Tetra's with Tiger Barbs

[Pootspete]

Can ANY Tetra fish (naturally not neons) share a 20 gallon tank with Tiger Barbs?

Thanks to all who respond.

[OrionGirl]

How many tiger barbs, how big is the tank, and are there lots of plants (real or fake)?

A large enough population of barbs will keep their aggression mostly within the school. 2 or 3 will cause more problems than 7-8. In a small tank (less than 15-20) you're going to have problems providing enough space for a healthy school of barbs and tetras. In larger tanks, lots of cover will help, since the tetras can hide and get away. I'd avoid the longer finned tetras, but small, fast fish like silver tips, blues, and cardinals should hol dthier own if kept with a large enough group of barbs in a big enough tank with lots of cover.

[Pootspete]

There are 7 Tiger Barbs only in a 20 gallon with lots of fake plants, bio wheel.


I am ingnorant when it comes to.....

When you say "Blues" is that a fruit tetra?
When you say "Silvertip" I have no clue.

Thank you.

[OrionGirl]

Nope--blue tetras are these guys:http://www.geocities.com/alpays2000/fishlist/characidae/images/blutet3.jpg

and silver tips are these guys:

http://www.angelfire.com/az3/tropicalaquarium/images/fish/silvertip.jpg

The blues are tough-they were in with my dwarf puffers, and never took any crap from the little beasts. The silver tips are pretty, very fast, and school a bit tighter than many smaller tetras.

I would worry about adding a full school of any tetra though--that's really going to be packing a lot in a 20.

[Pootspete]

Thank you for the picture and clearing things up!

[KateA.]

Buenos airies, blacks, red eyes....I've kept them with barbs pretty well. They lived longer in my tank than about anything.

[mogurnda]

Defintiely Buenos Aires and serpaes. Bleeding hearts and other larger tetras will probably also go very well.
Although I am usually the last to say it, if you have substantial schools of tiger barbs and one of the larger tetras, you'll be pushing the capacity of the tank.

[LMOUTHBASS]

have never liked mixing them i dont think its fair that the little tetras gotta spend all their time hiding

[750t]

I guess it depends on the tetra. I have 4 serpaes and 4 tiger barbs. I dont see any problems. Now they are in a 45 gal tank. Plenty of room. The serpaes are very good looking fish. But the barbs are still my favorite. The barbs are so busy chasing each other, I dont think they even notice that theres other fish except at feeding time.

[mdfwhite]

tetras and tiger barbs are fine as long as u have a large enough shoal of tiger barbs,they'll just chase each other,

[snakeskinner]

I've got a mixture of a dozen or so barbs and in the same tank I have penguin and serpae tetras. the tetras are a little shy in the tank because of all the swarm of barbs and giant danio's but the barbs don't ever pick on the tetras. Kyle