Compatibility of Snakeskin Barb?

[Miz]

I know Barbs are generally considered semi-aggressive or worse. However many online sources call the Snakeskin Barb (Puntius rhombocellatus) a relatively passive fish, and good for community aquariums as long as they don't have a huge size advantage over anything. They also only grow 1.5 - 2 inches.

I'm wondering if these would work with Apistogramma? They prefer very similar water conditions. Soft, acidic, heavily planted. They are Indonesian. Some people don't like to mix continents with their fish. That's part of why I'm unsure.

Right now I am still considering options for stocking my 75 gallon tank. Do Snakeskin Barbs seem like a good tank mate for Apistogramma?

 

[aquaticclarity]

They SHOULD be fine with Apistos but the barbs will be a fry eating force to be deat with! So if you just want a "community" tank of nice fish to enjoy I think you will be fine. But if you want to have the Apistos spawn and have any chance of taking care of their offspring then the barbs would not be a good choice.

I also like many of the smaller barb species like the rhombos but I get hung up on mixing species from different continents for some reason! It's only in the past 6-8 months that I set up a planted tank that had plants from different parts of the world! I think it's just a bad case of a "little to much knowledge" that gets me stuck trying to be somewhat geographically correct! Because in the end as long as the fish and plants need similar conditions what does it really matter?

 

[Matt1892]

I also like many of the smaller barb species like the rhombos but I get hung up on mixing species from different continents for some reason! It's only in the past 6-8 months that I set up a planted tank that had plants from different parts of the world! I think it's just a bad case of a "little to much knowledge" that gets me stuck trying to be somewhat geographically correct! Because in the end as long as the fish and plants need similar conditions what does it really matter?

It's funny you say that because I have always been simply worried about conditions, and conteninental wise I never cared, and now recently i have been attempting to setup a south american only tank and it's caused me to start separating my other tanks by continent in both fish and plant species. It almost started bothering me to know they were mixed continents, Haha a little too much knowledge is right.

Snakeskin barbs are cool looking fish though, my buddy had them with Bolivian rams for a while, he moved them once the rams started breeding.

 

[aaronelmaximo]

I actually prefer mixing continents. I do know I'm probably the only one who does, though. I keep Odessa Barbs with my apisto's...