Mixing Tiger Barbs

[mandi]

I'm thinking about buying a 40-gallon tank (MTS strikes AGAIN!) and have been planning what I might like to put in it.

I've always been very fond of tiger barbs -- the regular ones, the green ones, AND the albino ones. But I've never gotten any because of limited space and them not mixing well with my other fish (platys, gouramis, etc.)

I figured with a 40-gallon, I'd FINALLY have a tank large enough to get a good size school (once it's cycled, etc. of course) to handle the "nippy-ness".

My question is, will the different color varieties of tiger barbs group together? As in, I know 6 is the MINIMUM for tiger barbs ... so would 3 regular, 3 albino, and 3 green (just as a for-instance) be okay together? Or should I stick to one type? How many should I get?

Also, can anyone recommend other fish that would do okay with a group tiger barbs in a 40-gallon? I'd like to have a 2-4 different types of fish in the tank if possible (more than likely including a few otos and corys).

Suggestions?

 

[leafs]

You can mix different Tiger barbs and it will give you some nice contrast. The only thing I'm not too sure about is the Albino's. I added a few to my school of mixed Tiger barbs and the Albinos didn't school with the others. You could try adding some type of Tetras. Just make sure you don't add any slow moving or long finned fish such as Angels. Tigers can be nippy.

 

[digital_run]

You could more than 6 in that tank...8-10 would be great and you can intermix the colour strains. I'm glad your going to cycle the tank before you add tigers to it....There a poor choice for cycling a tank. I've kept tigers with various fish including dwarf cichlids/other barbs/catfish...Aslong as you dont keep them with slow moving/long finned fish you shouldn't have a problem.

Ðigital

 

[mandi]

Thanks! I'm thinking a group of 8-10 would be very fun to watch!

Would something like a group of penguin tetras or rummy nose tetras be okay perhaps? (I saw penguin tetras at my LFS the last time I was in, and thought they were quite pretty.)

If/when I get the tank, I'm planning to do a fishless cycle and use gravel/filter media from my existing tanks to get it started -- it's worked well for me in the past. I hate losing fish, so I want to start out the right way

 

[digital_run]

Shouldn't be a problem with the tetras...If you get the barbs small and let them grow out with them i wouldn't see a problem....and i definately agree with you on the fishless cycle...It's the best way.

DR

 

[fatguppy]

I have 6 Tigers - 1 male and 5 females. They are in with glass cats, corys, swordtails, puffer fish, pristellas (type of tetra). It's a 40 gallon tank and we have no bother with them at all. Not sure about the mix - although that has been answered for you I think. They are generally so busy with themselves that they really take no notice of the other fish. The male was a bit "nippy" to start off with but once he'd established that he had no real competition he settled down and they are fine and such good fun! We had no luck with guppies in the tank though and I wonder if that was down to the Tigers(?)

Have fun!

 

[sylvia]

fatguppy - it was most deffinately down to your puffers!

mandi - as long as you keep tiger barbs (of any color - they are all the same species and will all school together - in leaf's case, the albinos were added after the others so that's the reason they may not have all schooled) in a group of at least 7, they occupy themselves with each other and leave most other fish alone. I once had a group of 7 with an RTBS in a very heavily planted tank which was a stunning tank to look at.