tiger barbs

[vaquero]

Ok I think I have a bully albino tiger barb. I have 3 albino tiger barbs and have..er had 2 tiger barbs. One is dead with part of its face gone, and 1
(which i don't think will survive the night) With a lot of its face gone. I don't think its the bala sharks they don't usually eat tiger barbs(mine are not quite 2"(balas), WTF!!!! I will take them to my LFS and get 2 more albinos giving me 5 in a school. Any thoughts from the forum??????

 

[bettaowner]

How big is the tank. Starting off with a large school of tiger barbs would be better. So maybe get another tank for the barbs.

 

[vaquero]

55 gallon. I talked to my pet store where I got them, and i am going to bring the two back one is still alive although I can't figure out how, and I am going to get two more albino barbs.

 

[tamtam]

As mentioned the bigger the school the better, personally I wouldn't go any less than 7 in a school and more is better but with 2 balas in that tank I don't think you have the space to push too much. That tank won't be long term for 2 balas either.

The more tiger barbs there are the more they are able to disperse their torment over each other instead of focusing on 1 or 2 fish in the tank.

 

[vaquero]

ya i know but this tank is temporary until i get the 125 gallon installed. Oh and I have five balas not just two. Y=they are around two inches long now, but not tiger barb hungry. Do you know why my balas stay in one part of the tank and just seem to stare out of the tank?? I think they are looking at their reflection or something.

 

[vaquero]

How big is the tank. Starting off with a large school of tiger barbs would be better. So maybe get another tank for the barbs.

Definatly researched fish and tiger barb and bala ok together, thats why i think it was the albinos that did the damage.

 

[tamtam]

ya i know but this tank is temporary until i get the 125 gallon installed. Oh and I have five balas not just two. Y=they are around two inches long now, but not tiger barb hungry. Do you know why my balas stay in one part of the tank and just seem to stare out of the tank?? I think they are looking at their reflection or something.

are the tiger barbs hassling them? To me that behavior sounds like they may be experiencing stress of some sort. At 2 inches they very well could be TB targets.

 

[vaquero]

not hassling the balas, they just swim around as i watch them this am. Some of the balas just stay in one spot kinda vertical head up the others horizontal I thik ill put some kind of back ground on the ends to stop them from staring at themselves..

 

[tamtam]

not hassling the balas, they just swim around as i watch them this am. Some of the balas just stay in one spot kinda vertical head up the others horizontal I thik ill put some kind of back ground on the ends to stop them from staring at themselves..

what is your tank decor like? Do they have lots of hiding spots?? Maybe it's the wide open feeling that is stressing them out? I know when I didn't have a backing on my tank it really stressed my gourami out. I put the backing on and rearranged my tank to provide more cover and he's been great ever since. Until then he would just hang out in the corner on the back.

 

[DavidAl]

Look into the five-banded barb, Puntius pentazona. They look like the tiger barbs, but are much more peaceful. I don't think there is an albino variety though.

David

 

[vaquero]

well just got home with 2 more albinos and they seem to be doing okay. I did notice one of the older ones that it is trying to sneak up on the silver dollars. If he is the agressive one back he goes.

 

[vaquero]

yes ok I singled out one Albino barb and found it to be really aggressive. It was following my Silver Dollars and trying to nip at their fins. So it was taken out of the tank, returned to fish store and I replaced it with a non aggressive Albino. All seems well now.