Oddball Tank Mates?

[smiles669]

Hi everyone! So I'm trying to start up a good sized barb tank using my 110 gallon. What i would like to know is are there any really different oddball fish good for that size of a tank, and that will be able to live with a few schools of different tiger barbs? I would like something really different that will really stand out from everything there, and of course not make a meal of my barbs! Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[ReddSamurai]

its a bit hit and miss but African butterfly fish... they are aggressive but some people say they have kept them in community tanks without problems.
Fire eels not sure what they are like with barbs though and apparently get quite big.

 

[smiles669]

I was considering a fire eel, my LFS just got one in but im not to sure about how it will do with the barbs.

 

[DerpPH]

Here is the list of what you cant keep:
Puffers: very aggresive and can kill the barbs
Aros: very large and can eat the barbs
Fire eels I would say no: they are predatory in nature and eat anything that fits in their mouth. They can and will eat smaller barbs.

 

[smiles669]

Yah thats what i had read about fire eels. I would LOVE an arowana one day when i can handle housing it, but I currently cant house something like that long term so its out of the question. Puffers i have never really been that interested in, so not exactly a loss for me lol 

 

[DerpPH]

Try loaches. Not oddballs but they do well with barbs. Esp. Clown loaches(chromobotia macracanthus)

 

[dredgy]

African butterfly fish... they are aggressive but some people say they have kept them in community tanks without problems.

 
I have one in my tank. When it was unlit he was fine and fed out of my hand and was great personality wise (obviously aggressive though at feeding time). When the light came on he got spooked and started swimming a bit lower. Once he took out a barb (sawbwa resplendens) which had come up to the surface as he got spooked. 
 
That said, since then he's been fine. Still gets skittish, but is more used to the lights and has found a darker, more sheltered spot he spends most of the time. I have a shoal of juvenile black neons who spend most of their time at the surface and they've been fine. I am planning on rehoming him though - they are great fish but I don't want to be the one stressing him until he leaves the surface. If your tanks is big enough (its double the size of mine) ,well sheltered and lights faded in you would probably be good.

 

[smiles669]

I do like loaches, although im just not a huge fan of clown loaches as they grow. I would also want to house clowns in a much larger aquarium because they are schooling and i would need atleast 6.


I did pick up an african burrerfly, but hes not verry visible and he likes hide, im just looking for something i can see more of, and will maybe spend more time in the middle region of the aquarium, or even bottom. 

 

[Wills]

What about something like a Tyre Track Eel or Reed Fish could work nice. African Brown Knife would work nice. But neither of them are very colourful.
 
Not sure if you mind pulling the attention off the Tiger Barbs but Tiger Barbs are great tank mates for most American Cichlids they are fast enough to stay out of trouble and tough enough to cope if not. Though there are tons of options that would never even go for them - something like a Severum in here would work great and if your after colour a Red Spotted and/or a Rotkiel would work great
 
Wills

 

[DerpPH]

110 gallons would be enough until they grow which will take a while. Americans like convicts and trimacs can be kept with tigers. But you also need to keep the barb numbers up like maybe 25-30? What are the dimentions of the said tank?

 

[smiles669]

It is 5 feet long, 2 feet tall, and something like 18 inches wide. I also have to keep in mind my corys as well, which get along with my tigers surprisingly well. I would definitely like to up my tiger  schools though. I was thinking about a delhezi bichir but unfortunately i think my fishies would eventually be snacks. I will have to consider the tire track eel though. any other ideas out there?

 

[DerpPH]

BN plecs maybe? You could also house them with other barbs. Or you can try the smaller species of bichirs out there.not much to choose from really. Just avoid longfinned species.

 

[MBOU]

I was going to suggest a few nice select cichlids and reedfish as a good option too Must be a nice pair or group of Geophagus that would fit in nicely!
 
Or what about larger species of headstanders?
 
Anostomus anostomus (these guys will do fine size and personality wise!)
http/www.passioneacquari.it/wp-content/uploads/Anostomus-anostomus-1.jpg
 
Or what about...
 
Purple Spotted Gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa) Though... they do like much lower end temperatures..
http/fishkeeper.co.uk/site/databank/purple-spotted-gudgeon-

 

[smiles669]

I do like the Anostomus anostomus, and i did want to also one day pick up a few albino bristlenose, they would look great on the black sand or black wall. I will definitely have to look into the smaller bichir species, I would love to have one, or a tire track eel.