55 gallon tiger barb tank

[Smac1977]

Hello,
I was at my aunts house a little while ago after my birthday and my aunt had a 55 gallon tank in their house just sitting there, and i'm picking it up this weekend. This will be my second tank and i'm wanting tiger barbs Tiger Barbs as the centrepiece but i'm also wondering about other fish to add such as some type of Plecos, Khuli Loaches pictus catfish and red tail shark. I'm also wondering about maybe 15 tiger barbs or more or less depending on the other fish.

 

[fishorama]

We had 6 or 8 tiger barbs with a red tailed shark in a 55g. As I recall it worked well. The shark would like 2 or 3 rock or wood "caves" to choose from. With another wood cave or 2, I'd think an ancistrus pleco (bristle/bushy nose) would work.

I would NOT risk corydoras with a RT shark. Sharks & BNs are very territorial; corys just do NOT understand that concept. They wander around, hopefully where there's food, but everywhere. We had a rainbow shark (similar to RT) we named Mako Jaws of Death with corys. He body slammed the poor corys into the substrate often. Some were injured, some killed!! We had more caves with an RT & I don't recall he actually killed any corys. But he chased them & tried....not a peaceful tank, don't do it!

Pangio (kuhli) loaches understand territories better but I would not risk them with an RT shark...I see bad things for that combo, NO.

A blue or gold gourami (same species) might work, 1 only. They're tough enough to live with those semi-aggressive fish IME. Not a pearl or dwarf gourami, they're too wimpy.

I'm not sure if we actually kept serpae tetras (red miners) or skirt tetras with tiger barbs...IMO skirts (of any color) are large, boring & slightly aggressive. Serpae are smaller than TBs but might be able to hold their own but can be fin nippers IME.

Will you have plants? They can help break up sight lines. Java ferns & anubias are pretty fool proof. Not planted in the substrate, they are attached to wood or rocks with super glue gel or sewing thread. Plus plants can look great!! Think about them. We can help when the time comes!

 

[Smac1977]

So 8 tiger barbs with 6 Khuli loaches and a bristlenose Pleco and a blue gourami I’ll do a pretty planted tank with big rocks and Java ferns an Anubis’s

 

[fishorama]

I like it! Sounds good to me without the shark! I'd go even more pangios (kuhlis) maybe 10-12 or so, & & 8-10 barbs. The shark was a limiting factor...they are pretty...but trouble causers...I think you're wise to skip it.

You'll need 3 or 4 "caves" (wood +/or rocks) for the BN & pangios (kuhlis). At least 1 piece of real wood would be nice for the BN. They don't really "have to have it" but they do like to graze on wood.

We can help you choose plants if you want help but you've got the idea for the easy 1s.

I'm going to need pics!

 

[StripedRaphCat1234$]

So 8 tiger barbs with 6 Khuli loaches and a bristlenose Pleco and a blue gourami I’ll do a pretty planted tank with big rocks and Java ferns an Anubis’s

It sounds great, but personally, I wouldn't recommend the bristle nose. I find them to be mess makers and they don't really eat that much algae. If you care about tank aesthetics (which it sounds like you do), then I would skip the BN in favor of Flying Foxes, Siamese Algae Eaters or Chinese Algae Eaters (I will mention that Chinese Algae Eaters can be a bit feisty if not put with the right tank mates, I personally think that Siamese Algae Eaters or Flying Foxes would be better in this case).

 

[Smac1977]

So 10 tiger barbs 10 Khuli loaches and either Siamese algae eaters or flying foxes depending on what’s at the store. caves large rocks and some other decor I find at the store

 

[fishorama]

Flying foxes are not "team players", similar to RT & rainbow sharks. They, like those sharks, don't mix well with similarly shaped fish or their same species. Siamese algae eaters only eat algae (& only some forms) when they are young or there is no other fish food available. With keeping other fish they will always get more than their fair share of food, they can get quite chubby. They also like to be in a group. You can keep just 1, 2 may fight a bit, 4-6 are happier together but dang, that's a lot of 5 or 6 inch fish in a 55g. There are prettier fish you can keep instead. Both BN plecos & Siamese algae eater eat & poo quite a bit...but of course you will be vacuuming out poo & changing lots of water every week!!! At least that "should be" your habit (with occasional lapses).

DO NOT get a Chinese algae eater, they are hard to find the right mix of fish where they will not be aggressive. They also get too large for most tank at 10 inches.

You know, spotted pictus cats were the reason I started keeping fish 40+ years ago. But after all this time I still have not kept any, ever, LOL!! It's always a case not this tank or not with that species.

So, to my understanding & opinions, you'd like 8 or 10 tiger barbs (color mixing is fine, they're all the same species, they know), 10-12 kuhli (pangio) loaches or more (I would go with all 1 species but at least 6+ of any 1 kind would be "ok" but they really are more fun with more!). & maybe a blue or gold gourami...my gourami love has faded over ther years.

If you really want a BN pleco (plecs are cool!) then go with only 8 or 10 pangio loaches & extra caves. If corys are higher on your wish list than a BN, then I'd go with 6-8 of the same species & 8/1species of loach but maybe skip the gourami until you know you can keep up with WCs & maybe more barbs would be more interesting than a gourami...You don't have to decide everything right this minute...

 

[FreshyFresh]

Sorry if I missed it, but wouldn't it be about impossible to feed khulis with a flock of TBs flying about? I believe you need to use sand as your substrate for khulis, so keep that in mind.

I tried groups of TBs twice in a 55g. First was 12-15. Over time, the strongest would pick off the weakest until one was left. This was in a planted 55g with tons of hides and breaks in line of site.

Next I tried a bunch of green barbs. Same thing happened.

 

[fishorama]

Freshy, TBs are the same species as green barbs (TBs?), right?, Just a color difference, aren't they? Or am I missing something?

Smac, maybe run your final fish list by us 1 more time please.

Also, we should discuss the order that you'll add fish species...But of course that's after cycling the tank BEFORE adding any fish at all... See the "before you get fish" at the top of the newbie forum. That will help you start off right!! Cycling is VERY important, read up!!

 

[NoodleCats]

If you like the look of tiger barbs but want something less aggressive, consider five-banded barbs. They're lovely and much more peaceful.

But tiger barbs are nice too, just can be aggressive.

You'll definitely need sand substrate with loaches, but you know what loaches would do better with tiger barbs? Consider botia genus loaches, such as a small shoal(6-8 fish min) of golden zebra loaches, or yoyos, or similar. No clowns though, need much much larger setups. But botias can dish out attitude if the barbs push them, they can dish it right back. They have a backbone.