Will this combination work?

[nono]

Hi. I want to ask for advice again from you guys.

Currently i have one tiger barb which is around 6-7 cm long. His tank mates recently passed away. Some of you guys told me to add other tiger barbs again so i am planning to add 3 or 4 new tiger barbs to accompany him since now he is kinda skittish and get bullied by my 9 cm rainbow shark. But my local fish store only sell tiger barbs that are still 3 cm long. Will my old tiger barb tollerate them?

Oh yeah. My tank is 29 gal. I also have 12 cm leopard bush fish and similar lenght marbled bichir. But rest assured because i am planning to give my bichir to my friend because i think he will pose a threat to my rainbow shark and tiger barb in a long term. And also my bigger tank (150 gal) already have an 45 cm asian aro which have a nasty demanor.

So, will my old tiger barb tollerate the new and smaller guys? And is there any possibilities that they will end up in bush fish mouth?

Thanks

 

[Rocksor]

I've never been successful adding an additional tiger barbs less than 8 in number to an existing one/group. But, they have generally been close to the size not double. If I were to try it, it would be around 16 new ones versus the lone one. I haven't own a leopard bush fish of that size, so I'm not sure if it could eat the new tiger barbs.

 

[nono]

I've never been successful adding an additional tiger barbs less than 8 in number to an existing one/group. But, they have generally been close to the size not double. If I were to try it, it would be around 16 new ones versus the lone one. I haven't own a leopard bush fish of that size, so I'm not sure if it could eat the new tiger barbs.

So it is safer to add a huge number of new member to older one? I am kinda confused about how much should i add. Around 2,7 years ago i add 2 tiger barb. and then one or 2 months later i add 4 new fish that is a lot smaller. But unfortunately only 4 of them stay alive for 2 years and only 2 of them past 2,5 years. I dont have much issue about the aggresion. But I am sure i am not keeping them properly since my barbs die very quickly.

Okay. I will be cautious about the bush fish then

 

[Rocksor]

You've had better success at adding so few in number than I. Every time I did a small number like yours, the new comers were dead within a month or 2. I would see the new ones harassed constantly by the old tiger barb inhabitants until dead.

 

[nono]

You've had better success at adding so few in number than I. Every time I did a small number like yours, the new comers were dead within a month or 2. I would see the new ones harassed constantly by the old tiger barb inhabitants until dead.

I am kinda afraid that will happen this time. Do you think it is wiser if I return my tiger barb to my lfs so it can live happily as a big colony there? Beside the problem about adding barb, I am really stressed with my rainbow shark that is oftenly harassing my tiger barb ever since his tank mates die. But oddly enough my rainbow shark never bother my bush fish

 

[Rocksor]

If you want to change stock, sure rehome the tiger barb to your lfs.

 

[nono]

If you want to change stock, sure rehome the tiger barb to your lfs.

Ok. Thank you very much for your advice..

I am not quite sure about changing stock. I think I will be happy even though my tank is going to only have two fish which are the rainbow shark and leopard bush fish since they both get along well and i think my tank will not able to hold any more new fish that are big enough to hold themselves against these two fish (or are there?)

Or perhaps do you think my 29 gal tank is too small for both of my boys? Currently i put one 500l/h internal filter and one eheim skimmer

 

[Rocksor]

As a grow out tank for both, I think it's okay. In the long run, I would at least double the water volume.

 

[nono]

As a grow out tank for both, I think it's okay. In the long run, I would at least double the water volume.

Aah i see. I will not add anymore fish then until I have bigger tank to relocate them. Thanks a lot for your advices.. sorry for asking a lot since i am oftenly confused about what to do seeing i am still a very unresponsible and beginner keeper..

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Aah i see. I will not add anymore fish then until I have bigger tank to relocate them. Thanks a lot for your advices.. sorry for asking a lot since i am oftenly confused about what to do seeing i am still a very unresponsible and beginner keeper..

Don't worry about asking too many questions. We're all here to help anyways. That and atleast unlike some other ppl on here your willing to ask questions and learn, rather then out to get others answers and just ignore them in the end. Can't even begin to count how many ppl I've seen on here ask a question just to end up with answers they didn't want to hear and just go ahead and do what they wanted to in the end anyways without learning a single thing.