Cherry Barbs?

[Squishiebabe]

Well, I'm pretty sure my last guppy is on his way out, serious finrot, among surviving velvet, and I think internal parasites. Hes in my homemade breeder net now, cxant stay upright, and today didnt eat,Melafix and salt doesnt seem to be doing much... so I've decided to ask what I could stock. I have 1 male Platy in there so far, but I'm looking for something different, as guppies I've given up on buying, unless from a breeder ect.
I dont really want more Platys, then I would need 2 girls, which makes fry, which stinks lol.
--For a 10gallon--
-I was thinking...what about a trio or couple or Cherry barbs?
-Some Otos?(2-3)
-A hardier type of small gourami...
-I tried a dwarf Gourami, he didnt do well either...Honeys maybe?(a trio)
-A golden Ram maybe?(I'm not sure, I just liked the look of them so far..)

Any suggestions are great, I know theres not much I can get right now, but I can't just leave a Platy alone, and I'm getting some "fish-cash" soon

 

[fishwatcher]

We must have been sisters in another life! I just did almost the exact set-up you're talking about. (I returned the DPs...one was dead after just a day of having him, the other I just couldn't get to eat anything but snails.)
Anyway, check out what I have in my sig. So far all is well. If the betta becomes a problem (so far he is playing in the fulter current with the rasboras) I will remove him and put in a trio of honey gouramis. If you get cherry barbs (beautiful, btw!), I'd get a trio. I wish I had, and I may pick up 1 more female before long.
There are different opinions on the rams (that was my first idea, too), but I think it would work however you did it. About any combination on that list should be fine. Are you planning on taking the platy in to the lfs on trade or keeping him?
Whatever you decide though I'd make sure all the bad junk is gone from the tank first. Either run a course of different meds in it, or re-do it all together. Also, if your cycle gets interrupted, try Bio Spira. It's about $10 a pouch, but it works great. I used to cycle my tank and it did it in 4 days, with no big spikes of anything.
That's just my opion though, so do with it what you will.

 

[Squishiebabe]

Yeah, thanks...lol...I think I'll keep the Platy, as he is beautiful, and really healthy, and tomorrow I will prolly get a pair of cherry barbs like you, then another female if all is well...I think its just the guppies in general i have trouble with, darn weak things tear me up every time!!...the Platy is doing good, the water looks clear and I've been doing water changes,I cant even see some stuff growing in my filter!! Yay I think my tank is safe.
and I;m picking up a carbon tomorrow hopefully as well...hmm...I hope the barbs arent expensive, I've only $20 to spare atm, Lol, and I know I need that carbon to get the Melafix out (the water smells like minty melauca(sp) lol)
Are cories really that scary?(I dont like catfish and plecos that much, kinda creep me out I'm sorry lol) I might consider them for my future bigger tank, as long as I know I could catch them if ever need to...without a heart attack...(Never catch Plecs, agghhh they are crazy when you scare them... )
Anywho, thanks a bunch, you've helped me out alot lol.

Edit: Any tips about the ram as well? They are just too cute ...

 

[Sky042]

Cherry barbs are cool little fish.
But they're delicate little buggers.

 

[fishwatcher]

Cory cats are great fish... I've not had a singel problem with mine (knock on wood). They are quick so catching them can be time consuming, but they're easy to care for. They like to be in groups (I have 2 in 1 tank and 3 in another) and they like to be with their own kind. Just clean water, vac once week or so, and make sure their food gets to the bottom. Cute and fun to watch. They do prefer sand, but small round gravel will be ok too. They'll bury half their nose in the sand when they're eating.. really funny.
I don't know a lot about rams, other than what I've been told on here. Go to the New World Cichlids forum, that's where all the info is on them.
I've heard mixed reviews too on the cherry barbs at to whether they are hardy or not. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how mine do. I paid about $2.25/fish for mine, and you can usually get carbon for a couple of bucks too I think, depending on if you're just buying a carton of it to pour some into your filter media or buying the whole replacement filter cartridge or whatever. Do you have test kit for your water? If not, I'd take a small sample (in a jar or tupperware container) to the lfs when you go to let them test it. They'll usually do it for free.

 

[Squishiebabe]

Yep, thanks. I'm sure Cories arent that scary, at my lfs they looked pretty active and not big scary sucker mouths,,\LOL
I still think I'll wait, because I'm hoping for a 30gallon when i get 40bucks for it, and my brothers lizard (lepoard gecko) used playsand for his terrarium, with half a bag left!! So I'll be going sand, which wont hurt them lol.
I'm just getting a little baggie to sit on top, lol (carbon)
And I hope they are hardy enough. My tank isnt exactly overstocked, and it wont be with them in there as well, not to mention my filter is an aquaclear 150....lol, the current isnt a problem though, I fixed that.
Well, i'm off to check out rams now, although I think I'm goin for the cherry barbs, i've gotten all curious again..

 

[Ethos]

I have a cherry barb!! Finally, someone questioning something I know......wait....was it already answerd? Oh well......I dont know the question.....

I have 1 cherry barb, and hes almost as round as he is long

He's a good 3 inches, and I hope he's fully grown, because he looks sooo much bigger just because hes so round! But he's very personable. I find him very easy to love.

I am so happy someone actully said somthing about a fish I owned...I dont know why this seems so monumental to me...

 

[Squishiebabe]

Lol, Ethos, whats he like?

 

[Ethos]

Well, during the day I can find him either by the filter outlet, swimming against the current, or pacing infront of the tank. With danios for room mates, it must be prewtty boring.

During feeding time, he sits at the bottom of the tank, right next to the filter outlet so that food will get pushed down to the bottom of the tank, then he'll snatch it, so he doesn't have to move. Like I said before, he's very round, and I guess thats because he's so smart about using his surronding to do stuff. Like he barely has to move to get his food. When I do see him swiming, hes pacing the front of the tank. When he wants tyoo he can swim fast!

I'd tell people who are intrested in him to get one, because he's a very lovely addition to any semi-agressive tank. I've noticed a bit of agression territorial waise, but other than that he seems friendly. He's been in my tank for alittl over 7 months now, and I still like him as much as I did when i first got him.
He also enjoys swiing in and out of creveces and holes in the wood.

 

[fishwatcher]

Is that your tank in the avatar? If so, it's so cool! I love that cave!!

 

[Squishiebabe]

Lol, great! I love when they do that, i've also a fair sized cave he might like, lol. I'm planning on a trio, maybe they'll be more active then. I'm pretty positive on gettin these guys now

 

[fishwatcher]

You should.... I've only had mine a day, and I really like them already. I can tell they're still a little shy having just been moved, but they're already swimming all over the tank. They've been swimming back and forth through the amazon plant leaves. I wish I had gotten them sooner.

 

[Ethos]

A trio would be cool......but remember there semi-aressive, so they need to be with other agressives....

 

[Squishiebabe]

Yeah, if the Platy becomes a problem, I can always ask a friend, or my lfs if I could trade him for somethin different,

 

[Ethos]

I'm still very excited......I need to get rid of my cherry barb soon , but I'm pretty sure my cousin will take thm. If not, I'll need to put them up for adoption.....(On here of course, they'd be "free" (You'd need to pay for shipping))