Is this true about gold barbs?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Scottyhorse

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
3,823
Location
Washington
The guy at the LFS said I should ditch my gold barbs since they will get large and terrorize my tank. Is this true? I really like them, but if they are going to beat up my other fish, I will trade them out for something. The plus side to that is I would be able to try some other cool fish.
But before I do that, I'd like to get other people's opinions, if you have kept them before.

Thanks.
 
always a good idea to research every fish before buying and putting into your tank

Gold Barb

anyways according to that is says they are a peaceful fish, person at the LFS is probably saying that due to most barbs being fin nippers like tiger barbs for example.
 
I've never heard of gold barbs being terrorizers. They are active fish, as is most barbs, but certainly not terrorizers. I keep a similar barb, the Odessa barb, and I can tell you that they are never in one place for too long before they jet across the tank to a different location. I suspect the gold barbs are similar in behavior.

That said, fish have individual personalities so keep an eye on them. I think in due time you will be able to dispel your fish store's advice.

David
 
That's what I thought also. I figured they were similar to cherry barbs.
I guess it is good they are peaceful so I can keep them, but also bad because I would like to add some more fish, but I am thinking I would be overstocked.
 
Gold barbs are active, like all barbs. I had a group of 3 along with similar barbs. They never sat still and weren't nippy.
 
From what I've been told, the more barbs you have, the less they tend to bother their tankmates. If you keep them in small numbers or small tanks then yes, they can get to be bullies, but that tends to be true of many fish species. As long as you have 6+ in a tank appropriately sized they should be fine community tankmates.
 
I had 5, but one of them died and then was gutted. Not a good way to wake up! :(
I'm going to add another.
 
Hello there. I have 6 in a 28 gal om their own (soon to be joined by a pair of keyholes) and they are superb fish. They eat like pigs and are always on the move. As long as the numbers are kept up the heirachical behaviour shouldnt cause atual damage. Mine have never fin-nipped. Give them a varied diet and they will blossom in greens, oranges and obviously golds lol.

Regards.
 
I also love mine to death! They are clowns! That's why I was wondering if I really have to give them up.
 
Back
Top Bottom