Corydoras / Tiger Barbs / And What Else?

[globeskater1958]

This is going to be my first aquarium and I have wanted to have one for many years before now but my parents didn't want one in their house. Since I will no longer be living there, I can do my own thing. I was thinking about getting a 10 gallon tank for my first. I read that I should stay between 1-8 fish no larger than 1"-3" in size in the 10 gallon tank. I really love the Tiger Barb as well as the Leopard Corydora. I was wondering if there is a possible third fish I could add to the tank. Again, I am BRAND NEW to this so please keep that in mind. Thank you.

 

[Harlequins]

Hi & welcome

Firstly you'll need to cycle your tank,so please read up in the beginners section about this or else you'll have alot of hassle and fish dying through ammonia & nitrite poisoning.

If you're getting a 10 gals i would aim at small fish set up of around 1 inch,lots of nice microfish around.

Or go bigger 20 gals upwards and you can add corys etc.. tiger barbs don't do well in small tanks,they like room to school and need to be in large numbers has they are aggressive towards other tank mates.

Also if you do decide on corys go for sand substrate much better for them

 

[fluttermoth]

I personally wouldn't try keeping tiger barbs and cories together. I've tried it in the past, and it never turns out well for the cories; the tigers are just too rough and boisterous for them.

 

[globeskater1958]

Thanks for the replies guys! I ended up going with 3 tiger barbs and 3 clown loaches. They are actually working very well together. I began to cycle my tank and put a cycling accelerator agent in to make the process go by a bit faster. After about 2 days I put the 3 barbs in and gave them a week to swim around and acclimate. (Petsmart is selling them for $1/each!!! I thought that was super cheap!) They were schooling a bit and getting along well. I tested my water after that and came out with safe, habitable water at 77 degrees. I added the 3 clown loaches just yesterday. They are absolutely gorgeous! I just sit there forever and watch them. The barbs swim a lot in the day and then the loaches come out more towards the night time. I give the barbs a larger feeding in the morning and they seem to eat everything up! I also give the barbs a smaller feeding towards the night time when I feed my loaches their pellets. They both hide under the same structure at times and from what I can see, do not show any hostility towards each other. I love these little buggers!!!!

 

[globeskater1958]

Here is actually a pic of my tank!!!

 

[globeskater1958]

And here are my fishies! 2 Barbs!

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid your tank isn't big enough to keep clown loach. I'd return them ASAP.

 

[globeskater1958]

You're right... I'm doing more research now and I see that... The lady told me LIES!!!! (Epic Fail on my part) Maybe I'll get a larger tank..? What would hold them?

 

[globeskater1958]

And here is a close up of one of the 3 clown loaches I will be returning soon.. (They are still gorgeous though!)

 

[fluttermoth]

These things happen, don't blame yourself (apart from for not researching before you bought them )

Realistically, 4'x18"x18" would be an absolute minimum, though lots of people will recommend much larger; something like 6'x2'x2'.

They are a lovely fish.

 

[globeskater1958]

Oh dang. That is a big tank.. So I guess I'm back to where I started. What bottom feeder should I get for my setup?

 

[fluttermoth]

What size is the tank? Length x width x height rather than volume, preferably.

I feel I should point out that tanks don't need to have bottom feeders in them. They always produce more waste than they ever clean up, and need proper food of their own as well.

 

[globeskater1958]

It's 10"L x 13"W x 14" H tank.

 

[fluttermoth]

Ok, I'm going to put a real downer on things now and say, I don't think that's big enough for tiger barbs either They're a very chunky fish and I wouldn't keep them in anything less than a three foot tank.

For tiny, nano tanks like that, you want tiny weeny, nano fish. Things that don't grow to more than an inch, and that are slim bodies.

Good things would be; green neons, Ember tetra, male Endlers or guppies, celestial pearl danios, things like that. Then you could have some shrimps for your bottom feeders, but I wouldn't want to try and keep shrimps with tiger barbs.

 

[globeskater1958]

Oh man. Talk about a sad day!