Suitable Mates For Buenos Aires Tetras & Rosy Barbs?

[cherryt1212]

Hi all

 
I hopefully have a straight-forward question for you:
 
I've had a bow front 36 gal tank for a year now, everyone's doing fine and thriving.  I have three medium sized B.A. tetras and three similar sized, beautiful Rosy Barbs doing well.  We would like a few more fish for companionship and maybe a different splash of color, does anyone have recommendations for suitable tank mates?  A few fish who would get along with the quick and nippy B.A. tetras and the fast rosy barbs? 
 
Previous, I tried platies without success, even though the store fish people said they would work, the B.A. tetras slowly irritated them, so we gave up on those!  I need a hardy fish like the B.A. tetras but something with color and no long fins, with a similar size. 
 
Any ideas? 
 
Thanks in advance!!
 
-Tiffany

 

 

[techen]

Are you sure that tanks a 36gallon? It looks a tad small compared to the size of fish.
 
However, The two fish you've given us. They prefer being in groups of 6+ The more the better, I'd look into increasing there sizes first before picking up new fish.
 
With that said, The bottom of the tank you could have some corys, Tons of different kinds out there. But you do need a soft base IE Sand or something not as rough as rocks.

 

[cherryt1212]

Hi, thanks for your response!
 
The tank is a 36 gal, I know for sure because we bought it last March and I remember.  It measures 32" w x 21" h x 11-16" (bow front) deep.  That's right, I will get some more of the rosy barbs and tetras since they like to school, thank you. 

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Okay so i just knew that Argentinian red cross tetras are now just known as B.A. tetras lol

Anyways like techen said, those need to be in loose schools of at least 6. BA tets grow quickly reaching 2-3" in less than 5 months and maxing at 3.75-4.2" (in my experience) in about a year. Dominant females usually become bullies when they hit 2" but they are quite peaceful despite their size IMO. Do not mix them with timid or less active fish as they love snatching food from fellow tankmates.

Suitable tankmates that i would suggest would be some boisterous tetras like black skirt tetras, head&tail light tetras (they're called beacon tetras now i think), penguinfish, rummynose, blind cave tetras. Again this mixing is in my experience. Choice is still yours

As for rosy barbs, i had bad experiences with them so hopefully someone pitches in for that

 

[cherryt1212]

Thanks for your reply, Neil.
 
I am definitely going to get a few more B.A. tetras and rosy barbs.  I've had good luck with the rosy barbs and I am obsessed with their pink shimmering color.  I've had my BA's a year and they seem large, definitely 2-2.5".  If I added a few black skirt tetras would those school with the BA tetras, or do they form their own groups, meaning I'd need 6 of each (6 BA's and 6 black skirts)?  
 
Thank you.... 

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

They don't normally school with them but they are quite tolerant of each other and would usually ignore each other's company if their paths ever crossed, nevertheless.

My bad experience with rosy barbs is that they turned nippy and even teamed up with my tiger barbs to terrorize the whole tank lol.

 

[cherryt1212]

So, unfortunately, I returned the Buenos' to the fish store.  They were really pelting my other fish and I realized they have caused unnecessary deaths.  Since then, I found a wonderful and peaceful mixture of three types of fish that are in their own schools: rosy barbs (peaceful in my tank), tiger barbs, and lemon tetras.  They all get along beautifully!  I'm happy and they are happy.  No deaths or nipping.  Just wanted to update.  Thank you all.

 

[coolie]

I have been singing the praises of Rosy Barbs but as they get older they change. When they are small, they switch between greeting you hungry for food and dashing into hiding as a group, poking their heads out to see if you are still there. It's quite cute. But they reach a certain size, and stop showing any signs of the nervousness, they have a ravaging appetite and start to nip the fins of unsuspecting cat fish and others.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Good luck with the Tigers! They're much more aggressive than the BAs...

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

True. I actually found BAs to be much peaceful when they get bigger as they move less than if they were younger