Phoenix Barbs as dithers?

aquaticeye

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
May 16, 2016
268
902
115
Searched the forums a bit but didn't see anything relating to this topic, so thought I'd get some crowd funded wisdom.

Has anyone used Phoenix Barbs (spinibarbus denticulatus) as dithers in a Peacock Bass tank?

I know silver dollars are used quite often, probably to remain biotope correct, but haven't seen barbs / mahseers.

Phoenix barbs grow to a similar size to peacock bass, school well, and have nice reds that pop out down the line.

I recently acquired a group of 9 orino meta peacock bass at around 6-7 inches, currently in QT.

I've had a Phoenix Barb, solo, at around 7-8 inches. Thinking of expanding this group to 6 and having them for dithers / activity.

No post complete without some pics. One pic of the pbass in QT tank, and one of the phoenix barb at a smaller size (now about 2 in bigger, and reds coming in)

20200919_180147323_iOS (2).jpg

20201101_035056137_iOS (2).jpg
 

Red Cichlids

Piranha
MFK Member
Jul 27, 2019
274
371
77
Sacramento
I agree with The Wolfman. Because the phoenix barbs have a narrow body shape, I would want to keep them the same size or larger than the peacock bass. I don't think a hungry peacock bass would hesitate long before trying a phoenix barb 3/4 its length, and half the length would be a feeder any day of the week.
 

Alexandboi

Exodon
MFK Member
Aug 16, 2019
31
74
26
31
It should be fine... I have mahseer with my growout cichla and they are way too fast for the cichla to do any real damage. I've never seen the cichla actually try to eat the mahseer either. I also have some hampala barb with my large cichla that can easily eat the barbs if they wanted to. That being said, I never feed any live, which in my opinion could make the difference.
 

aquaticeye

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
May 16, 2016
268
902
115
Love the info, grealy appreciate it. Good to hear of the Mahseers with the cichla. Sounds similar to about what I'm interested in trying to do too :headbang2
 

aquaticeye

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
May 16, 2016
268
902
115
It should be fine... I have mahseer with my growout cichla and they are way too fast for the cichla to do any real damage. I've never seen the cichla actually try to eat the mahseer either. I also have some hampala barb with my large cichla that can easily eat the barbs if they wanted to. That being said, I never feed any live, which in my opinion could make the difference.
Just looked at Hampala barbs. Gorgeous fish! They grow huge!
 

SePPii

Dovii
MFK Member
May 21, 2011
3,373
371
107
Chesapeake, OH
I have 2 Phoenix barbs in my bass tank, they are bigger than the bass lol they do great.

6C915577-7233-4398-B668-D809BD6A61FF.jpeg
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store