Tiger Barb Tank Mates?/

[mcdanielnc89]

what kind of fish can you put with tiger barbs???

 

[screamingdonkey]

what kind of fish can you put with tiger barbs???

Well obviously it's going to depend on the size of tank you've got for a start.

I've got a 180l tank with a decent sized shoal and they share the water quite happily with platys, peppered corys, zebra loaches, 2 small plecs & dwarf gouramis.
NB: many people will advise against keeping TBs with dwarf gouramis - as they have a tendency to nip their fins. However, in my experience, the harrassment lasted only two days and they've been fine ever since.

The general advice is avoid fish with fancy fins/slow swimmers such as bettas and guppies & keep them in a shoal of 8+ if possible to avoid aggressive behaviour towards tankmates.

I don't believe their lists to be gospel but the compatability chart on TimsTropicals site is quite useful.
Google 'tropical fish compatability' and it's usually one of the top links that appears on the results page.

One more thing to say is that they are highly active and entertaining fish; although they're relatively small, they need a fair sized tank to bring out some of their best behavioural traits

 

[mark.w.jones]

One more thing to say is that they are highly active and entertaining fish; although they're relatively small, they need a fair sized tank to bring out some of their best behavioural traits

Just bear in mind that a full size tiger is pushing 3" and not the cutesy litte 1" fish you see in stores. I agree with above though that a large group, ideally 8+ can really help to control this wonderful but much maligned fish.

 

[mark.w.jones]

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[screamingdonkey]

Just bear in mind that a full size tiger is pushing 3" and not the cutesy litte 1" fish you see in stores

Agreed.
I bought my first TBs in January; they were 1.25" at the time. The dominant ones have already doubled in size.
The biggest one is pushing 3" already. We call him Five Bellies (as in Gazza's drinking pal) - he sometimes looks as though he's going to explode!!!

 

[mcdanielnc89]

okay, Well. have them in a 55 gal. with a rainbow shark. and aplec.. LOL... I had them with my other tank but wouldn't leave my gups alone so i had to move them. lol... so tyvm...

 

[DevUK]

If you want the look, but not the aggression, why not consider pentazona barbs? I think I'm going with a shoal of these chaps for my 47gal

 

[Kevinator]

I like tiger barbs but I would never had them have in a community tank at all! They are big nippers even with groups of 6 of them.

 

[vinylman]

If you want the look, but not the aggression, why not consider pentazona barbs? I think I'm going with a shoal of these chaps for my 47gal

Absolutely, I have eight in my 4ft and they're fabulous. Tiger Barbs without the aggression. The pinkish/reddish tinge on the males is fabulous, too.

 

[screamingdonkey]

If you want the look, but not the aggression, why not consider pentazona barbs? I think I'm going with a shoal of these chaps for my 47gal

I think the problem is that he has already got the tiger barbs (as stated in the post above yours).

I like tiger barbs but I would never had them have in a community tank at all! They are big nippers even with groups of 6 of them

And in my experience, they are not as bad as everyone makes out - as long as you keep them away from things like bettas and guppies