20 Gallon (semi) agressive tank

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#21
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#21
unwritten law said:
tigers get maybe 3inches
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yea 3 inches at the most, usually peak @ 2.25-2.5 inches. The bigger the school, the less space they need from each other. (If you have < 4 for example, the dominant one will focus its aggression on the weak one(s), making more hiding places and space necessary for the weak to get away) If you have a large school 8-9-10+, the aggression will be spread out much better, taking away from the need for the weaker ones to hide and get away from the group. I mean that's not official info, but it seems quite logical given their nature as aggressive little fin-nippers
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#22
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
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Michigan
#22
I second my response that the 20g is really too small for a good school of tiger barbs. Plus, do you really want the kids first experience with fish to be watching them kill eachother off one by one? That's not fun. Get something hardy and easy to care for that will peak his interest in fish.
 

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#24
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#24
MissFishy said:
I second my response that the 20g is really too small for a good school of tiger barbs. Plus, do you really want the kids first experience with fish to be watching them kill eachother off one by one? That's not fun. Get something hardy and easy to care for that will peak his interest in fish.
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Yea but Tiger Barbs are very hardy. and if it's a 20 Gallon Long it's fine, the width is more important for their purpose (active swimmers), and they don't have large bioloads really.

And no if you have a good sized shoal your fish will not kill each other one by one lol, although that could happen if you by too few (lets say 2 or 3).

Tiger barbs are very easy to care for once your tank is cycled. Feed em 2x a day, keep the water temp btw 70-78F, weekly/biweekly water changes, you really cant go wrong with them. And they're only 2-3.99 a pop, so getting a handful isn't too costly~
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#25
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
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Michigan
#25
Let's see, tiger barbs get very large, up to 3" a piece full grown. You're proposing that it would be A-OK to put a school (let's say 5 of them to be on the small side) that's 15" of aggressive fish in a small 20g tank!!! Yes, having length is important, but a 20g is really just too small for such active and aggressive fish. Some people have better luck than others with these guys. Some have happy schools that get along well together with no issues, others have schools where one kills off the others one by one. Why take the chance? If the kid watches all his fish die off one by one with a bully tiger in the tank, what fun is that? Would he really want to try again after a first fish experience like that?
 

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#27
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#27
MissFishy said:
Let's see, tiger barbs get very large, up to 3" a piece full grown. You're proposing that it would be A-OK to put a school (let's say 5 of them to be on the small side) that's 15" of aggressive fish in a small 20g tank!!! Yes, having length is important, but a 20g is really just too small for such active and aggressive fish. Some people have better luck than others with these guys. Some have happy schools that get along well together with no issues, others have schools where one kills off the others one by one. Why take the chance? If the kid watches all his fish die off one by one with a bully tiger in the tank, what fun is that? Would he really want to try again after a first fish experience like that?
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I think you keep missing what I'm saying about the 20G (I always put the word LONG there) referring to a tank that is almost 3 feet in length. Length is > height for these fellas, and most barbs top out at 2.5 inches, they live about 5-7 years so you're lucky to see them hit 3'' even in the most optimal conditions. You will find that there is always an odd bully in a group that will bug his friends, but thats the lifestyle of a tiger barb, they are competitive, love to chase and establish leaders (that's why they are exciting to watch) If you have a shoal > 5 you shouldn't see any isolation issues at all. They are very easy to maintain in a cycled tank. Maybe you just have something against tiger barbs lol, you sound so angry when the name 'tiger barb' comes up.

IMHO, people who are used to seeing peaceful fish that move around once in a while will be greatly distressed or over-excited by the activeness of tiger barbs and how much they 'horseplay', but it's totally normal.
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#28
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#28
Thanks, I've been doing the fish thing for awhile and I can assure you I have not missed the "long" you are throwing in there intermittently. I don't think tiger barbs are a good starter fish, especially for a child and it would appear there are several others that agree with me.
 

TAL

TAL

Large Fish
#29
Sep 7, 2008
588
0
0
#29
MissFishy said:
Personally I think puffers would be a hard first fish to handle for a beginner. Glofish/danios would be very hardy and very active to watch.
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Having kids I understand the OP's wish for activity.

I have a rainbow shark and a Danio(glofish) in my 38g tank. They are very active fish. My swordtail is also a prolific swimmer but the danio is HYPER all the time and the rainbow shark is cool to look at and watch. The kids and their friends love these fish the best.

Add to that, my beta and rainbow fish always had a fun interaction as well....
 

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#30
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#30
MissFishy said:
Thanks, I've been doing the fish thing for awhile and I can assure you I have not missed the "long" you are throwing in there intermittently. I don't think tiger barbs are a good starter fish, especially for a child and it would appear there are several others that agree with me.
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Yeah I mean you sound like you have, I'm not knocking you just making sure you are saying what you're saying seeing the "Long" b/c 20L is a diff tank than a 20H. I guess it makes sense that we all wouldn't want a kids first tank to have fish that kill each other off, but I would think a lot of kids would like to see activeness in the tank (Obv there are plenty of active peaceful fish) I just like playing devils advocate to see if I can make a point that tiger barbs are OKAY. I mean wanting a "hardy" fish was noted and a tiger barb is that. Kids don't want to be bored by fish that sit still, tigers aren't that. Something easy to keep and inexpensive, tigers are that.

The only stories you hear mostly are oh my tigers are chasing each other and killing other fish in my tank. Well usually those people have < 3 tiger barbs mixed with peaceful fish, or the tanks too narrow, the shoal isn't big enough, some dynamic that is wrong. Like most fish, if you set the right conditions almost NOTHING will go wrong, and sometimes it does anyway, no matter what fish you get, right? no? Don't be mad at me missfishy, mad love for your knowledge *celebrate
 

GiantManLittleFish

GiantManLittleFish

Large Fish
#31
Sep 29, 2008
171
0
0
Eastern Illinois University
#31
I'm joining jo3 in this topic. Tiger barbs are an excellent first fish. That is what I started with. I kept two to begin with and yes they harrassed my other fish, but when I upgraded the tank to a 20L a while back and got 8 tiger barbs and a few cories they did just fine. My friend has the tank now and the cories have died off due to age, and soon will the tiger barbs. The tank has been set up and moved eight times and that proves their hardiness. But all orginal tiger barbs are still alive after five years. I love them and want to due a tiger barb, arulius barb, and clown loach color theme tank some day.
 

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