Black Ruby Barbs-Delivered Today

[sausagewinkle]

Morning all
after deciding to have a tank shuffle around and moving all the female bettas out of our community tank and into their own tank, I have 10 black ruby barbs being delivered to me today (post arrives around 10:30 normally)
There more the other halfs fish as that is his tank now, how nice am I!!
He is also thinking of adding some pearl gouramis and some blue rams

 

[sausagewinkle]

Just been delivered. all fit and well

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Black Ruby Barbs are lovely temperate water fish, but Rams of any sort are not suitable tankmates because they have much higher temperature requirements than the barbs, especially Blue Rams that need ~28C. Steer your other half towards tankmates that are comfortable at 20-22C over the winter.

 

[sausagewinkle]

This was a discussion on here and thats what was recommended

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Just done a quick search of the forum and this is what I found recommended...

"Afraid not IMO, Blue Rams need high temps where as Gouramis and Tigers are lower temps and also Tigers are a bit too boisterous for Pearls IMO.

But....

3 Pearl Gourami 1m 2f
4 Bolivian Rams 2m 2f (though not too vital)
8 Ruby Barbs

Would work pretty nice

Wills "

That combo would need a minimum temp of 25C because of the Bolivian Rams, which is towards the higher extreme for Black Ruby Barbs, which will not do them any favours long term (shortened lifespan because of raised metabolism). For the wellbeing of the barbs, I would chose tankmates that could be kept at 20-22C through the winter, but in the summer would be happy at 25/26C.

I often go on about temperature suitability of tankmates on here, but I practice what I preach... Over the last few weeks, I have removed my African riverine fish (that need at least 22C) from my 5x2x2 in the garage for the winter, enabling me to lower the temp of the 5x2x2 to 18C for the benefit of my temperate Asian fish (Redline Torpedo Barbs; Panda Garra; Weather Loach; Barilus; Indian Redtail Squirrel Loach). Besides saving me heating costs, this cooler temperature for the next five months should be of great health benefit to the fish staying in the garage tank. Come March, I will move the Africans back outside after raising the temperature guage back upto 22C.