Barb species tank?

[Dekz]

My heavily planted 55 gallon currently has:

1 Moonlight Gourami
2 Bolivian Rams
1 Rubber lip pleco
6 Odessa Barbs

I was thinking of adding Tiger Barbs, Green Barbs, maybe Rosy Barbs. Perhaps ~6 of each?

Will they all get along?

 

[Speakerman]

Do I understand correctly that you want to add 18 more fish? I'm more concerned right now with your tank's age, filtration type and current water parameters as well as PWC regimen.

IME, when adding that many fish it's best for the fish' temperament to add them all at once, however it's not so great for your water parameters. May need to do daily PWC for a couple weeks.

It seems to me that when you add several at a time they tend to get territorial and aggressive to new comers, but when you add them all at once, they get to experience the new environment together and are all on the same page.

 

[Dekz]

Do I understand correctly that you want to add 18 more fish?

Correct.

IME, when adding that many fish it's best for the fish' temperament to add them all at once, however it's not so great for your water parameters. May need to do daily PWC for a couple weeks.

It seems to me that when you add several at a time they tend to get territorial and aggressive to new comers, but when you add them all at once, they get to experience the new environment together and are all on the same page.

I didn't plan on adding them all at once. Although you make a good point, there is a bit of a trade-off between aggression and water quality, depending on how many I add at once.

I think I've heard that Rosy Barbs are quite mellow? Perhaps I could add them first and then a few weeks later add the Tigers/Greens?

 

[Speakerman]

whatever route you take, I'd recommend adding all 6 of whatever species you want at once. Rather than adding 3 tigers now and 3 tigers later. ect.

 

[Ruadh]

I've got a Barb tank and I found no trouble at all with the three you want to add, but I do agree, you need to add them , if not at the same time, at least as close together as you can.
I added my fish 12 at a time, in a 175 gl mind you, and did a 50% WC after 2 days and 3 more two days apart after that.
You might be all right with 6 each of 3 types, they do school together. You'll have to watch for aggressiveness, that's all.

Love mine, good luck with yours.

Rick

 

[FishEggs]

i would also recommend the 6 of each at once. it should be fine in that volume of water but the 18 all at once might go through a mini cycle. go with adding the less aggressive kinds first and the more aggressive last.

very nice looking tank

 

[HN1]

You have a beautiful tank. I'd recommend something else... instead of 3x6, go with 12 of one type. You will see much more natural and interesting behaviors IMO without quite so much concern towards "over-stocking". You can add 4 or 6 at a time and shouldn't have any issues.

 

[happygirl65]

You have a beautiful tank. I'd recommend something else... instead of 3x6, go with 12 of one type. You will see much more natural and interesting behaviors IMO without quite so much concern towards "over-stocking". You can add 4 or 6 at a time and shouldn't have any issues.

You will also have the added benefit of spreading out the aggression of the barbs so they may not be quite so mean to the others (your Gourami for example)

 

[Dekz]

You have a beautiful tank. I'd recommend something else... instead of 3x6, go with 12 of one type. You will see much more natural and interesting behaviors IMO without quite so much concern towards "over-stocking". You can add 4 or 6 at a time and shouldn't have any issues.

From what I've read, Tiger Barbs and Green Barbs don't really know that they are different. So they will often school together and could really be considered one big school.

 

[HN1]

From what I've read, Tiger Barbs and Green Barbs don't really know that they are different. So they will often school together and could really be considered one big school.

That is absolutely true. Tiger barbs (Puntius tetrazona) are the same species regardless of color morph (Regular, Green, or Albino). I guess I could have clarified and just recommended skipping the rosy barbs, but IME Rosies, cherries, pandas, or something similar make for better "community" fish than Tigers do. Don't get me wrong, I dug my tiger barbs, but overtime they tend to limit stocking options.