Ugh tiger barbs

[Flossie]

I have five tiger barbs in a ten gallon.,, I was told it would probably be ok and read I can start them off in a ten gallon but I noticed one of them are almost completely missing their pelvic fin... I am wanting a 29 gallon but I can't get it right away,?? Any advice as to keep aggression down ??? I don't want them to kill each other

 

[shadyfish]

Try and Limit the amount of males to females meaning keep more females than males keep them in groups of 5 or more this will cut down agression and offer plenty of hiding spots good luck

 

[Flossie]

Okay that sounds good I do have five three tiger and two albino barbs

 

[shadyfish]

I had a small school of 5 harlequin barbs but one died but the remaining four hardly ever infight now my rts hates them she will Chase them all day long if she wasn't such a greedy pig with her food

 

[fishguy1]

Try and Limit the amount of males to females meaning keep more females than males keep them in groups of 5 or more this will cut down agression and offer plenty of hiding spots good luck

IME this is not a solution. This seems to be a generic response that people regurgitate. The immediate problem is the 10 gallon tank. There is nothing you can do to alleviate aggression in this situation, as they tank is way too small for them. A 29 gallon is the absolute minimum needed for long term "success". Tiger barbs will kill each other in small tanks like that....even in a 29.

Keeping the school size up is in no way a guarantee that they won't be aggressive. Moreover, way more than 5 are needed to have a balanced school. It can help to increase the school size, or it could just mean there are more fish to be aggressive in the tank. People offer this as an absolute solution and it just isn't so.

Keeping more females than males is also not a good idea. They aren't guppies. If you don't have enough males, then the aggression from the dominant male is focused on one or two other fish - NOT good for the other male(s). More males means the aggression is spread around more. I've kept tiger barbs, and other barbs, for many years and they all do best in an even m/f split.

 

[Flossie]

So would a 29g be to small too ?

 

[Flossie]

And are they still that aggressive in a larger tank??

 

[fishguy1]

A 29 is on the edge - there are still breakdowns in the school from time to time, but its not nearly as bad or as often as in a smaller tank. The bigger the tank, the less problems there generally are. Since I've moved mine from a 29 to a 55, I have not had any missing fins or fish ejected from the school. It's rare for people to report problems with them in a large tank.

 

[Flossie]

Awesome ... Thanks fish guy... I'm going to try and see if I can do something about the situation... Any fish u recommend for a ten ???

 

[Flossie]

Lol @ shadyfish... Some fish are pigs about food

 

[fishguy1]

Small, peaceful and sedate ones Small tanks don't mix with big, aggressive, active fish.

 

[Flossie]

I jumped in to fast... Should have dine more research at the start... Thanks for ur help