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Can I squeeze a few more?

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Sparky 
#1 ·
I currently have a 55G tank and it's my first one, so I'm sitll hesitant to over stock the tank....my wife and I were at the LFS a few weekends ago and she fell in love with these "golden barbs"...I wanna pick a couple of them up but I'm not sure on their compatibility because they can be fin nippers. I wanted to see what anyone thought because I've never kept them. She wants a red tailed shark, but I told her i think it wouldn't work.....

here's my stocking as of the moment:

6 cory cat fish
6 bloodfin tetras
6 black neons
6 neons
4 serpae tetras

everyone is super happy and healthy and water checks out great, I'm running two penguin 350's.....

thanks everyone!
 
#2 ·
Someone else will have to concur but I recall reading that a 55 was the min. for a red-tailed shark, (which you have) and that they should be added last (which you'd be doing) and IMHO you're not close to being overstocked so I'd think you could add a red-tailed shark. My only concern is that with the "artic" white the shark would be not be at ease in that environment. Darker subdued colors are what they prefer, if I'm recalling my info correctly. They require a "cave" of some sort. How would you incorporate a cave into your themed tank? An igloo, perhaps? (sorry, couldn't resist :lol:)

Not sure on the barbs as fin nippers but if they are deemed suitable to be kept with your other fish I don't see why you can't add them. I think you have lots of room.
 
#3 ·
thanks kymmie...yeah I'm not dying to get a shark, she was sitting next to me made me ask on here, lol.

i'll wait and see about the barbs if anyone else jumps on, i thought i read that they can be fin bitters, but we'll see! I hope i can get them, they will add some nice color to the tank
 
#4 ·
Johnny, with your filtration you still have room for at least 6 or 8 barbs, no problem!.....In mt 55 gallon tetra tank, i have at least 50 tetras of 6 different species and the bio-load is minimal.......If it all possible, i would try (and i say try) to get a good ratio of females to males.........(4 females + 2 males) or something close to that.......In my experience with barbs, the nippiness seems to be lessened by a larger number of the same kind of fish, and if the males are outnumbered by females...........Some barb species can be really hard to sex, especially when they are young and small...........Good luck and let us know how it is going for you!
 
#6 ·
true keep the barbs in numbers to lessen any problems. with your other fish choices I have to side with you not your wife the red tail shark is not a good idea in this case. I keep them in my tanks but i have much larger fish than you are considering, and only 1 per tank to keep the aggression down. Good luck and welcome to a wonderful hobby
 
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