Are Tiger And Green Barbs Basically The Same?

[KISSfn]

I presumed my 4 Tiger and 3 Green Barbs would consider themselves a shoal of 7 since they are color variants of the same fish. Now I'm not so sure. Do I need 6 of each for them to be happy?

 

[fishguy2727]

Picture in your signature shows tiger barbs and green tiger barbs. Yes, they are color morphs of the same species. Whether they decide to school together, if at all, is up to them. In many cases schooling fish that are comfortable in their tank will not school tightly, or at all.

 

[Lateral Line]

Schooling is a defensive strategy. No perceived threat, no need to school.

 

[KISSfn]

Thanks!

 

[twodoctors]

The only time my barbs school together was when I (naively) added a (small) Jack Dempsey in the tank. Overnight, 12 becomes 11, and the JD went back to the shop.

As a rule of thumb if your schooling fishes are schooling, you are doing something wrong!

Adrian

 

[KISSfn]

My main concern was not if they would "school". I wanted to make sure my Tigers and Greens would see themselves as a group of 7 (which is good), as opposed to 2 small groups of 4 Tigers and 3 Greens.

 

[Lateral Line]

They should see themselves as a single group of seven.

 

[Amunet]

They should see themselves as a single group of seven.

Yep, what they said.
They should see themselves as a single group.
I have green, platinum, gold and regular tiger barbs and they all school together or swim together when they want to.

 

[KISSfn]

Thanks!