Difficult To Cleanly Feed Tiger Barbs

[4CalendarC]

hello there, i have a new thank setup,
its a 30gal, with 2 gouramis, 1 red tailed shark, and 4 tiger barbs (two died from a broken heater that got stuck).

my question is, are tiger barbs always messy eaters? the gouramis come to the surface to get the food, the tiger barbs usually wait for the food to get pushed under by the pump current and then they literally go into a frenzy to get the food..alot of pushing and shoving basically lol. now they all end up getting some food, but once some of it hits the gravel they never bother it again.

 

[nukeonekitty]

It is just how some fish are, you will have to vac your tank once a week or everyother week to clean up... cichlids are just like that (wanting the food to fall) only they don't leave anything behind!

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Bottom feeders would help with that (though it is not a good idea to expect them to eat the leftovers).

With frozen food, or even flake/ dried food, you could let it thaw/ wet it and place it in the tank with your fingers/ a turkey baster. That might help limit the amount of excess food in your tank...

 

[4CalendarC]

thanks i forgot about bottom feeders, i want one more fish in my 30gal before i stop stocking and i was thinking a loach or something, they are bottom feeders right?

 

[QuotheRaven]

yes loaches are bottom feeders....Yoyo's are very active and gregarious while kuhlii's are quite and amusing however can be very shy with some (mine are very social and out and about 70% of the day)
some kuhlii's would be a nice addition to any tank

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Most loaches would require groups to be happy, so it would not be "one" fish.

A synodontis might work, though they get pretty big (though I would, personally, think it is ok).