Best tankmates for tiger barbs?

[CatreParticipant]

What do you guys recommend for tank mates?

I’d prefer SE asian species – maybe a bottom dwelling and a surface dwelling species.

The tank is a 3 foot clearseal so might be too small for three species though.

[Byron HoskingParticipant]

What is the tank volume?  I am in the camp that recommends a 30g minimum tank for a group of 12 or so Tiger Barb with no other upper fish.  Substrate fish in a 3-foot are possible though, perhaps one of the smaller loach species.  Botia striata, maybe even B. kubotai, either in a group of 5-6.  With sufficient Tigers the loaches should be OK.  If the volume is perhaps around 50g another upper fish might work too, and I would look to the barbs and danios, as these are more active and better suited to Tigers.

 

I’m not aware of any surface fish that would not be easy targets for Tigers.  Some floating plants could add upper interest.

 

Byron.

[CatreParticipant]

Hi it’s a Clearseal 3 foot tank so it’s around 20G. Do you think I should just have the barbs on their own then? I was planning on getting 8-10 barbs just to spread the aggression. Would a kuhli loach species work for the bottom? It’s a planted topsoil tank.

 

I originally wanted to add a pair of dwarf gouramis but I don’t want their fins nipped as I read that might happen with tigers. 

[Byron HoskingParticipant]

As this is only 20g, the group of Tiger Barbs should be on their own, definitely, with no other fish; you have the length so a group of 8-10 should be OK.  Kuhli’s I would not recommend here due to the soil; they are frequent burrowers and I can imagine this being a real mess.  I’m not sure I would mix them with Tigers anyway, they are not the most robust of loaches.

And definitely never place gourami in with Tiger Barb; this is too tempting, like waving a red flag in front of a bull.  Sedate fish like all gourami, angels, discus, etc are unsuitable with nippy fish.  Also the activity of barbs and danios is not suited to sedate fish, even the more peaceful barbs.

Byron.

[MattKeymaster]

Good points regarding aquarium size Byron. Will edit the profile accordingly.

[Author]

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