Found an unlikely companion for my Clowns

[Sky042]

Today I was at the LFS getting some ghost shrimp to entice my sick oscar to eat and I was looking through the tanks to see what else they had.

They had some really nice looking medium sized (maybe 1.5") tiger barbs. So I figured I'd pickup a pair and see how they made out in my 46 bow tank.

Brought home the two tigers put them in and they've spent the past few hours tagging around my Clown loaches. They're swiming as a quartet. At first I thought the tigers were chasing the clowns but then I noticed they're more sorta playing and just swimming in the same patterns with the clowns who seem to never stop moving.

Only bad part is I really was hoping to get some fish that swim at the mid to upper levels. My tank is kinda bottom heavy. Frequently it looks like theres nothing in there since it's mostly bottom fish

 

[Ben]

tiger barbs should be in a group of six or more,(you might be able to get way with 4)

sounds cool, clowns are very playful fish

DD

 

[Sky042]

tiger barbs should be in a group of six or more,(you might be able to get way with 4)

sounds cool, clowns are very playful fish

DD

Yeah I know the Tigers should be in larger groups.
Though admittedly thus far they've been behaving nicely and playing with the clowns very nice.

There isn't anything in the tank that they can chase a nip the tank is actually somewhat lightly stocked
46G Bow Front

1 5"Bala
2 neons
2 black neons
2 clown loachs
2 Angelicus Botia
1 yoyo loach.(used to be 2 till one commited hary cary and jumped to freedom)
1 Plec
1 Gold nugget plec
1 panda cory

 

[SirMinion]

The bala is scaredy because he's a schooling fish who feels insecure without the safety of his shoal but sadly 46g is too small for one bala, let alone a school of them.

 

[wrs]

you stock horribly, no offence, but you need to but the following fish in 6 plus groups, they way you have them now they are probably so stressed out.

Neons
Black Neons
Panda Corries

These other fish are schooilng as well and will get huge for your tank
Clown Loaches
Bala Shark, need to be kept in groups of three, and get to be 14 inches, need: 125 gallon tank

 

[pica_nuttalli]

yes, it would definitely be a good idea to add more neons of both sorts and more tiger barbs. but i sympathize on the panda cory; i've a sole surviving panda in my tank (he had friends but they didn't make it).

no need to rush out and add all those fish at once, but you do have an excuse the next time you just can't resist spending money at the store

 

[Sky042]

The bala is scaredy because he's a schooling fish who feels insecure without the safety of his shoal but sadly 46g is too small for one bala, let alone a school of them.

Yes I know 46 is too small for his adult self.
He actually had friends at one point but about a month ago a fierce case of ick swept through that tank killing off some fish including two balas other bala's that I was just kinda letting grow a bit before going into the BIG tank.

 

[Sky042]

you stock horribly, no offence, but you need to but the following fish in 6 plus groups, they way you have them now they are probably so stressed out.

Neons
Black Neons
Panda Corries

These other fish are schooilng as well and will get huge for your tank
Clown Loaches
Bala Shark, need to be kept in groups of three, and get to be 14 inches, need: 125 gallon tank

I guess in the 9+ months I've been away from this board it's gotten very judgemental.

I'm aware of bala size needs.
I have another tank for them however I didn't want to put them in when I bought them at 3"

The tetra's used to be a school. The last batch group of neons that were added brought with them infection and wiped out a variety of fish in that tank.
I'll be restocking the neons and black neons once I find suitable specimens. Most of the LFS near me have greenish weak washed out looking neons.

 

[Sky042]

yes, it would definitely be a good idea to add more neons of both sorts and more tiger barbs. but i sympathize on the panda cory; i've a sole surviving panda in my tank (he had friends but they didn't make it).

no need to rush out and add all those fish at once, but you do have an excuse the next time you just can't resist spending money at the store

There used to be 3 of them. I think they died of old age I expect he's next. I've been unable to find anymore. I may venture down to a very large fish store one day next week but I haven't decided for sure.

 

[wrs]

where do you live? Country wise? All chain stores sell neons.

 

[Sky042]

where do you live? Country wise? All chain stores sell neons.

Read closely.
I have no problem finding neons.
I have been having some issue finding neons that are halfway decent.
Mine are brilliant blue with bright red.

The ones I've been seeing lately at stores are washed out green with just a hint of blue and faded red. If/When I see neons in a store that actually look healthy and of good color then I'll pickup enough to keep mine happy. Till then the black neons and regular neons do see pretty happy hanging around as a quartet.

 

[wrs]

where do you live? Country wise? All chain stores sell neons.

Read closely.

no need to be rude! I said no ofence in the first post I read. And I say the tuth you do stock horribly. You shouldnt be mad at that, its not like alot of people were never told that, I myself was, and I am not rude to the person said that to me when I was new!

 

[Sky042]

It's actually somewhat odd.
When I stocked my tank intially I added a few fish that were not super common but had no problem finding at the time such as the yo-yo's the other botia, the panda cories and such.

Over the years though one thing or another my stock of certain fish is down and I've been unable to replace them. Nobody seems to stock yo-yo's anymore which is a shame becaue I can tell my yo-yo wants a companion. I put in a peppered cory with the panda but they don't really hang together and none of the shops have pand's lately. I'm hoping the stocking situation at the LFS's is cyclical where the fish that they can't seem to get will become available soon.

And before anyone asks yes I did ask my main LFS to order in certain fish and they haven't even been seeing them on the available list.

 

[wrs]

my lfs wont order for me either, you dont happen to live in CT do you? Lol.

 

[Sky042]

where do you live? Country wise? All chain stores sell neons.

Read closely.

no need to be rude! I said no ofence in the first post I read. And I say the tuth you do stock horribly. You shouldnt be mad at that, its not like alot of people were never told that, I myself was, and I am not rude to the person said that to me when I was new!

I wasn't trying to be rude just stating that I'd already explained things.

I'm not new. I do know how to stock. In fact the tank used to be properly stocked prior to a outbreak that was rather persistent.

I'm now working on re-stocking that tank but I'm changing things up a little bit as far as whats going to be in it. I didn't want to just dump an entire school of tiger barbs into my tank and then deal with the aftermath of the biological filter.

Once I relocate my Oscar the 160G in my dinning room will be redone for freshwater tropical and is the future home of the Bala shark I think he'll like it there.