# General question



## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

I am a very new fish owner and I will be moving my two cherry barbs from their tiny home which is a 2.5 gallon tank into a 10 gallon. I know that they are a schooling fish and would like to get some more playmates for them but I am also interested in maybe getting a different kind of fish. So here are my questions:

What kind of fish has a fun personality?
What will get along with my cherry barbs?
How many fish can I get before my tank is too full?



Thank you,
Jason


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## zuck (Mar 10, 2005)

Hey Jason welcome to fish forums im fairly new to this site too but can answer your question i would reccomend some neon tetras or some guppies to add constant movement and color to your tank.



-Zuck-


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

How big will they get? How many can I get since I don't want to overload the tank?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

With a 10 gallon tank I wouldn't add a whole lot of fish. Seeing how you are moving your 2 fish over you could probably add another 8 if they were small like many fish in the tetra family.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Sorry, -- Just keep in mind many tetras like to school so keeping them in groups is best.


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## turtlehead (Jan 28, 2005)

the barbs wont like the 2.5 gallon, it's too small.


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## UgLy_eLf (Feb 26, 2005)

From my experience, barbs get vicious after getting used to their home, when I had barbs they would attack my tetra's fins.


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

you could put Zebra Danios with them, that will make your tank good and active,
As far as them barbs, i have never had a problem with them, the once I have had where pretty peacefull fish.
If you go with danios, you might want to add an air stone to your tank so they will have somethng to play in.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

What kind of fish has a fun personality? With me: The Clown Loaches
What will get along with my cherry barbs? Almost all, if the barbs go whith their school 
How many fish can I get before my tank is too full? Your tank is too small. So, maybe the barbs are not ideal here.


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

Thanks everyone! 

I still am not sure what I want to get. I read a little bit about clown loaches and they seem like they would be fun. I am concerned that my 10 gallon would become too small very quickly.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

clown loaches will get too big... try Cories instead. Also I'd add three more cherry barbs to make a nice school. Maybe a gourami but that'd be it.


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

Is there anything that I could get that would not get too big and be fine by itself? You know, does not need to be in a school.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

If it were my tank i would have
5 Cherry Barbs
Paradise Gourami or Dwarf Gourami
and 3 cories.

Cherry barbs are no where near as aggressive as other barbs such as tigers. 

With cherry barbs you've got good red then with a paradise you've got blue and then add some albino corys... then you've got a great color selection! 

With this stock load keep in mind you need to keep up with weekly or bi-weekly cleanings of 25%. 

Also lighter colored cherry barbs are females and males are brighter colored... get a good mix of both.


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

Lexus @ Fri Mar 11 said:


> If it were my tank i would have
> 5 Cherry Barbs
> Paradise Gourami or Dwarf Gourami
> and 3 cories.
> ...


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

lol my molly harasses my tiger barbs... its all within the individual personality of the fish. My tiger barbs, for instance, are the cowards of the tank, get pushed around all the time... while my molly rules over all, and my neons and hatchets have the neutral stance.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

not to argue but green tiger barbs and albino tiger barbs are said to be less aggressive than reg. tiger barbs... also certain fish that are not in schools i.e. barbs and tetras will attack others when feeling threatened.


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

Lexus @ Fri Mar 11 said:


> not to argue but green tiger barbs and albino tiger barbs are said to be less aggressive than reg. tiger barbs...quote]
> 
> 
> Really? Well, maybe I will just get a few green tiger barbs again. I really like the one that I had but he died. The crazy little thing jumped out of the container I put him in when cleaning the tank. I got him back in but he wasn't the same after that. He died about a month or so later.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Yes, I've been told that and when I had reg. tigers and albinos in proper schools the albinos got picked on. What I dont get is they are the same thing only a different color strain. 

I have tigers in my tank now and they are fine, it seems though that the more you buy and the younger they are the less aggressive they are but this is just my experience. The perfect number for me has been 8-10 this has been when they are the least aggressive. 

I've also found that the smaller the tank the more aggressive they are as they like lots of swimming space.

Sorry I got off subject....


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

On Cherry barbs...
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/cherbarb.htm
http://www.petresources.net/fish/cyprinid/cop_tit.html
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_cherry.php
http://www.aquazoo.co.uk/page.cfm/Type=Fish/ID=129
http://www.solodvds.com/remarks.asp?Name=Cherry+Barb&link=Barbs&ID=4

Blue Paradise Gourami (they are goreous gouramis)
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_macropodus.php
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1007
http://www.petresources.net/fish/anaban/mac_ope.html


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

Thank you Lexus! Very good info. I do kind of like the Gouramis. I think I may go to the fish store tonight and do some poking around.


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## JadedTiffa (Mar 2, 2005)

I have a blue paradise Gourami. It chased my nipped my ciclids up so bad, I had to put him in a tank by himself. He almost killed one of them. Just my experience with ONE lol


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

All fish have different personalities, more than likely you won't get a gourami like that


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

I finally moved my two cherry barbs from the 2.5 gallon to the 10 gallon tank and they went crazy. I think they were very happy swimming all over the tank and playing in the bubble wall.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

see how some more room can dramatically change their behavior? Good job at taking ppls advice! Hopefully soon they will have a few buddies to play with. Make sure to test your water parameters often... the tank will most likely cycle these next few weeks... if you have the old filter from the 2.5 gallon, you should run that in your new tank for 3 - 4 weeks


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## Nismo1 (Mar 10, 2005)

The 2.5 gallon did not have a filter. I believe it was just the under gravel thing and a bubbler that help to "filter" the water a little bit. I did however get a bottle of stress coat (I think that is what it is called) to help them ease into the change.

I am a little worried about them getting stuck on the filter in the new tank. I have it turned almost all the way down but I am still concerned since they haven't really grown since I got them.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Well then you'll really need to watch those water parameters just to make sure they make it through the cycle. I wouldn't worry much about them getting stuck on the filter, I have yet to have that happen to a fish that was healthy.


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