cosmic dust

Hi!
I have a 20 gallon tank with 5 tiger barbs. I figue I still have room for maybe one more fish? Any ideas? I thought about a red-tailed shark but I'm a bit concerned about him jumping out where the filter goes into the tank.

bbfeckawitts

I'd recommend 3 corydoras catfish. They are good bottom scavengers. If you don't want bottom feeders, get some tetras. Thats just my opinion. Also maybe some type of gourami, maybe an Opaline Gourami. Its really what you like

Tom

You could also go with some cherry barbs or rosy barbs. Or just make the school of tiger barbs bigger.
Tom

Gamer

I was about to ask the same thing.

I've been advised against this but I kind of have my heart set on some tiger barbs right now. I want to buy 6 of them for my 20 gallon tank once it's cycled.

I was going to ask if 6 cherry barbs or perhaps 6 serpae tetras would be compatible in a 20 gallon tank with a school of tiger barbs. Those are really the only two species of fish I'd want to put with them. Them and a small group of bottom dwellers like cories.

Noobie

I started my tank with 4 tigers and a RTS. As i read into things, It's rumored the shark is an excellent jumper, but I was also concerned she would bully the barbs.

While I haven't observed the leaping ability of the RTS, I've noticed she IS very territorial; chasing the barbs away from her hideout. However, the barbs appear to instigate the chases too. They seem to enjoy the chases to the point of invoking the redtail's aggression. This same relationship evidently applies to my newly introduced tin foil barbs, which already equal the RTS in size, as well. There appears to be an elaborate game of "tag" going on in the tank. Haven't figured out the rules just yet, but it's fun to watch.

The TFBs are reportedly good jumpers as well, so I've covered the openings in the hood with a dark towel...possibly camouflaging the "edges" of the openings.

As for companions, how about a couple clown loaches, or pink gouramis?

Bonochick

Noobie, I would really hold off on any additional fish for your tank until you get a bigger tank. I don't know the current size of your fish, but as I stated in another thread, the adult sizes of your fish bring you to 44 inches in a 10 gallon tank. Also, clown loaches should have a minimum tank size of 55 gallons, and gouramis would need a bigger tank as well.

Noobie

Right. The loach/gourami suggestion was for an earlier post.

My RTS is MAYBE 2 in long, and so are the TFBs. My tigers are all under 1.5 inches so far. As it stands for now, I'm almost exactly at 10 inches (if not less) of fish in a 10 gal tank. I'm aware that ratio will change dramatically. Question is, how soon will i need to upgrade?

Bonochick

Oh, sorry, now I see what you meant with the loach and gourami suggestion! Sorry!

To be honest, I'm not that knowledgeable about how fast fish grow. I did post this in another thread of yours regarding the tinfoil barbs though:

http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/80-tin....html#msg77581

Noobie

Best I can determine, TFBs grow at about an inch per month, so a bigger, or different tank at least is a priority, but not urgent. I'm thinking I may want to procure a larger tank to house the TFBs and RTS...Might leave the 4 tigers in their current home, and introduce a couple panda corys and some plants. Just a thought.

Also, the power supply in my PC died Wednesday, so I may be out of the loop for awhile. Happy aquarium-ing

vin

Within a few months......

darkwolf29a

I just put mine into the 55 gallon tank, and they seem much happier now. I, too, have a 10 gallon tank. But, now that I see them in the bigger tank...I think 10 might be too small for the species.

Noobie

I would tend to agree with Darkwolf in that I had a situation last weekend where I experienced a massive nitrite/nitrate spike in my 10 gallon tank...Off the scale on 2 different brands of test strips! It started immediately after moving my tin foils and redtail into their new home, a 29 gallon tank. (related?) Well the barbs seemed near death stressed out, so I moved them into the 29 gal tank, leaving the 10 empty. I purchased Nutrafin's bio-cycle, added it to both tanks, and firstly, the tigers seem much happier in the larger tank, however, the chemistry of the smaller tank has not yet levelled off...But in accordance with replying to Darkwolf's post...I agree. Whether it's the fact that they're happier about being in a larger tank, with their old tank mates, or whether they can actually breathe in the new tank is unclear...I haven't asked them. Possibly a topic best left to Mr. Springer...

Additionally, during this high-stress period for my barbs, the smallest of the 4 seems to be having a problem with what could best be described as "fin rot". Knowing that tiger barbs are notorious fin nippers, i would initially attribute it to "bullying" by the larger barbs, although i haven't witnessed any evidence of this, and it's just the one fish that seems to be experiencing this phenomenon. Do barbs have problems with fin rot? Will they grow back?

darkwolf29a

Interesting that you were having an issue with nitrates. I was having the same thing, and was worried that I heading for a crash. I'm sure it's not related, but it is a curious coinsidence(SP). In fact, I am very glad that the 55 was in mid cycle. I'd rather have a few more water changes, etc to do, than loss my little buddies in a crash.

Noobie

Thanks for the tip darkwolf. That's pretty much along the lines of what I was thinking. The 10 gal tank is improving slowly. The nitrite/nitrate levels are at least somewhere on the scale of the test strips now. A coiuple water changes, and a few more days to balance the biological filter will probably do the trick. Might've had something to do with the original filter unit's filter pad as well, since my girlfriend found some "discounted" filter pads that didn't quite fit (too long) the filter unit. I replaced the original unit with a backup, and its included filter pads, and that seems to have helped as well. Either way, the 10 gal tank appears to be balancing out on its own.

The 29 gal tank is surprisingly free of ammonia, with all 7 fish in it, and having never been fully cycled. My tin foils are clearly getting larger, the small tiger barb's fins are slowly growing back, etc...all seems well for the moment. I'm learning to be patient

capekate

I have six serpae tetras in a 29g tank with three tiger barbs. They all get along fine and sometimes school around with each other. No fin nipping so far.

Noobie

Capekate,
Well the fact any fin nipping went on was merely speculation on my part. It just seemed logical to assume, due to the species and size difference involved. The smallest of my 4 barbs had raggedy fins, and all 4 were highly stressed. A most likely assumption given the circumstances.

All,
How does one go about naming a nearly identical group of fish? I have one small tiger barb, and 3 more that are nearly indestinguishable. Likewise, my 2 tin foil barbs are of equal size and color, with no identifible markings. I do notice one of my larger barbs has a tendency to "fade" more often than the others, and have posthumously dubbed him "Niles", after the neurotic character Niles Crane, of Frasier fame. The red tail shark is characterized by her angry old lady personality, as she is constantly chasing the "kids" off her "lawn". A character trait that would be perfectly described by the mother character in the movie "Throw Mamma From the Train". (Crystal, DeVito, 1987) Played by the late Anne Ramsey. Any suggestions?

Noobie

I just introduced a pair of panda corys in my small tank with 4 tiger barbs. Now, I realize there will be an initial "get to know you" phase, but they are clearly nipping and bullying the pandas. How long do I wait to see if things settle down?

vin

Corys do better in groups of 3 or more, but I see that you're already at your limit. Do you have enough places for the pandas to hide? They need a place to retreat to. I'm surprised that the barbs are at all interested in them....Part of it could be that they recommend a larger home for them...maybe they're feeling a little stressed by the corys even though they occupy different areas of the tank.