# Ten gallon tiger barb tank



## Salix (Apr 4, 2010)

When I first decided to own an aquarium a year and a half ago, the tiger barbs were the first fish that caught my eye. They're very active, they school together, and they're pretty damn cute. When the sales clerk told me that they're semi-aggressive and I wouldn't be able to keep them with the other fish I wanted (mollies and platies), I gave up on thinking I would ever have some because I couldn't afford another tank. 

10 weeks ago a 45 gallon set up was given to me for free from a friend of my aunt's and I have moved my platies into that, and they will soon be joined by mollies and maybe a couple of guppies. I decided to house some tiger barbs in the ten gallon tank and took advantage of 5 for $5 deal that was going on at a local pet store. I am so not disappointed with that decision.

I was just wondering if there is there anything special I need to know about owning these little guys. Everything I've read online, on this site and others, all say basically the same thing: they can tolerate a wide rage of water parameters, give a variety of foods including flake, vegetable, and live or frozen, and do regular water changes (that last one is a given). Is there anyone who owns these who has more to add? Thank you for your time.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

The most special thing you need to know is that a 10 gallon tank is too small for Tiger Barbs. That said, I personally would move my Tiger Barbs into the 45 gallon with your platys. My Barbs get along fine with my platys. I would also increase the number of Barbs to at least 8. If you have them in a large enough group, they will be just fine with the platy's. Barbs are very active fish and need swimming room. A 10 gallon doesn't offer them enough space for that.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

I agree. A ten gallon is too small for tiger barbs. Mine are in a 55 gallon with some cichlids and they have "races" back and forth the full length of the tank (4 ft). They can be very hyper so lots of swimming space is needed. And they do get some size on them when full grown. With more space and a bigger group they will keep their naughtiness focused within their own group.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*active schooling fish*

if you want to do them justice thow em in the 45 ...and dont forget the emerald green tigers and the platinum color morphs...all are compatible...


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## Salix (Apr 4, 2010)

The woman at the pet store said these only get a little over two inches fully grown. There were two different tanks of tiger barbs, the "mini" tigers, and the ones that get larger that were already almost three inches in size. If these do start to out grow the ten gallon, I'll get them their own larger tank. The 45 is going to be a community tank with platies and mollies, maybe some guppies, and I won't have room for them in there. If push comes to shove I'll give them to my brother's friend. They have a few aquariums with room for more.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

The "mini" tiger barbs are just young ones not yet full grown.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

Salix said:


> and do regular water changes (that last one is a given). Is there anyone who owns these who has more to add? Thank you for your time.


hi
i have not long lost some,so i think i can chime in.
my filter packed up while i was away last week,anyhoooooo
give them as much room as you can,they are active fish,who enjoy a good swim.
plant the tank on either side,with large area for swimming,don't put them in with slow moving fish,
the larger the group the better(i can't convey that any more ),keeps squabbling to themselves then.
watch aquarium decor,then can and will explore things,and i lost a couple to getting wedged in holes
that was in the drift wood i had in the tank,i had to cut the wood in the end which made it rather more
misshapen than i wanted but i guess it made it querky.
they would feed from my fingers,and pick at my skin when i did anything in the tank.
i had mixed colours,and they all got on great.
dingdong.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Honestly even as small as they are at this point, it is still a matter of not having enough space for them to swim about. They are very active fish so it is not just a case of "they FIT into the tank" They NEED a lot of room for swimming. I honestly wish I had a tank larger then my 60 gallon for them. Also, the larger the group, the better off they are. I think 8 is a minimum amount. If you have the option to get another larger tank like a 50 gallon, that would be best for them. Again, you could put the Platys in with them, they get along fine.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Salix said:


> The woman at the pet store said these only get a little over two inches fully grown. There were two different tanks of tiger barbs, the "mini" tigers, and the ones that get larger that were already almost three inches in size. If these do start to out grow the ten gallon, I'll get them their own larger tank. The 45 is going to be a community tank with platies and mollies, maybe some guppies, and I won't have room for them in there. If push comes to shove I'll give them to my brother's friend. They have a few aquariums with room for more.


The tiger barbs are not likely to live long enough to give to your brother who may or may not want them depending on what other species of fish he is keeping.(fin nipping)
As others have pointed out, tiger barbs are super active fish that need much more swimming room that ten gallons. They will quickly become stressed and I would expect them to begin eliminating themselves due to stress from being crammed into a too small tank. 
Take the fish back, or give them proper size tank. Keeping them in ten gallons is equivalent to keeping an eagle in a bird cage.


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## Salix (Apr 4, 2010)

I'll be taking them back to the store when I get the chance. I'm too afraid to put them in with my platies. The 45 isn't finished being set up so there are not very many hiding places, and the barbs are more aggressive than I thought they would be. There's one that is slightly bigger than the others and is constantly harassing them. At first it was just nipping every once in a while and they would go back to school together. Now it's constantly chasing the others and I can tell they're starting to get stressed. I have him separated from the others in a breeder box as a temporary solution, but either today or tomorrow they're going back. I talked with my brother's friend again and what they meant by "yeah we'll take them if you can't" is "yeah I'm sure our Oscars would love a snack". So it's back to the pet store for them. And next time I'll make sure to ask questions on this forum before purchasing a species I've never dealt with.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

we all make mistakes,that's how we learn.
hopefully what you choose next someone on here will
be able to help you with.
wish you the best of luck.


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## Salix (Apr 4, 2010)

Thanks for the luck. I think for now I'll just stick with platies and mollies. They seems peaceful enough. Sure one of my platies can be a little territorial now and then but it's only when the others get too close and she feels crowded. This little tiger barb was seeking out the others in their hiding places and going after them. Seeing them so stressed out was getting me stressed as strange as that is. So peaceful community fish seem to be the ones for me.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

it will stress you out because you care 
that's why you're doing the right thing.
tiger barbs are funny things at the best of times,somtimes you can
get some and they are like kittens,other times they may as well be Tigers lol
you could always look to keep them aagin if you get the chance of another big tank.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I am so happy that you are making the right decision for your fish. I hope they can each be re-homed into a larger tank. Once they have plenty of room and a large enough group, they are quite comical fish and fun to keep. The aggression that you witnessed is most likely due to inappropriate living conditions. Maybe some day when you get a larger tank, you can try them again. 

My Tiger Barbs keep me entertained for hours watching them swim around the tank chasing each other. In the group, the chasing is more fun loving play fighting like a group of young boys running about. They all get along fine, they just can't help but push and shove a little ha ha They don't bother my Platys at all. In fact, sometimes, my Platys seem to school with them a bit. If the Platys end up having babies, I will have to let you know how that goes.


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