Red1313

20 long, 6 tiger barbs and a convict?

clinton1621

Hmm... probably not overstocked per se, but the convict and the tiger barbs would probably not get along... they are both agressive type fish

Red1313

I was browsing through possible set ups and compatabilities and found these two compatabilites from the link posted in the general section.

Also since convicts are so agressive and so are tiger barbs I thought that they would be able to hold their own against each other. However.... I don't have experiance with either that's why I posted the idea.

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maybe with a larger tank or a heavily planted one to try and give them a break from each other?

Barbrella

I see you have a Red Tailed shark?

That would be a great tankmate for Tiger Barbs. The shark needs more room, and can hold it's own with the barbs as long as you give it a cave to defend.

Red1313

Hmmm... I didn't think of that. However Red would out grow the 20 soon enough (he'll also outgrow his 10 as well... a 20 might give me breathing room for a little longer)... I don't know if the tiger barbs would work with the tank I'd been planning for him... I must <insert superhero smilie>

clinton1621

The convict being much larger than the barbs would probably be the main issue, it would probably try to eat them lol. The RTS as mentioned would be alright though, he wouldnt try to eat them and they probably wouldnt mess with him =)

Jo3olous

I keep a redtail shark with tiger barbs right now. I'm debating on whether to move my RTshark to my 60G with my clown loach and albino tinfoil, but it seems pretty happy in the 20. It's a long 20 (almost 3 feet) so as far as surface area it has plenty, just not sure if it's big enough to comfortably cover the bio-load. Or is 3feet not enough surface for an adult RT shark?

Nicolas Rodriguez

Yeah the convict barb combo isent exactly a good plan, when keeping aggressive fish together its good to keep them equal in size and temperment, because even thought a parahna and and a barb can both be aggressive a piranaha would eat a barb and just about anytrhing else.

Jo3olous

oh forgot to answer your initial question... YES.

Convicts are territorial and aggressive, and larger than the tiger barbs.
The tiger barbs will grow to 3'' each (18'' total) and need LOTS of swimming space, so a convict stealing half the tank doesnt exactly work out.

You coul do 2 convicts in a 20G though and breed them.... of course keeping the fry in there after would exceed capacity

Red1313

I think that the "standard" minimum tank length for a RTS is around the 36 inch mark. So I think that at 3 feet you're probably fine. Originally my plan was to try to get something around 30 gal for my Red b/c I was hoping to put splendid rainbows in with him.

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I don't want fry. unless I get a 55 gal and an oscar. Then I could feed the fry to him. Since that's not happening in the forseable future. I'm trying to stay away from fry.

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As for the size thing apparently I was mis-informed about convict sizes. I didn't think that the 3" barbs were likely to get eaten by a 4" chicilid. I've never had chicilids so I'm not very familiar with them. and I've read about people who've had success with the combo, however they didn't mention the tank size that they used.

Jo3olous

Yea I forgot to say I kind of disagree with the convict eating the barbs... it doesn't get that big. But territory-wise it will still fight for half the tank, and since the tigerbarbs are fin-nipping firestarters, they might do something to set off the convict.

clinton1621

Most tiger barbs are no where near full size when you buy them though... so yes a large cichlid like a convict would possibly try to eat them if they are juveniles.

Red1313

The convict would be a juvi to. I think that the ones I usually see are only a inch and a half, the tigers are about the same size acutaully.

clinton1621

Hmm... it could work out then, especially if they are raised together from juveniles, but cichlids do tend to try to eat things that are bigger than they can swallow anyway... ever see an oscar with a fish stuck in its mouth lol

Red1313

No but if I ever had a tank bigger then a 55 gal an oscar would be the first fish in it. lol.
I love the fish with no manners.

clinton1621

Lol, my oscar that I used to have even tried to attack a pleco that was 2 times bigger than him! He learned a harsh lesson though... plecos have spines lol... he never bothered the pleco much after getting a hole poked in his side.

Red1313

That's one way to teach the guy a lesson.
lol
Why do all my fav. Fish have to be so bad. I need pretty much a seperate tank for all of them. sigh. MTS. Watcha gonna do.

Hmmm... How about a 30+ gal tank with juvi tigers, a juvi convict and a RTS?

Fish Addict

The thing is, Convicts are crazy aggressive... I've heard stories of them fighting oscars and winning... I think the best would be to go with some other cichlid.. maybe GBRs or Kribs...