ibexrider

I currently have: 8 Tiger Barbs (2 inches), 1 small Bala (4 inches), 1 small Albino Red Tail (3 inches), 1 Pleco (5 inches). I want to add another Bala, RTS, and Electric Yellow Cichlid. I plan on replacing the Balas with smaller ones when they get to big (8 inches) for my tank. My tank is 55g its 48in long 12in deep and 24in tall. I also plan on adding another power filter to help with the bio load.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!

you would need 100gals plus for 2 bala's ...do you plan on upgrading that big? ....although the bala's will need 100 gals or more at adulthood, the plec (depending on what kind it is) will need bigger....two rts might be trouble in a 55 gal because of agression but could be done with lots of hiding spots......and the electric yellows are african cichlids which have a totally different need than the others and are a species only fish ...(which means only africans go with africans)...

ibexrider

So aslong as I give the Balas to my friend when they start getting big and don't get the cichlid I should be okay?

BulldogWrestler

Hi Ibex - it appears to me you're a bit overstocked.

Here's why:

Tiger Barbs are actually 3 inch fish. Albino Red Tail (probably Albino Rainbow, but either way) can be 5-6 inches. (we'll say 6 for the sake of stocking) The Pleco MIGHT be 5 inches, but might also be a common Pleco, that can grow to be a 24 inch bioload monster. So be careful that it's a bristlenose or something of the sort.

8 Tiger Barbs would be 24 inches. Albino Red Tail is 6 inches. Pleco is 5 inches (assuming it's not a common). That's 35 inches before you start adding any other fish.

If you get rid of the Balas and the cichlid, you're technically UNDERstocked, but the problem here lies in the fact that you have two very aggressive bottom feeders with a bigger bottom feeder and not a ton of space to hold the aggression. What this does, in essence, is make their "per inch" square rule a lot bigger (and in some instances with a smaller tank floor just undoable).

You'd be better off, in my opinion, of just going with different fish as you DO have some room.

ibexrider

How can I tell if its a RTS or Rainbow?

agabr123

rainbow shark will look like this, with more of the fins having the red color
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ra...nsenlipper.jpg

and an RTS will look like this, with just the tail
http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-RedTailShark.htm