help with community tank

[genitor]

Hi everyone,

I have a 15 gallon with a pair of angels in it. I want to add a small school of tiger barbs. I know they nip the fins of slow moving fish so i was wondering if they would trouble the angels or if they would concentrate their aggression amongst themselves. Also will tiger barbs, albino tiger barbs and green barbs school together? I want to get some color variety. Also thinking of adding a couple of gouramis, not too sure what type, it depends on what i can find at the lfs's and some small corys.

[KneeKickLou]

The tigers would not mix with the angels in that tank. In order to keep barbs from nipping they need to be in groups of at least 6 if not more and that might not even stop them. Also your angel will quickly outgrow your tank so my sugesstion is either take the angels back and get some barbs if you want them or start working on setting up a larger tank for you angels 29 or more for a pair I would suggest.

[Nautilus29]

ya your tank is a little small for the angels. expecially if you wanted to add more fish.

[Abbeys_Mom]

With a 15g, I would skip the angels (definitely too big for the tank) and go for some dwarf or honey gouramis. Barbs are very aggressive and you might have problems with them in a tank that small. Try tetras, rasboras, white cloud minnows or danios if you want schooling fish. Corys would be great "bottom" fish, just don't get too many.

[Incredulous_Ed]

The 15g is way too small for the angels. All tiger barbs will school together, whether they be albino, green, or regular

[genitor]

The angels seem to be happy in the tank, not cramped for space at all and they always stay in one corner of the tank and not swim around much. Also the tank is highly over filtered with two hob's rated for 20 gallons each and a sponge filter. The over filtering was to accomodate a couple of tinfoil barbs and kois that i had purchased very small and had gotten too big for the tank, I recently sold these and kept the angels and I'm now thinking of restocking with fish that won't get too large.

[jeffs99dime]

barbs need a fair amount of space and a 15 gallon isn't going to cut it. i wouldn't put them in with angels either

[Glasstapper]

The angels seem to be happy in the tank, not cramped for space at all and they always stay in one corner of the tank and not swim around much. Also the tank is highly over filtered with two hob's rated for 20 gallons each and a sponge filter. The over filtering was to accomodate a couple of tinfoil barbs and kois that i had purchased very small and had gotten too big for the tank, I recently sold these and kept the angels and I'm now thinking of restocking with fish that won't get too large.

Since angels are slow swimmers, they may not like your strong current from the filtration. That might be why they stay in one corner and don't swim around. Is there a way you can adjust the flow so it isn't so strong and doesn't toss them around?

[genitor]

The flow rate on my filters are adjusted so they don't produce a strong current, i think a low flow rate through the filters enable the water to be in contact with the filter media and hence the beneficial bacteria for a longer period of time.
I'm definitely not going to get barbs after the advice you guys have given me, I'm open to suggestions of other tank mates for the angels.