i just got 2 tinfoil barbs

Question
hey i just got 2 tinfoil barbs i know your suppos to have atleast 3 or 4 but i only have a 10 gallon tank and i have a shark and catfish in there already so i didnt want it to be crowded i have been feeding them tropical fish flakes and tubeflex worms and they seem to like them but what i need to know. is a 10 gallon tank to small for them and what else can i feed them do they eat ghost shrimp cause i had 5 in there and i dont see them anymore so im wondering if they ate them?

Answer
HiYa!

In no uncertain terms,the 10gallon tank is not only too small for 3 or 4 tinfoil barbs, its too small for even two of them PLUS your shark and catfish.

Tinfoils grow to approximately 14 inches, so an aquarium of at least 100gallons is recommended to keep a school of them, which as you know is how they should be kept (4/5 of them).

The two that you already have won't last long in your 10gallon before outgrowing it and fast, so you will find yourself either getting rid of them or upgrading your tank. When you bought them did you tell the store you bought them from what size tank you had? It frustrates me when stores sell fish irresponsibly when they should be asking you basic common questions to make sure you have the correct set up for the fish that you are purchasing!

You can try them on a variety of foods and go with what they like, fish are very individual and what one tinfoil may like, another may not, so it's really trial and error.

Hope this helps!

Cheers! Rach