Looking for new fish suggestions

[cdunlap]

Hi everyone, I have a 30 gallon tank with 5 Tiger Barbs, 6 Neons, 1 Pleco and 1 Glofish (sole survivor of a failed idea).
I would like to add something, but not sure what. I need to find something that can hold it's own with the Tiger Barbs, but won't eat my Neons. Any suggestions?
Thank you

 

[Chef]

how about a lobster?

Tropical Inverts for Freshwater Aquariums: Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster

 

[Kiara1125]

Blue Crayfish (Lobsters) will go after you Neons if they come too close. They like to have rock caves to go into. We always provide these at my lfs (I'm an employee) and they even snap at Barbs and Gouramis. I would suggest a bottom feeder, since that part of your tank is pretty much unoccupied. What about some Kuhli Loaches?? They like groups of 4+ and they only get about 3-4 inches. They are fun to watch and can bury under the gravel. Check them out and tell me what you think. BTW, I have 3 Banded Kuhlis and 3 Black Kuhlis. I enjoy watching them every day and they are my favorite fish of all!! Snakes!!

Kuhli Loach, Acanthophtalmus kuhli kuhli Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

 

[Chef]

i have had my lobster for 2 years now and my neon for 3 and have had no problem with them. But i guess you wanna be careful. She is right they need a cave or a good hiding spot. My lobster became friend with my gost knife fish, they hide in the same spot and always stay together its weird lol.

 

[Kiara1125]

Lol, weird, but cute. How big is your tank?? Ghost knives can get HUGE.

 

[Chef]

yea lol i have a 55 gallon.

 

[Kiara1125]

Nice. Here's a picture of a huge Ghost Knife and a wild caught relative.

 

[Chef]

very nice, but i should've said i have a Black knife ghost fish, this one in the pic is way to big for my tank lol Mine will get 16inch long at the most. Anyway when that will happen i will buy a 300 gallon tank.

 

[Thyra]

I have never had any type of barb so I have no idea how aggressive they are, but serpaes, who I had been told were very nippy, turned out to be fine in my community tanks as long as they are in a group of at least 4 or 5. They are very active and colorful. Also mollies seem to be able to take care of themselves and come in a lot of colors.

 

[cdunlap]

Thanks for the suggestions, Kuhli Loaches seems like a great idea, I'm going to try them.

 

[Kiara1125]

Yay!! Point to the kuhlis!! Good luck. I'm sure that you'll enjoy them.

 

[se-r altima]

What ever you do, don't go after a shohl of Orange laser cory cats. More for me. Expensive but wow. You might consider the green and red laser Cory's.

 

[metsrangersfan15]

i would not go with a lobster, but you could easily do a red tailed shark. theyre known to nip fins, but none of your current fish have long fins. if you're looking for more of a a mid level fish, it gets tricky. you want something to hold its own with tiger barbs, but they cant be too aggressive or they'll kill the neons. i would say go with zebra danios, or a similar danio. they can out run any barb, wont chase neons, and theyll school with your glo fish

 

[lauraf]

i would not go with a lobster, but you could easily do a red tailed shark.

Red tailed sharks will quickly outgrow a 30g . . .

 

[metsrangersfan15]

Red tailed sharks will quickly outgrow a 30g . . .

quickly? maybe in a few years.
either way, they only get to about 4 inches

 

[OrangeCones]

My Epalzeorhynchos bicolor grew from 1inch to just over 6.5 inches in less than a year in a 55 gallon tank.

 

[KcMopar]

Yes, mine was grown to 6" in less then a year too.

 

[metsrangersfan15]

kudos to the two of you then, and i mean that with respect. from the few that ive seen, it takes them longer than a year.

 

[OrangeCones]

Mine got downright mean too at that size. I rehomed him after 3 years to a dentist's office to live with a bunch of cichlids. He held his own with no problems there!

 

[KcMopar]

Mine got downright mean too at that size. I rehomed him after 3 years to a dentist's office to live with a bunch of cichlids. He held his own with no problems there!

I agree, mine is with the Africans and is just fine with that. Well, I should say my brothers 55G tank, it sure seems like mine most of the time though LOL. My brother rents a room from me, probably will rent/sell him this whole place when we build our next house in a few years.