New Tiger Barb Tank

[kjharve]

Hi,

I am about to purchase a 20 gallon tank (around 75 litres) and have decided to put in some Southeast Asia fish (aiming for a Biotope but don't know how feasible yet.) The main species in the tank will be Tiger Barb (with some green/mossy varieties too.) I was also thinking of having some Botia Morleti (Skunk Loaches) in there too. Was thinking of having numbers like this:

Tiger Barbs x 3
Green Tiger Barbs x 3
Skunk Loach x 2

Does this sound ok to the experts amongst you? Would anything else go well in there, maybe some Rasboras? Or should I leave it with just Barbs and the Loaches?

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Kev

 

[The-Wolf]

I personally wouldn't put TBs in a 20 gallon, due to their level of activeness
and from my own experiance I would say 8 was the absolute min number to keep, the more the merrier.

additionally the skunk loaches will happily eat all the fins of your TBs without a second thought. Skunks are best kept, IMHO, to a species only tank.

 

[kjharve]

I personally wouldn't put TBs in a 20 gallon, due to their level of activeness
and from my own experiance I would say 8 was the absolute min number to keep, the more the merrier.

additionally the skunk loaches will happily eat all the fins of your TBs without a second thought. Skunks are best kept, IMHO, to a species only tank.

Well I'm kinda getting fed-up reading the negative opinions of people on these forums. I have read several posts and various articles saying Barbs are fine in this sort of tank. And you're the first to say that a minimum of 8 is required, mostly 5 or 6 is advised as a minimum. I bet if I said I would keep 8 then you would say "not in that tank you won't." It just seems that any sort of suggestion that someone places is just immediately shot-down in flames.

I have read very few posts which give positive replies to people's posts - other members seem to use replies as a way of displaying their knowledge (or rather preaching about their 500 gallon tanks.)

Why don't you guys ever say "I wouldn't put barbs in that tank but fish x is similar" - and actually say something helpful.

It seems that, if you read enough opinions, there is a negative opinion about every combination of fish out there. If we all took those to heart then no one would ever end up enjoying fish, we'd just keep empty tanks - even then I'm sure some smarty-pants would write to say the pH of our empty tank was too high!

Let's be honest, a tank is never going to be an ideal place for a fish, its never going to truly replicate it's true surroundings and if you lot were so concerned about this then you wouldn't keep fish in the first place. If we all adopted members' negativity on this site then no one would ever have any pet. Ever.

No rabbits in hutches.

No dogs in kennels.

No guinea pigs in cages.

Get the picture?

What I'm asking for is that you lot give us newbies a break and be positive rather than negative and dismissive. I've read hundreds of posts on this site and the general attitude to other fishkeepers is derisery to say the least.

 

[The-Wolf]

well that told me didn't it!
I'm fed up with you newbies thinking you know best, well if that is the case why on earth ask for other peoples advice. (notice that is a retorical question)

you are of course free to do what ever the heck you want and when you end up with lots of dead and dying fish, don't ask here what to do, as you already know best.
with that, I'll say no more and I won't answer any more of your posts.
have a nice life.

 

[Erised]

I personally wouldn't put TBs in a 20 gallon, due to their level of activeness
and from my own experiance I would say 8 was the absolute min number to keep, the more the merrier.

additionally the skunk loaches will happily eat all the fins of your TBs without a second thought. Skunks are best kept, IMHO, to a species only tank.

Notice the things in bold? That means that he's giving advice based on HIS opinion and HIS experience. You can take it or leave it.

Does this sound ok to the experts amongst you? Would anything else go well in there, maybe some Rasboras? Or should I leave it with just Barbs and the Loaches?

Any suggestions gratefully received!

You have gotten an answer on whether or not it sounded ok, and all you did was go absolutely mental at the person in question. What's the point of asking when you do not accept the answers the way they are given?

As for what I think about your tank, I personally think you might be able to pull off keeping a shoal of tiger barbs in a 20G quite 'peacefully'. However, chances are that you end up with say 5 TBs that are just too agressive towards eachother and that you'll have to end up giving them away. If it's a chance you're willing to take, go for it. If you'd rather keep all your fish and not have to go through this, go with harlequins. They're fun, colourful and very active fish that shoal much better than Tiger barbs that I have seen.

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. First i will say that most of the members here really are trying to offer good advice to other members. Often when people offer advice, they offer it from their own experience whether they have 10 years, or 10 months experience. Often people go a little overboard and are on the cautious side when offering advice and try to steer people away from situations that are less desireable. I have found it that way on this site, but also on other sites such as automotive message boards etc. While i can't speak for others, I don't post because i want to show my expert knowledge (or lack thereof) to others. I've only been keeping fish for 10 months now but have been researching a lot in that time because i am interested. I post to try to help others because i enjoy the hobby, and i want others to enjoy it also.

Now for your real question. First i'll admit that i have never kept tiger barbs. You can see the fish i keep in my sig below. You know that they are on the aggressive side. I think you could keep them in a 20 gal tank though. It may not be ideal, but obviously not everyone wants, has space for, or can afford big tanks. Most fish prefer to be kept in groups. Usually 4-6 is recommended, less is not, and more is up to you. Tiger barbs are supposed to grow to 8.8cm (3.5") so if you go by the 1" of fish per gallon, 6 would be about the maximum you are recommended to have. Many people have their tanks way overstocked and the fish still survive. If you have good filtration and maintenance regimes, then you can afford to push the limit a bit.
Some say tiger barbs are ok with some other fish if they are kept in big enough groups. When they are in groups, they supposedly pay attention to themselves and not others. When kept in small groups they can harass the other occupants. That's something to keep in mind, but like i say, i've never kept them.

Good luck with your tank; i'm sure you'll get it figured out and will find the hobby enjoyable.

 

[Genesis]

kev, your stuck up you want people to say yes because youve got so attached to the idea
if you cant take correct advice when i is given to you, at least dont go beserk at the person who said it simpy because it was not the awnser you were looking for.

 

[kjharve]

Firstly thanks to Erised and cujoho78 for some more constructive criticism. I am going to consider keeping Tiger Barbs on their own in the tank, unless someone can recommend a good, interesting tank-mate.

As for you genesis, how can you decide I am 'stuck-up' from reading my post? I think you mis-understand the phrase!

I don't think I know best, far from it, and I'm not attached to one particular idea. I have spent a long-time now researching an interesting combination for a relatively small tank and have changed my mind practically hourly on some days. I'm certainly not attached to anything!

I am also aware of the extra maintenance that a smaller tank may demand but then I wouldn't be settling for a 20-gallon tank if I could get a bigger one, would I? Nothing would give me more joy that to have a 200 gallon tank with a group of 8 tiger barbs swimming around, but that's just not going to happen.

Sorry if I offended anyone, that wasn't my intention. It just annoys me when all people do is offer problems and don't offer solutions!

 

[tttnjfttt]

I am going to back up wolf on the 20 gallons is too small for tiger barbs. When i first began, i tried keeping tiger barbs in a 20 gal, but then was able to upgrade to a 40 gal. They were so much happier, much more active, and also seemed to be in better health. I have been able to keep them in a group of 6 with out problems though, but I have alot of hiding places in my tank.

I am not familiar with skunk loaches, so i can't give you any input on them.

You got mad because people didn't give you solutions. Well if you are hooked on tiger barbs, the solution woudl be to look for a larger tank, ideally 30 gallons. Look around on ebay and also http/www.craigslist.org. The second is a large classified ads section, sorted by cities. I got my entire 40 gal set up for around $100, including a stand. That is less than what I originally paid for my original 20 gal. look for used stuff.

The other solution is to look into different fish. There are many different fish out there, and we have no clue what you like besides tiger barbs and skunk loaches. This is why we are hesitant to recomend fish in place of the tiger barbs. If you want something with a similar shape, look at cherry barbs, they are less active and can be kept in smaller tanks. For bottom dwellers, how about some cories? Most tetras are fine in a 20 gal as well.

 

[kjharve]

The cost isn't the problem its the size of the tanks, the space I have is around 2-foot across so this generally rules out any tank over 20 gallons. There also seems to be fewer tank ranges here in the UK than there are in the U.S.

I have also looked at hexagonal tanks or tall tanks but then the reduction in surface area doesn't really help with those tanks.

Maybe I should just get a little snake!

 

[monkeyman]

I dunno man, if i were you id do whatever i wanted... If your fish die - just buy new ones & when youre fed up buying new fish every week - then ask for help

 

[beux]

Awh. Kev. It's infuriating isn't it? I've recently got a tank and I have spent the last two weeks making lists of my 'ideal' fish then researching and nope - won't work, then another list - post it here and nope, and another until i was eventually thinking maybe I'll just keep danio's. It's so stressful!

After two weeks of research, and I mean hours and hours, cross referencing, asking for advice I think I have my final list. I guess the best way is to not set your aims too high - your always gonna find out your tank isn't big enough or so and so will grow to 4ft or this fish will eat that fish, so keep it simple. I have found a lot of the people here give constructive advice with lots of fishy ideas but it's never what you want to hear. I wanted angelfish, bgk, discus, neons, sharks, a mermaid and the lockness monster in mine...but alas.

And if you decide you hate fish - I have a snake for sale at the moment. she's beautiful.

Let us know what you get in the end!

 

[kjharve]

Awh. Kev. It's infuriating isn't it?

That's one way to put it - another is "Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

What did you go for in the end and what tank do you have?

Kev

 

[beux]

Awh. Kev. It's infuriating isn't it?

That's one way to put it - another is "Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

What did you go for in the end and what tank do you have?

Kev

I'm still waiting....only a couple of weeks in now, it's just cycling with Danio's....

but I think what I want is, uhm... two yellow labs, a bristlenose catfish and the danio's. Nice and simple. the Danio's because I have them, the catfish for the algae, and the yellow labs cause they are cute, they were the prettiest fish i could find that doesn't get too big and is apparently very well tempered.

 

[dwarfgourami]

If I were you I would try to think about which aspect you like about the tiger barbs, andsee if there is any other fish that would do the same for you and be happier in a small tank.

Is it the colouring?- khuulie loaches look cool

The schooling behaviour?- harlequin rasboras have already been suggested, or plenty of tetras to choose from

The aggressiveness? - maybe a species tank with dwarf puffers, or a species tank with shelldwellers

Pentazona barbs are supposed to be more peaceful than tigers but have no personal experience (I did keep tiger barbs in a 15 gallons many years ago, unfortunately this was my community tank, so not a good idea...I didn't have very good fishy ideas in those days )

It may seem that people on the forum come across as negative at times, but then I've just come from reading a post where somebody was all upset because we hadn't warned them about something- seems you can't win sometimes After all when you ask for somebody's opinion, that's what they are going to give. Nobody thanks lfs for handing out over-optimistic advice, as they so frequently do.