what to do with the tank bully - female tiger barb?

[mikemou]

I have a cycled 55 gal with 7 zebra danios and 2(3 as of yesterday) tiger barbs and 2 albino tiger barbs.

Fri. evening I added 2 male tigers and 1 male 1 female albinos to the tank to accompany the lone female tiger. I did this because I think she's lonely and not very active all by herself, and also in hope to reduce her aggressiveness for future tank mates. She and one of the albino are about 1.5", the new tiger barbs and the other albino are about 1".

All five barbs shoaled for a brief moment before the fish turned aggressive on her new tank mates. She literally chased around every barb in sight relentlessly and eventually fin nipping started.

1 new male tiger had died yesterday morning, 36 hours into the tank. I think he died of stress caused by the bully attacks although there's no visible sign of sickness other than nipped fins. This morning I discovered the other new male tiger is swimming and breathing hard. I fear he is going to die soon.

With no additional tank on hand, what options do I have? I tried to overfeed them a little in desperation to hope for some behavioral changes. I doubt my LFS would take her back. Anything else can I try?

Thanks!

 

[smallfry]

My advice would be to rearrange the decorations in the tank and buy a bunch of tiger barbs (5 or so) and no other new species yet. Add the new barbs at the same time as the rearranging so your bully doesn't have time to get used to his "new" surroundings. This will even the tables out a bit and the larger group of barbs may help balance him out so he can't bully them as easily.

 

[Menagerie]

She simply may be more aggressive than her tank mates. smallfry has a good idea, but you have already added the fish. The next best thing may be to isolate the fish be using a tank divider--relatively cheap at your LFS.

 

[smallfry]

smallfry has a good idea, but you have already added the fish.

You could still do my idea, just don't buy any NEW species...with a larger group of tiger barbs and rearranging...your bully should gradually be distracted from the danios and albinos.
Dividing the tank is ok, but doesn't help your bully to "get along" with other tank mates and may only frustrate him if he still feels like it's HIS tank...IMO. I would try my idea and then if that doesn't work...use the tank divider.

 

[Menagerie]

I only suggested the tank divider instead of buying a QT tank. That is not a long term answer, but it will allow the stressed fish to recover. A fish that is constantly stressed will die.

 

[smallfry]

Menagerie, You are right...the poor fishes will die if they keep getting harrassed.
I hope Mikemou does something soon...

 

[Menagerie]

I should have been more clear in my first post. Sorry for the confusion.
At the very least, separating the fish will save some fish and lots of headaches. As for the bully, she may need to be in a tank with more aggressive tank mates, but if you don't want to start another tank due to one bully...then there are few other choices if the LFS won't tank it back. Plus you don't really want a proven bully to be put in a newbie's tank and all heck breaks loose, the nebie gives up and hates this hobby forever (it's happened, I felt that way about a fish my fiance kept before I started doing my own research and we were able to give the mean fish away).

 

[mikemou]

thanks guys for the advice.
i'll go buy a divider tonight. there really isn't much to rearrange... how much room should i reserve for her without stressing her???

as to getting more tigers, it's sort of weird that although the bully attacks every barbs, its the new tigers that're showing stress(one died the other dying), the albinos got harrased constantly yet seem to be healthy so far. which lead me to believe she attacks her own species more/harder. what if i get more tigers and she keeps killing them?

the danios have been left alone thus far....

Menagerie, you are right about the newbie tank frustration. Even I'm stressed by this bully. Maybe she hates me for putting her through cycling...

 

[Menagerie]

I didn't realize this is a 55 gal. What are your water parameters??
You certainly have room for more fish. I don't keep barbs and would like to see what others have to say about stocking them and aggression.

 

[mikemou]

ammo - 0
nitrite - 0
ph - 7.6
hardness - unknown
nitriate - unknown

finally i singled her out and she's very quite by herself(which is why i bought her company in the first place). the other male tiger barb died before i seperated her.
but all other fishes seem very happy and relieved.

 

[Menagerie]

Sorry to hear the male didn't make it. Where are you keeping Ms. Bully?