# Convict Cichlids & Tiger Barbs?



## ConvictCichlidDude (Jun 2, 2014)

I have a 55 gallon tank, 4 Convicts 2 male and 2 female. Both the females had eggs. I heard I can put about 14 convicts in my tank but instead id like a more colorful species of fish. and from all *** researched, I heard fast fish like Tiger barbs can go in? (I also have a rosy red minnow and a common pleco in the tank) Sorry about all the questions if youve seen me around before, im just pumped and full of researching questions ever since I got these fascinating convicts! So heres the questions: How many tiger barbs can I put in, Will they be alright, and will my convicts hurt them? (The convicts are pretty adult size since *** got them from my uncle and he gave em to me pretty big and Macho :lol: 8))


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

I've tried tiger barbs with cichlids a few times in the past and they never last. The last time was many years ago. I bought 6 tiger barbs and placed them in a 100 gal. (48" x 24" x 21") with a bunch of very young convicts. The tiger barbs were actually larger then the cons to begin with. With in less then 6 months all the tiger barbs had been killed.
Not saying tiger barbs can't work or it never works, but if you want somthing that is small, a so called dither fish, I think giant danios would stand much better chance.
I have had lot's of success keeping blue/gold/3-spot gouramis with breeding cichlids, even in some very small tanks. Plastic plants that go all the way to the surface, definitely will help them out. Paradise fish (_Macropodus opercularis_) is another that will do similar to the 3-spot gouramis (_Trichopodus trichopterus_).


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## stalefish83 (May 22, 2014)

Barbs like to hang out around the bottom to middle of the tank. This is also where the convicts want to be, and they won't take kindly to intruders. You should look into some top dwellers, like danios as BC said.


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