Buenos Aires Tetra or Tiger Barbs

[Scrappy71113]

I'm wanting to get a small school of smaller fish to house with my JD. She's VERY timid and shy to the point of regularly going off food and is starting to lose weight. I'm hoping, if I put something in there that isn't so shy, it'll give her a little bit of confidence.
I'm not a huge fan of smaller fish. They're pretty, but they just seem to lack the intelligence and personality of the bigger fish, so I'm really only looking for practicality and compatibility, and know next to nothing about them.
Google brought up both tiger barbs and buenos aires tetra, both of which are readily available in my area, as suitable tank mates. I've read they can both be nippy, which I would like to avoid since she was beat up pretty bad in her previous owners tank.
What are some pros and cons to each, or possible alternatives that aren't so nippy?
I haven't seen any giant danios in my area yet, so those are not an option at the moment.

 

[Toiletcar]

I keep BAs w/ my cichlids and don’t have nipping issues. Think the JD would be more likely to kill or eat them. Tiger barbs might be tougher for a JD to eat, because they are thicker bodied. IMO it just comes down to your preference. Those are the only pros and cons I can think of.

 

[A201]

I doubt that Tiger Barbs or Buenos Aires Tetras would pose a nipping threat to your JD.
I've successfully kept both species with Cichlids. I agree with Toiletcar
Buenos Aires Tetras are more likely of the two to be lunch.

 

[duanes]

Being anal about such things, I always like to be as geographically correct with my tanks as possible.
Tiger barbs (being Asian) are absolutely incorrect, Buenos Aires tetras, are at least from the same hemisphere, and would be at least more closely related.
If it were me, I'd use either Astyanax tetras, or Poecilia velifora, mexican dithers actually found with JDs in nature.
Below a video I took of JDs in their natural habitat with velifora mollies
Eden2

 

[Scrappy71113]

I doubt that Tiger Barbs or Buenos Aires Tetras would pose a nipping threat to your JD.
I've successfully kept both species with Cichlids. I agree with Toiletcar
Buenos Aires Tetras are more likely of the two to be lunch.

I don't think they would either, but this poor fish has zero confidence right now and I can see her getting bullied by something small and insignificant. But, honestly, if she ends up eating the fish, I'd be thrilled lol.

 

[Scrappy71113]

Being anal about such things, I always like to be as geographically correct with my tanks as possible.
Tiger barbs (being Asian) are absolutely incorrect, Buenos Aires tetras, are at least from the same hemisphere, and would be at least more closely related.
If it were me, I'd use either Astyanax tetras, or Poecilia velifora, mexican dithers actually found with JDs in nature.
Below a video I took of JDs in their natural habitat with velifora mollies
Eden2

I love the rocks and algae in that video, I might have to set up my tank like that! I'll definitely look into the fish. If it's something readily available, it'll definitely be something I'd be willing to get. I just don't want to spend $50+ shipping on something that would potentially be a snack. With as little as she eats, I'm sure she's hungry.

 

[duanes]

Velifora mollies are also called "sail fin" mollies, and were almost always readily available in my area of the US, as are other mollies and swordtails that also come from the same part of the world.
Astyanax may be a little harder to find, but Buenos Aires Tetras are close cousins.
Neither the BA tetras or mollies would bully a JD.
The only problem I see using them as dither fish, are that if your tank is too small, they would be easily cornered by the JD.
You'll notice in the video, the amount of space available all these fish have as escape room.

 

[Deadeye]

BA get pretty beefy, not too likely to be eaten but what duanes said is 100% true of any small fish + predator. My jd is with aussie rainbows, a giant danio, and BA tetras.
Tiger barbs will probably just kill each other before the Jack even thinks about it.

 

[Scrappy71113]

Velifora mollies are also called "sail fin" mollies, and were almost always readily available in my area of the US, as are other mollies and swordtails that also come from the same part of the world.
Astyanax may be a little harder to find, but Buenos Aires Tetras are close cousins.
Neither the BA tetras or mollies would bully a JD.
The only problem I see using them as dither fish, are that if your tank is too small, they would be easily cornered by the JD.
You'll notice in the video, the amount of space available all these fish have as escape room.

Honestly, it's not going to hurt my feelings one bit if she munches on them. Like I said, she keeps going off food. I'm convinced she hates me.

 

[Scrappy71113]

BA get pretty beefy, not too likely to be eaten but what duanes said is 100% true of any small fish + predator. My jd is with aussie rainbows, a giant danio, and BA tetras.
Tiger barbs will probably just kill each other before the Jack even thinks about it.

Huh... I figured tiger barbs would school... If they're just going to murder each other, I'll pass. I might go with the sailfin mollies Daunes mentioned. I'm not opposed to mollies and my kiddo has been wanting some anyway, so it's a win win all the way around.