50 gallon barb tank

Ok I plan on getting a new tank sometime in the next year or so. With doing a 50 gallon tank I'm stuck with a lot of options. (My prev tanks were 10 gallon and 30g) I would get a 75 gallon but the stand I habe won't fit it (but it's the perfect size for a 50g)

anyways I've played around with a ton of options; from peaceful community setups to a red tail shark setup, and I even thought of doing a cichlid setup.

I decided to go with tiger barbs with other barb schools.
ive always liked how tiger barbs looked and lived watching there feeding frenzy.
ok so here are the fish in thinking about getting
6 tiger barbs (various color morphs)
6 cherry barbs
6 gold barbs
6 corydas (this is one I'm not to sure about with having barbs)
I plan on having this tank heavily planted with lots of rock caves
any tips?

 

Heavy plants work great. My only worry would be cherry competing with tigers.
ive had mixed results with cory with barbs. My most success was with gold barb and green cory, you'll want a cory with warmer temp fpr t barbs.
you might do better withloaches, just a thought.

ps most barbs do kinda have feeding frenzy times, even my gold barbs!

 

Nice choice! I absolutely love my tiger barbs! They're beautiful fish and fun to watch. Mine are housed with emerald green cory cats and they don't bother them at all. I also have a rainbow shark and common pleco, 100g. My best advice is to research, resesrch, resesrch before adding any tank mates. All of mine seem happy and do their own thing. I would do same colored TB's of at least 6 then 6 of another color. But I think tiger barbs of different colors will school together. I have a glofish in with mine and he schools with them (the larger Tetra glofish). Good luck and enjoy your TB's!

 

Wanted to add that some people have had trouble with housing TB's and cory cats so have a back up plan. Make sure you can return them to where ever you purchase them from.

 

I actually had problems with gold barbs even with a cory before, it was an albino

 

Ok another question bc I'm not too certain on what I want (I just wanted to see if the barb setup would work) what would you say would be appropriate tank mates for a red tailed shark? (Obv not any other sharks) I would assume any aggressive fish would be out (especially fin nippers)

another possible setup would would be some kind of cichlid (I might bump it up to 55 gallons (I just can't fit a 75 gallon in the stand I have)
I also found out my fish store by me excepts fish for profit (not much I would assume)
ok so here are the cichlids I would possible want debating on housing a cichlid community tank or just having a single pair
convict cichlids
firemouth cichlids
angelfish
really any cichlid that gets a reasonable size 6 in+ that can go in a 50-55g

 

I wouldnt keep angels with the other two personally in that tank, maybe angels with a couples keyholes though or an apisto.
a pair of any of those alone would be fine also, still room for a bn with any pair also

 

In my post I put the fish I would want, not all those fish together. With angels I would probably get 1 pair with other compatible fish.

so in debating on 4 possible setups.
a barb tank (I might take out tiger barbs and only put gold and cherry barbs with emerald cories.)
an a selfish tank (with other fish compatible)
a redtail shark tank (either alone or with possible tank mates. Any suggestions?)
and some sort of cichlid tank (what cichlids are compatible with eachother?) could I have a pair of convicts and a pair of firemouth? Or to lessen the aggression just pick females?)

 

Is the second angelfish or shellfish? I assume you're not selfish

some people have had luck combining barbs with the shark.

as for a pair of firemouth and a pair of convicts, eh, sounds messy.

angelfish with keyholes or apistos for mixed cichlids

 

Yea I meant angelfish lol.
what fish would you say would be okay for a red tail?