[OrangeAugust]

I usually do my research before getting fish, but one time I saw green tiger barbs in the store and they looked so cool I got 6 of them for my 55 gallon community tank. Well, within a few weeks, all but one disappeared. A few months later, I got 6 more. The same thing happened. Then a few months later, I got 6 more- this time both green ones and striped ones. And then I happened to read that tiger barbs will kill each other, and possibly other fish, if they're in groups of 6 or less. So I went out and bought 6 more so now I have 12. What kind of other fish can I have with them? Right now I have giant danios (which are on the small side for being called "giant"), black mollies, dalmatian mollies, and a serpae tetra (I know they should be in groups, but I don't like the serpae tetra because they're fin nippers and harassers of new fish. So as they're dying off I'm not getting anymore). I also have two nerite snails and three amano shrimp.
I do find dead fish occasionally and I haven't figured out why. The water parameters are good, but I have really high pH. Are my other fish okay to have with the tiger barbs? What other kinds of fish could I get if I want another school?

Thanks!

 

[Betta132]

Tank age?
Exact water parameters?
Giant danios can become stressed if there aren't enough of them, and danios show stress by becoming extremely aggressive.

 

[lksdrinker]

(I know they should be in groups, but I don't like the serpae tetra because they're fin nippers and harassers of new fish. So as they're dying off I'm not getting anymore).



Thanks!

Same pretty much goes for tiger barbs. They can be quite aggressive at times. Some say keeping them in larger groups curbs that aggression; but not always.

 

[BBradbury]

Keeping Tiger Barbs

Hello Orange...

I researched Barbs and Danios and went with the Danios. These fish are best kept by themselves in a species tank. Second choice, Danios might be the only fish to keep successfully with Barbs, because they're nervous swimmers, constantly on the move. Both can be aggressive around smaller, weaker or old fish that aren't as active. I've kept Danios for awhile and had to remove the Guppies I had in with the Danios. The Guppies started to disappear. The Danios now have their own tank.

You hit on the reason for losing them. Barbs are always fighting each other to establish dominance. The strong ones likely killed and ate the others. Not a very peaceful fish for a community tank.

Fortunately, you have them in a large tank. I'd suggest planting the surface well, so there's ample hiding places for the small fish to escape the Barbs. Hornwort is a fast growing surface plant that needs no planting. Just drop individual stems into the water.

Good luck.

B

 

[OrangeAugust]

Thanks a lot, everyone. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into, which is weird because I used to do my research. I did some other reading after I made this post, and it seems like people really don't keep them with anything other than cories occasionally.
several of the mollies that I've bought have disappeared, all my neon tetras disappeared over the past couple months, and so did my guppies. Jeez. I never made the connection. I have just been like, "where are my fish going??!!" the parameters are fine, so I've just been very confused. I think this explains it.
So, I think I have 6 regular tiger barbs and 6 green tiger barbs. The color doesn't seem to matter because they all school together. So this may end up being a barb tank only for the future. Are tiger barbs the only aggressive barbs? Could I keep another type of barb with them? So then I'll have a variety of colors.
And the danios seem fine with them. They're so hyper anyway, and they pretty much keep to themselves at the very top of the tank.

 

[Betta132]

Most barbs are pretty aggressive. Tigers are best kept with tigers, but there are multiple types: Regular, mossy/green, albino, and Glofish barbs. And no, the Glofish aren't dyed/injected, they were genetically modified to have those colors. Not quite my taste in fish, but they are kinda cool, and they definitely add color.
You can also add more danios and just have a "hyperactive little butts" tank.