Barbs

Question
QUESTION: I have a 40 gallon tank with one good size angel fish and one good size silver dollar can I put a small school of full grown tiger barbs like 4 or five of them with them I thought they are all in the semi-aggressive fish type someone told me I should never put barbs with angels together as they will fight bad.

ANSWER: Hi Thomas,
The answer is "No"  Tiger Barbs are fin nipping fish, and they would harrass your Angel causing her stress.  A Silver dollar grows to be about 6-8 inches in diameter. You could add a school of Tetra Emperors, or Danios, or a few platys.  You could also add 4-5 cory catfish if you do not have any bottom fish.  This would be your limit.  Do not add them all at once if you decide to get these.  This would change your water chemistry, and would be deadly for your fish.  Add two, then wait one week, do a 25% water change, check your water chemistry, and if your ammonia level is zero, nitrites zero, and nitrates are low, then you add two more.  Do this until you have reached the number of fish you want in your tank.
Sorry about the Tiger Barbs.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What other fish would be good with Angelfish the angel fish is 5 inch in diameter without the fins that's just the body I tried putting giant danios, rainbowfish, mollies, and a same size african brown knife fish the angelfish basically killed them he doesn't bother the silver dollar for some reason and it's half its size I had a blood parrot cichlid in there before but I took it out because it was getting picked on now thats in a different tank.

I never placed a bottom dweller in there before so how big of a cory should I look for, the silver dollar is peaceful never had a problem with it so I'm not worried about it being mean.  I never tried tetras, is the emperor tetra would be the only tetra to go with them.

But thanks for letting me know about the tiger barbs.

Answer
You have one wicked Angel Fish!  She has taken the whole tank as her territory, and there is no fish she will accept.  It's lucky for the silver dollar that she does not attack him.  Angel fish should be called Devils!  She must be a beauty.  If you really want to keep her, you should consider getting her a tank of her own.  Silver dollars are also a schooling fish, and should not be alone in a tank.  Forget my suggestions, she will kill them too!  I had no idea how bad she was!  Some are terrible, I know because I breed them.  They are Cichlids, and cichlids are aggressive, and territorial.  When left too long in a tank, they make their territory, and this Angel has taken the whole tank!!  When put in small, they usually get along, but you can never be sure.  One can grow up to be a real boomerang!
The only thing I would try now would be two silver dollars.  Before putting them into the tank, I would change all the decor..place your plants, and rocks in differently so that the Angel is less comfortable.  I would also make sure the the pet store would take the Silver Dollars back if things didn't work out, and give me a credit.  You will see this right away.  After putting them into the tank, if she attacks them, she will never stop.  Be ready to remove them, and bring them back, and then you never know, they could get along.  It's a throw of the dice.
I would really consider getting her a tank of her own, as she seems to be healthy.  We cannot blame them, this is their personality.
I would also like to mention that Mollies do not do well with Angels because they need very different water.  The Angel fish need acidic water, and the Molly needs alkaline, and salty water.
I hope this works out for you.
Lynda