Tank Size

[Sam Puter]

Alright i got my tank for christmas and i got it cycled and everything, its a 55 gallon and i have 4 white cloud mountain minnows, 4 silvertips, two LyreTail Mollies, 3 angel fish, two plecos. But the people at the petstore said my angel fish are gonna get bigger and eat all my other fish so i don't know what to do with my other fish. What size tank do you think i should get for 4 white cloud mountain minnows, 4 silvertips, and two mollies and still have room for like four other smaller fish??? Any info would be helpful. P.S. i am only 14 so how much would this tank cost?? Thanx
-Sam-

 

[Harlock]

Alright i got my tank for christmas and i got it cycled and everything, its a 55 gallon and i have 4 white cloud mountain minnows, 4 silvertips, two LyreTail Mollies, 3 angel fish, two plecos. But the people at the petstore said my angel fish are gonna get bigger and eat all my other fish so i don't know what to do with my other fish. What size tank do you think i should get for 4 white cloud mountain minnows, 4 silvertips, and two mollies and still have room for like four other smaller fish??? Any info would be helpful. P.S. i am only 14 so how much would this tank cost?? Thanx
-Sam-

Hi and welcome to AC, Sam. First of all, I want to tell you that you the silvertips and mollies will likely be okay. They're not as small as neon tetras (an angel's natural food source) or white cloud minnows. Also, your plecos, if they are common plecos, will likely outgrow your tank in short order. Plecos are extremely messy fish as well, so they can cause some qater quality issues, especially as they begin to outgrow a tank. Also, there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that angels raised from juvenille stage with certain smaller fish that might normally be seen as food will sometimes never see them that way because theya re used to seeing them. I will say that is a risk many aquarists are unwilling to take, and I am pretty conservative, so I would lean toward getting the white clouds a new home. They would be happy in a ten gallon tank.

 

[Sam Puter]

alright cool a ten gallon for my white clouds, thanx, also how big a tank do you think i should get for like lets say 6 tigerbarbs.

 

[Harlock]

Tigers are pretty active. I would say a 20 long or a 29 gallon, myself. Others will say something as small as a ten, but again, I'm a conservative aquarist. I always like to think I err on the side of caution and in the fishes favor.

 

[Sam Puter]

yea cuz i chatted on here and i like everyone said get a ten gallon so thats what i got myab i should get another ten for the white clouds and then sell my ten gallon setup and put that towards my thirty gallon, and when/if i get this 30 gallon could i put other fish with the tigers or should i not. if i could what kinds thanx

 

[Harlock]

Tigers are active, and nippy. So, slow-moving peaceful fish are right out. There are, however, plenty of fish that mix well with tiger barbs and would fit in a 30 gallon. A pair of Kribensis cichlids or Keyhole cichlids could make for nice "show fish" in a set up with tiger barbs. For bottom dwellers, you could use cory cats. They prefer groups and are just awesome fish, active and with neat personality. Also, a gourmi could make a nice show fish in such a setup. With a good size school of cories and tiger barbs and a pair of cichlids like the two species emntioned above, you'd have a nice set up.