billberet
Aquarium Advice Freak
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- Apr 11, 2012
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- 393
so can anyone tell me what my barbs are doing, this went on for 40 min!!!!!! here is a short clip, there was a crowd gathering so i had to break it up.
The Barb Dance
- Thread starter billberet
- Start date
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jcolon
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ha ha, I had the same thing last week and the same two today.
No worries, it's just two males going at it for dominance of the shoal, perfectly normal with T-Barbs. Don't be surprised if one of them goes into hiding for a few days or so to sulk after losing it's dominance status. If you have a few other males, you can expect to see the same thing every few months or so.
Don't break it up, let 'em be, it's how they sort out their hierarchy. Next time, pop some corn, grab a seat and enjoy the show!
No worries, it's just two males going at it for dominance of the shoal, perfectly normal with T-Barbs. Don't be surprised if one of them goes into hiding for a few days or so to sulk after losing it's dominance status. If you have a few other males, you can expect to see the same thing every few months or so.
Don't break it up, let 'em be, it's how they sort out their hierarchy. Next time, pop some corn, grab a seat and enjoy the show!
OP
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billberet
Aquarium Advice Freak
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- Apr 11, 2012
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gotcha, so this is the MMA version for T-Barbs.
i figured it was for mating or fighting. I have 5 albino barbs and 2 regular black striped ones, so far it's only the albino's that do it. my one black striped barb is about 2x the size as all the rest, he's getting HUGE. watch the video again, at 11 seconds he makes his debut. i swear he watches all the fights closely. Funny stuff.
well i can't tell sex so i just assume it's a he. He just lumbers around watching the other barbs go at it, and all the other community fish just stay out of their way, lol
i figured it was for mating or fighting. I have 5 albino barbs and 2 regular black striped ones, so far it's only the albino's that do it. my one black striped barb is about 2x the size as all the rest, he's getting HUGE. watch the video again, at 11 seconds he makes his debut. i swear he watches all the fights closely. Funny stuff.
well i can't tell sex so i just assume it's a he. He just lumbers around watching the other barbs go at it, and all the other community fish just stay out of their way, lol
jcolon
Aquarium Advice Addict
The best way to tell is males will have red on their noses and more red on their fins.
You saw 40min worth, chances are they've gone at it a few times before. I'd see the the same two go at it over and over in spurts. And yeah when TB's go at it, everyone stays out of their way. It's Hilarious, my RTS IS the top dog of the tank, but it wanted no part in the fracas that was taking place today. Where ever my two TB's were going at it, my RTS would go to the opposite end. I've seen other oblivious barbs literally swim into fights and just got twirled around and around.
The main thing to look out for is if one feels so stressed after it loses it hides all the time.
I had this one male Albino who was the smallest barb and for the first year it went toe to toe with every male. It would lose, but it still had that swagger. Then after one of it's losing bouts, I noticed it just hid under DW all the time. After a while I noticed it's fins were getting nipped. I eventually had to put it down as it was just bullied to the point it was a wreck.
Sucks but it goes with the territory on how TB's establish their Hierarchy. Low man on the totem pole, usually the smallest TB ,is perceived as the weakest thus bullied.
You saw 40min worth, chances are they've gone at it a few times before. I'd see the the same two go at it over and over in spurts. And yeah when TB's go at it, everyone stays out of their way. It's Hilarious, my RTS IS the top dog of the tank, but it wanted no part in the fracas that was taking place today. Where ever my two TB's were going at it, my RTS would go to the opposite end. I've seen other oblivious barbs literally swim into fights and just got twirled around and around.
The main thing to look out for is if one feels so stressed after it loses it hides all the time.
I had this one male Albino who was the smallest barb and for the first year it went toe to toe with every male. It would lose, but it still had that swagger. Then after one of it's losing bouts, I noticed it just hid under DW all the time. After a while I noticed it's fins were getting nipped. I eventually had to put it down as it was just bullied to the point it was a wreck.
Sucks but it goes with the territory on how TB's establish their Hierarchy. Low man on the totem pole, usually the smallest TB ,is perceived as the weakest thus bullied.
OP
OP
billberet
Aquarium Advice Freak
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thanks for the info, i'll keep an eye on them.
I had one barb that was put thru the ringer, but he's slowly recovering now that the winner is fighting with another. it usually starts up every few weeks, and usually when i'm doing a water change.
so far it's just spinning and locking jaws, one becomes dominant for a few weeks, then the whole thing starts over again.
I had one barb that was put thru the ringer, but he's slowly recovering now that the winner is fighting with another. it usually starts up every few weeks, and usually when i'm doing a water change.
so far it's just spinning and locking jaws, one becomes dominant for a few weeks, then the whole thing starts over again.
