I just got a new 125g tank going and don't want to keep up with 3 planted tanks. I need to know if anyone's had a few cherry barbs in with discus and German Rams? I don't want to rehome these guys so I'm hoping you'll say it's okay.
Thanks,
DeBo
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I just got a new 125g tank going and don't want to keep up with 3 planted tanks. I need to know if anyone's had a few cherry barbs in with discus and German Rams? I don't want to rehome these guys so I'm hoping you'll say it's okay.
Thanks,
DeBo
Not OK. the cherry barbs are simply too aggressive. Sorry.
sad face. that's too bad. mine aren't aggressive but maybe they would be in a different setting. thanks for the info
I've always heard barbs to just be too agressive too fast moving and fin nippers which your discus will not enjoy
While I've not kept cherry barbs with discus, I've kept them a number of times in several different community tank set-ups and have not found them to display any aggressive, fin-nipping behavior whatsoever. In fact, quite the opposite - and they're generally regarded as being one of the gentlest, most peaceful members of the Barb family.
See the link below:
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/cherry...eya-16291.html
Seems to me they would make a suitable tank-mate for discus.
Worth a try, imo.
The ones I had way back were terrible fin nippers. Perhaps that trait has been bred out and they're not as aggressive as they once were.
Debo, I suggest that you try it and see how it goes before you re-home the Cherry Barbs that you're so fond of. It would be way cool if it worked for you. Experts aren't always right. If it works for you we will all learn something.
I have never seen any aggression with cherry barbs over the years. I've kept them for years in a number of planted tanks with numerous tank mates both larger and smaller than the barbs. They would chase each other and would dance with their own species but that's it. They like cooler water IME they seemed happier with kept around the 75 degree range. That may pose a challenge but again that's my experience.
Tiger barbs are a different story all together
Generally Discus do not like highly active fish around them and Feeding time will be a real challenge. If you do go that route and add them... you also risk what ever they may be carrying and introduce that to the Discus. Barbs like many Fish are farm raised... and potentially carry a whole host of problems that they are asymptomatic for. (shows no symptoms) . The Discus may react very differently though to that pathogen.
Just on a cost basis, it makes very little sense to mix fish like Barbs with Discus, Imo.
hth ,
al
Keep in mind Debo, that a proper quarantine will obviate the potential problem of any pathogenic transmission.
In my experience with Cherry Barbs, I didn't find them to be particularly active, very unlike a number of other barbs, nor particularly aggressive at feeding times.
Still worth a try - you can always remove them if they display any undesirable behavior.
Thanks everyone for your input.
did you try it?
I have cherry barbs with discus and no problem at all. Pretty passive for a barb imo.
Wow, a thread I can actually comment on after so many years!
I kept Cherry Barbs with Discus. (early days before I concerned my self with Biotopes and was looking more for color).. The key was to have a good sized school. Very similar to keeping Lemon Tetras with Discus... A larger school keeps the fin-nipping at bay.
That was my experience, your mileage will vary.
To contrast.. I tried to keep the Green Mossy Tiger Barbs with Angel Fish (again, early days before I concerned my self with Biotopes and was looking more for color) and that was a disaster.. they pecked at the Angels regardless of their schooling size...
Now, I just couldn't put barbs with any SA Cichlid... but that's my over conscientiousness towards trying to maintain a semblance to a biotype aquarium showing through.
Al, my thought would be what with all of the attention paid to water changes, foods, and tank chemical balances in order to keep the discus happy and healthy why mix any other fishes with a discus tank? A cohabitant that could make a discus family nervous or threaten their eggs or young should they spawn? Why do that?Quote:
Originally Posted by brewmaster15
My experience is anecdotal... Two different Discus groups and no more.
I'd certainly give the opinions of the more advanced discus keepers more weight than my limited examples.