Keeping Filament barbs

[kyle567]

Hi does anyone else keep filament barbs I have two and they are becoming increasingly aggressive to any fish in the tank. They are chasing fish all day and atempting to nip fins. They aren't even the biggest fish in the tank the gold barbs are bigger. I keep lots of different barbs with them and rainbow fish. Any one else have similar problems?

 

[absolutangel04]

Some barb species are more feisty/nippy than others. I have not kept filaments, but have experience with multiple other barbs. Personally, I would just rehome them and get a few more of the less nippy barbs. Sometimes, if you get enough more of the same species they will be too occupied with each other to bother other fish. but, I would just cut your losses early and trade them in if it was me.

 

[kyle567]

Yeah this is my first big tank so I've kinda gone and got two of all the semi large fish that I've always wanted to keep so I could fit them all in

 

[kyle567]

I've got
5 gold barbs
6 cherry barbs
1 bristlebose pleco
1 albino ruby shark
2 Pakistani loaches
2 bousmani rainbows
2 filament barbs
4 swortails (1 male and a female who's currently growing a tail)

 

[kyle567]

I think I've got most of the fish i wanted now I just want a nice fancy pleco and a couple more bottom dwellers

 

[absolutangel04]

If you have space for another tank, just set up a second tank for the filament barbs. Trust me, more tanks is ALWAYS the answer.

 

[kyle567]

Ahahahah I know I really do want more. I've got 2 musk turtles and a map turtle taking up alot of room and a tortoise aserll

 

[kyle567]

Thinking of getting a small guppy/tetra tank. I had a small tank but it cracked. I accidentally placed it down wrong after cleaning it and the bottom cracked

 

[King Fisher]

Add at least 4 more filament barbs

 

[Andy Sager]

Filimentosa barbs get large. ( approx 4"-5") Larger than the cherrys or the golds. That's one of the reasons they are more aggressive to your other fish. A larger school of them would have them competing more amongst themselves however, that does not guarantee that they won't pick on the smaller fish as a group.
I would seriously consider removing them from your current mix and adding more to them and move them to a larger tank as a school. They are a nice looking larger "barb" fish in schools but can get.......nippy. Mix the with other non territorial or aggressive fish that will also grow to a similar size.

 

[kyle567]

Yeah thanks, I think I'll just give them back to my fish shop when they get bigger than the gold barbs. At the moment the gold barbs are bigger.