Does this seem right? 20 gal Cherry Barb Tank

[RAYDIUM88]

Hey! I'm new here, and I'm a little too concerned over my cherry barbs.

I have a 20-gallon long with a sponge filter. It had cycled for around a month before I put in the barbs. It's planted with a few shoots of ludwigia red skeleton, a crypt wendtii, and two java ferns. I'm sitting at around 20-30 nitrates right now and did a water change yesterday. I put the barbs in yesterday and the day before, starting with 4 and adding 2 the next day. They acclimated for around an hour each and look healthy otherwise, although one female has a nipped tail. Both batches came from different shops if that's important. There are 3 females and 3 males.

Here's the issue: The biggest male (I call him Big Stick) has been bullying the others. I've seen him chasing the others around at lightning speed, which I assume is normal behavior, but he's been harassing the other males into hiding beneath the filter. My tank doesn't have much shelter other than a huge decoration in the center, the plants (all of which are pretty small), and the sponge filter.

What's going on? Do I need to isolate Big Stick? Do I need more females? Is it the water? Is this just normal barb behavior, or do they need to settle in for longer?

HELP!

 

[Andy Sager]

Hey! I'm new here, and I'm a little too concerned over my cherry barbs.

I have a 20-gallon long with a sponge filter. It had cycled for around a month before I put in the barbs. It's planted with a few shoots of ludwigia red skeleton, a crypt wendtii, and two java ferns. I'm sitting at around 20-30 nitrates right now and did a water change yesterday. I put the barbs in yesterday and the day before, starting with 4 and adding 2 the next day. They acclimated for around an hour each and look healthy otherwise, although one female has a nipped tail. Both batches came from different shops if that's important. There are 3 females and 3 males.

Here's the issue: The biggest male (I call him Big Stick) has been bullying the others. I've seen him chasing the others around at lightning speed, which I assume is normal behavior, but he's been harassing the other males into hiding beneath the filter. My tank doesn't have much shelter other than a huge decoration in the center, the plants (all of which are pretty small), and the sponge filter.

What's going on? Do I need to isolate Big Stick? Do I need more females? Is it the water? Is this just normal barb behavior, or do they need to settle in for longer?

HELP!

Hi and welcome to the site.

Your problem is the wrong gender ratio. You want 2 to 3 females per male in a school to help keep the peace. I wouldn't isolate the big male because that will only make the other 2 fight to become the leader. I'd either return the other 2 males or get about 4 more females for the school if you keep the 2 males.
Hope this helps.

 

[RAYDIUM88]

Hello! Thanks for the welcome!

Agh... I see now. I can't believe I missed that None of my aquarist friends have much experience with barbs, so I suppose that's why I wasn't told otherwise. Thank you so much for the advice! I'll definitely get them today.

Big Stick's here to stay then haha

 

[Andy Sager]

Hello! Thanks for the welcome!

Agh... I see now. I can't believe I missed that None of my aquarist friends have much experience with barbs, so I suppose that's why I wasn't told otherwise. Thank you so much for the advice! I'll definitely get them today.

Big Stick's here to stay then haha

With almost all schooling fish and livebearers, (i.e. Danios, Barbs, Tetras, Rasboras, Guppies, Mollies, Platies, Swordtails etc) the more females to male ratio makes for a more harmonious tank. With Barbs and some of the Tetras however, they can get very nippy.
Just an FYI, even with the more females, the other 2 males might still get a bit shy but the extra females will more than likely keep " Big Stick" busy so his focus will be on the females more and not the other males as much.