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okay thanx sir

yes calla, I suppose those would work pretty well too

thanx for all your input

sorry bzash, but koolies or dwarf gourmais cant go in a 5g (wich is the tank I might put them in) unless you ment dwarf croaking gourmai...

itd be cool if kulie loaches could go in a 5g

why don't you try kuhli loach they're fun to watch you can have 8... or dwarf gouramis 4... bout kuhlis i dunno during cycling, but i like them very much and they look very lively in groups. it's just meh though...

awww pam that sounds so sweet

In a five gallon, I have a betta girl and a cherry. That is the best combo. He follows her around the tank, and when he gets too close, she chases him away....he gets it. Then he comes back for more...He's very outgoing I guess. He'll actually come to the surface for food. HER food. She eats his food...But they'll eat in peace together..

They have a cross-species kinda love..

-pam



Last edited by hermelz at 16-Jun-2005 21:36

That's a good point. My cherrys were added last in the tank, so that might have something to do with why they're so shy.

-P

i think it depends on the fish and the surroundings.

i added my cherry barbs early in the stocking period, which gave them more self-confidence, i think. they're moderately active, and they love swiming around. they also not being intimidated by the tetras in feeding time, although the tetras eat like beasts.

what i like most about them is the calm posture of those fish and the wonderful body shape. they're also quite versatile when it comes to kinds of behavior. they seem to do all sorts of stuff around the tank, sometimes together, sometimes alone, sometimes doing something with the plants, and sometimes scanning the gravel.

yes, they're shy, but they open up after a while, in my experience, anyway.

I agree with sirbooks. My pair of cherry barbs are by far the shyest fish in my community tank (with tetras, rasboras, rainbowfish & corys). When I first put them in, they went for hiding among the plants for almost a week (the male especially). I was actually afraid they were going to starve b/c they didn't even come out during feeding times. Now I see them out during feeding time, but a lot of the time they still prefer hiding. Love their colors though, especially the male!

-P

"must disagree with SB above. cherry barbs are wonderful and interesting to watch."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that cherry barbs are not interesting fish. I used to have four of them, and they do grow on you after a while. My point was that cherry barbs do not shoal or swim around the tank like many other barb species, and tend to be on the shy side.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

i had those fish in such a small tank myself, and they were fine.

i must disagree with SB above. cherry barbs are wonderful and interesting to watch.

for cycling, i'd suggest only a pair. and the rest later. don't take needless risks, just wait the few weeks, and enjoy your fish better (all those species live for a long time if treated well)

What would be the best fish for a beginner to put in a 5g? (20ltr).

I was thinking a betta or a couple of cherry barbs beacuse,

Barb- People use them to cycle tanks dont they? If so they must be hardy & if a heater malfunctions theyll be allright for a little while beacuse there cool water fish arnt they?

Betta- So many peple reccomend them,is this beacuse their common or more hardy?

or is there an even hardier fish?

thanx
- dud

there are also mosquitofish, they'd work ok

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

"Barb- People use them to cycle tanks dont they? If so they must be hardy & if a heater malfunctions theyll be allright for a little while beacuse there cool water fish arnt they?"

Though some barb species are commonly used for cycling tanks, the cherry barb is not one of them. They tend to be more delicate than other common barbs (tigers, rosies, etc.), and are not as active or exciting. Though cherry barbs are fairly hardy if kept in a well-maintained tank, I personally don't recommend cycling a tank with them.

And no, they aren't cool water fish.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

cool, thanx tryst that helped alot

2 cherries and a betta would be fine. Guppies are also very hardy and a good choice for small tanks as long as you keep only males since a bunch of fry would quickly overrun a tiny tank. Depending on how good you are with tank maintenance, how good your filtration is, etc. you could even do a pair of cherry barbs and a few male guppies. IME guppies are light waste producers and don't mind being in tight quarters.

My own suggestions: Keep in mind they are a bit overstocked, I keep a lot of small tanks. These will be fairly high maintenance.

Cherry Barb species only (2 pairs) - You will want to densely plant the tank if you go with that option, not really recommended unless you have some experience with them

Cherry Barb Pair + Centrepiece Betta - again plant the tank heavily to help the barbs feel secure, this is a lighter-maintenance option

Cherry Barb Pair + Female Bettas

Cherry Barb Pair + Male Fancy Guppies (3) - Heavily stocked but I think it could work with a lot of plants and good maintenance routine

Cherry Barb Pair + Male Endlers (3) - see above

Cherry Barb Pair + African Dwarf Frogs

okay, 2 barbs & a betta, would it work?

3, hmmm seems a *little* risky I have 2 atm & their doing very well

I also thought if guppies are hardier?

Or you could have three female bettas. Some of the betta babes can be very colorful and pretty. Also full of personality.

i was also wondering about a choice something like urs but im gonna go with a betta

why not a pair of cherrys AND a betta