Convict w/ Barbs, Rainbow Shark, maybe a Striped Puffer

[MatthewLaw]

Greetings All- My 60g tank is cycling and i am considering what fish to purchase once the tank is ready to go.

Will black convicts (for the most part) work well with tiger barbs and a rainbow shark? I am also considering a striped puffer. any issues there; between puffer and convict? I know every fish is different but all these fish are semi-agressive so i am hopeful!!

Thanks for the help. -Matt

 

[FishGeek]

Convicts are nasty and if you get a pair not much can they actually live with. If you want to have other inhabitants Id say get only one Convict and maybe something else. Or get a smaller tank for just the Cons. As far as the Puffer, I dont like the idea of Puffers living with other fish (at least too many) they are messy eaters, sensitive to treatments and water conditions, and also can have awful tempers. I would say rethink your stock idea.

 

[MatthewLaw]

Thanks for the advice. I read that for (convict) ciclids you either have ONE or at least 3; assuming you cant select one male and female for breeding which is too early for me!

i like the rainbow shark and was told that alone the shark is okay, but sometimes issues arise when more than one of the same species is introduced!

i have read good things about the striped puffer since it is allegedly the nicest and most even tempered of the 'puffer crew' and read to stay away from the Faruka puffer! i also read the stripped puffer got along really well with tiger barbs!!

 

[FishGeek]

I wouldnt take everything that you read to heart. Alot of things out there are false info. Look around more and put kinda put this together. Puffers just arent suited to live in a tank with too many other inhabitants. Getting 3 Cons is ok till you get a pair. The Rainbow Shark may be ok but I would still be hesitant to house a pair of cons with other fish, or at least attempt to.

 

[MatthewLaw]

now or later??

I think I will stick to ONE convict.

I have BioSpira in my 60g tank with 6 tiger barbs. i read that convicts are pretty hardy. should i wait until the tank is fully cycled before adding this convict or add him now to enhance the process?

 

[FishGeek]

With one Con you are able to go with all the fish you listed except the Puffer. Wait till the tank is cycled to add the fish.

 

[MatthewLaw]

thank you!

With one Con you are able to go with all the fish you listed except the Puffer. Wait till the tank is cycled to add the fish.

Got it! Thanks for all the help

 

[FishGeek]

Your Welcome

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I'd still chance putting a pair in there if you want. Its a 60gal not like a 30gal, you have the room IMO. I'd skip the puffer. The shark and barbs should be ok, but the fish have their own personalities so you never know for sure.

 

[MOsborne05]

What kind of a puffer are you talking about? I've never heard of a striped puffer before, do you have the scientific name? You can check out Welcome to the Puffer List for id's, and www.thepufferforum.com has good info.

I agree about the puffer though, most puffers are way too aggressive for community tanks and are best kept by themselves.

 

[MatthewLaw]

puffer

During my puffer research, I think the Colomesus Asellus would be the best puffer for the tank.

That seemed to be one of the better tempered puffers as compared to the rather nasty Faraha (sp???)

Once the tank is done, I will put one convict cichlid and see how things unfold. then maybe the rainbow shark..

any experiences with more than ONE rainbow shark, or is it best to only purchase one?
i had considered bala sharks but those can get pretty big and unless I am totally uniformed, I would prefer to keep my fish for their whole life and not have to return/trade them due to their home being too small!

 

[Fuzz16]

if yo go wit cons add them very very last and try and get smaller ones...maybe theyll grow up and not wanna kill everythin

 

[FishGeek]

Yes you do have a chance with getting smaller ones. The reason that I discouraged it some was because on the cichlidforum.com (I think ?) I read somewhere about a pair of Cons killing everything in a 55G tank. So I guess its one on those chance type things.

 

[Fuzz16]

ive seen a 3" con pair in a 125g at work kill an 18" oscar and stressin out other fish so bad they got sick.

get a pair and yo will loose all yo fish.

stick wit one.

 

[Lovingmytank]

Its all about the timing with fish like cons, if last in the tank they tend to be far better with tank mates.

I agree with Matt, Tiger barbs are fast enough to avoid the cons especially in that size tank and the Shark will hold its own they are amazingly characteristic fish much like the Red Tail Blacks they pretty much do what they want in the tank although will steer clear enough of the cons when needed to.

The only potential problem I can see for you is with the shark and the Tiger Barbs, for some reason Red Tails don't live well with Tigers and want to harass them, I'm not sure if the Rainbow / Ruby is the same but they are very alike in character so would assume so

 

[jessey]

i have a red tail shark in with my oscar, and we've had schools of tiger barbs in there before... granted the tiger barbs are not long lived, they are snack food for the oscar in short time, but while they've been in there the RTB shark never bothered them. i imagine he might if he was the king of the tank, but the big ol' oscar keeps him in check. cons would probably do the same.