# Tiger Barbs and a Puffer



## nalu86 (Oct 19, 2010)

Tiger barbs do better in schools. 
bring your puffer back and buy 5 more tiger barbs.
Also, your puffer will need salt.
What size of tank do you have?


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## Zimmy (Jun 9, 2010)

I apparently am one of the people that fell for this:

http://www.greenspottedpuffer.net/walmart.htm

I have 5 tiger barbs and 2 rosy barbs in a 10 gallon, but I will be returning this puffer fish.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I'd suggest getting a bigger tank. A 10G is not big enough 7 barbs. Don't follow the 1 fish per gallon rule. The barbs will grow too big for the tank.


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## J-P (Oct 17, 2010)

Depends on what kind of puffer, but when you put 2 aggressive fish in a tank the outcome is not usually good.

You can choose 1 or the other but not both.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

It was a pre-emptive strike by the barbs. They know that when they fall asleep the puffer would have its time.

I agree, more barbs would be better. A bigger tank would be in order though. Aggressive fish tend to get more aggressive when cramped.


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## Zareth (Dec 13, 2010)

I've got 7 barbs in a 20 gallon.. and because of the speed of these fish and the way they like to interact throughout the day, I think a 30 gallon should really be considered the minimum for tiger barbs. 
I would love to have a 40 gallon breeder dedicated to about 16 tiger barbs, and I can't imagine keeping 7 in a 10 gallon. 
When these fish are fed well they are very active, mine chase eachother all day long and most are around 2" long and 1" or more tall, and I purchased all of these as juveniles at my LFS, they grew to this size in a 20 gallon.
As for the puffer, I wouldn't submit him to the stress of so many barbs in such a small area. 
The barbs I have were hard on other fish I had tried in the tank, they constantly swim and play games with eachother, anywhere in the tank, and 2 or 3 tiger barbs chasing each other all around the tank, high and low, is enough to stress any fish, IMO, unless its in a larger tank.


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## scapegoat (Jun 3, 2010)

i've got 7 tigers in my 55g and they always "welcome" any new fish with some picking on. after awhile they ignore the newbie and go along their merry way chasing and nipping at each other.


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## Zimmy (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the input guys, I was considering getting a larger tank, but this thread put me over the edge on my decision.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

just a quick thing here...

The puffers do need salt, but the tiger barbs can usually handle enough salt to make the tank slightly brackish, I actually heard a few days ago about someone who had a green spot puffer and a school of tiger barbs in the same tank for years without an issue... I kinda think its on a tank to tank basis about judging how these 2 types will act...

just my opinion, but it may be worth a shot if you have a space to keep the puffer if it does not go well...


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## J-P (Oct 17, 2010)

F22 said:


> just a quick thing here...
> 
> The puffers do need salt,


again it depends on the puffer. Green spotted, Figure 8s and Ceylons are brackish and GSPs can go full marine.

There are also a number of FW puffers.


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## LICfish (Oct 9, 2010)

Agree with J-P. It really depends on what kind of puffer. But it seems that you got the green spotter puffer which is not freshwater. Here's a link for more info. http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/


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## The Antagonist (May 8, 2021)

nalu86 said:


> Tiger barbs do better in schools.
> bring your puffer back and buy 5 more tiger barbs.
> Also, your puffer will need salt.
> What size of tank do you have?
> [/QUO





nalu86 said:


> Tiger barbs do better in schools.
> bring your puffer back and buy 5 more tiger barbs.
> Also, your puffer will need salt.
> What size of tank do you have?


Obviously there talking about freshwater fish 🙄 NOT saltwater


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## Kona . (29 d ago)

I kept a piranha with 8 green barbs and 2 clown loaches.never had a problem.but I got them small.the piranha was a golding.but it's a 150gal.with a lot going on .so everyone has caves plants and power heads for streams current.never pick on each other.but I kept them fed.I believe it's the youth age and the size tank.making them a happy family.


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