Tiger Barb Tank mates or start new tank?

[jo3olous]

What's up everyone. So let's take away the fact that I have a 20G tank (I already put funds aside to buy however big a tank I please). What would make good tank mates for these suckers, because I want to build a community around these barbs with other Semi-Aggressive fish

I figure it's oka to mix them with other barbs, but what about the larger tinfoil barbs? and those get pretty big, so would a school be necessary? would they eat the TBs that only get to 3''?

I also have a red-tail shark, I already mentioned in another post that I'm going to give mixing a clown loach a shot in my current tank (is >1 clown loach recommended) IF it doesn't work out I already know it's because the RT shark confuses the loach as one of its own (red tails on both)

I saw some kind of semi-aggressive EEL at petsmart, forget what it was called but I think it gets to be 10-12'' long, looks like a bottom dweller... would that be ok?

Gouramis seem cool but not too sure if theyre something I would like...

There's a bunch of other semi-agg fish I can't even think of right now, some of the more uncommon ones people don't mention would be cool!

comments asap pls

 

[MikeS]

What's up everyone. So let's take away the fact that I have a 20G tank (I already put funds aside to buy however big a tank I please). What would make good tank mates for these suckers, because I want to build a community around these barbs with other Semi-Aggressive fish

What size tank are you going to upgrade to?

I figure it's oka to mix them with other barbs, but what about the larger tinfoil barbs? and those get pretty big, so would a school be necessary? would they eat the TBs that only get to 3''?

Tinfoils still need a school, and even then, you need to have a decent tank. They are more on the peaceful side. They can get very large though.

Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Tinfoil Red Tail Barb

I also have a red-tail shark, I already mentioned in another post that I'm going to give mixing a clown loach a shot in my current tank (is >1 clown loach recommended) IF it doesn't work out I already know it's because the RT shark confuses the loach as one of its own (red tails on both)

Clown loaches prefer to be in a school of at least 3. I had a single one for a while and he just tried to school with anything, annoying the other fish. They will however school with TB's, and they seem not to care. I have 3 clowns now and they still school with the TB's sometimes. The redtail is fine with TB's as well. Just do NOT get another redtail, rainbow shark or similar. They will kill each other.

Here is a pic of my clowns in with my TB's.

I saw some kind of semi-aggressive EEL at petsmart, forget what it was called but I think it gets to be 10-12'' long, looks like a bottom dweller... would that be ok?

Have no clue, never dealt with eels.

Gouramis seem cool but not too sure if theyre something I would like...

I have a dwarf honey, and he is stupid. Always in the python while doing water changes. Pretty, but that's about it.

There's a bunch of other semi-agg fish I can't even think of right now, some of the more uncommon ones people don't mention would be cool!

Roseline sharks/Torpedo barbs - beautiful, but pricey. Not aggressive, but my TB's never mess with them, even when my school was much smaller.

comments asap pls

Just remember to have a large enough school of TB's. Seen several sites say 6-8, but I would recommend more if you can, every one TB helps.

 

[jo3olous]

thanks for your input mike. I love the pic btw. I just added an albino tinfoil barb and a clown loach to the mix. both about the same size as my barbs and redtail shark. I'll see how it goes for the weekend. I'm making way for a 55g tank, just gotta find a deal.

 

[unwritten law]

most Cichlids work well with tiger barbs...unfortunately they get a bit bigger than the TB. They are usually semi-aggressive tho and are suppose to be compatible

 

[jo3olous]

a shot of the loach and the albino up top, theyve been pretty active doesnt look like im getting a good shot tonight

 

[Fusion MK]

Zebras

I have 27 assorted Tiger Barbs living comfortably with quite some (18? 19?) Zebra Danios. The Danios will usually be able to run away from the tigers if there is trouble, but later in their life, their speed will be decreased. I also have around 15 neon tetras in that tank, but they seem to run around all day, not schooling or anything.

 

[Swordtail8]

I keep 5 tiger barbs with 5 neons, 5 rasboras, 5 bronze cories, 5 otos, 5 red wag platies, 1 zebra danio, and 1 black tetra (the latter two are very old fish that are the last survivors of their former schools). I haven't had issues at all with compatibility. I'm pretty sure dwarf gouramis and rams would work with them too. Clown loaches work with them too as previously stated.

The only thing to watch out for is long fined fish. Angels and betas will likely get nipped if the tiger barb school is too small. I have heard it is possible to mix long finned fish with tiger barbs if the barbs are in a good sized school but that rule of thumb doesn't seem to be consistent and seems to only be true some of the time. My black tetra (the one from my very outdated signature from at least 3 years ago) hasn't gotten much trouble from them so far and tries to school with them (I inherited a lone tiger barb from my brother a long time ago and my black tetra was buddies with him for like 2 years before that barb died).

I've also kept black ruby barbs successfully with mbuna in the past (mbuna completely ignore barbs). Black ruby barbs literally have the same body shape as tiger barbs. I think my lone tiger barb lived successfully with the mbuna too, I don't remember.