! I had a pair in my 30 gal and they had to be rehomed once they got to be about 4-5 inches because they just didn't have enough room in there to swim around!

 

[Love_MyFish]

Common Pleco

I have 6 tiger barbs now, moved them into a 29 gallon tank after coming home to my rosey barbs being all nipped up. We put a pair of kissing gouramis in the 29 gal along with a common pleco and 3 cory cats, the tiger have nipped 2 of the corys today and one of them has already died waiting to see what happens with the other since there are big chunks taken out of them and they were still chasing it when I got home. So I'm moving the corys into a 10 gallon that I'm going to a friends house to pick up. The corys are currently in a breeder to separate them from the tigers.

Hey fox,

That common pleco will out grow that 29 gallon in a hurry or you may even stunt its growth, try rehoming it and getting a BN Pleco.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

Hey fox,

That common pleco will out grow that 29 gallon in a hurry or you may even stunt its growth, try rehoming it and getting a BN Pleco.

+1 didn't see there was a pleco too. I had to rehome mine too.

 

[FoxRob]

The reason for the common pleco is the tigers nipped my BN and rubber lip pleco up pretty badly in the 55 gal, the common they are leaving alone, he bullies them around swims right though them.
Lastnight the tigers nipped up my two cory cats and I lost one through the night there were really deep chunks missing out of him. I would not recommend putting any other fish in a tank with tiger barbs. If anyone is in NC they are more then welcome to come and get mine, no charge just get them out of my tank.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

I see...I remember once when I was a kid my dad brought home 6 tiger barbs for our 120 Gal. Within a day they had ripped the dorsal fin off one of our angels and they were torturing the other two. My dad actually flushed them. sad for the fishes....but those angels were his pride and joy. RIP Dad...

 

[jcolon]

In a 12 gallon tank howmay tiger barbs could I have, any good companions other than barbs?

In a tank that small you can get away with 4-5 juvenile Tiger-Barbs at first, but as they grow however, the males will nip with each other to establish dominance, and the tank will be too small .. they need their space. Plenty of swimming room along with plants, rocks and DW to make them feel more secure.

A 20gal however will let you have at least 6 TigerBarbs with some more swimming room .. certainly no fish with large fins. If you could go to a 30gal ... you can then have a Gourami, a couple of zebra danios. Also the Albino and the GreenTiger can be mixed together and they'll form a shoal .. all three Barbs are the same species.

The Black Ruby Barb resembles the TigerBarb in size and color pattern but is less aggressive species and get along with TigerBarbs. The males turn a fantastic Red & Black during breeding.

 

[FoxRob]

My dad actually flushed them. sad for the fishes....but those angels were his pride and joy. RIP Dad...

I feel like doing the same or getting a pair of black convicts for them, see how they like being nipped apart.

 

[Cobaltskyy]

I don't recommend flushing them but u do what u feel is best.

 

[jcolon]

I don't recommend flushing them but u do what u feel is best.

I agree ... TigerBarbs that nip are just being Barbs. They're fin nipping fish and tank mates with large flowing fins presents a target rich environment. It helps to keep them in a shoals of 5+ ... but no TigerBarb has a "I will not nip if kept in a large shoal" guarantee written on it.

Let's not blame the fish for their natural behavior ... instead .. in today's electronic online age when we do not do the proper research on fish compatibility ... we've only ourselves to blame.

Unless of your course you were misinformed by ignorant LFS employees.

 

[rich311k]

Take them back to the store. Call first to be sure they will take them.