Dead Tiger Barb

[New Boy]

One of my tiger barbs who seemed fine yesterday morning as dead when I got in from work last night - eyes and head ripped up and a few shredded fins but no visible body damage. It was a male and the males have been fighting a bit lately, is it likely to have been killed by another tiger barb or should I be looking at the other tankmates? Do barbs often kill each other in male fights?

Thanks
Andy

 

[Ruby Shark]

Hi New Boy


I'm sorry to hear about your fish.

How long have you had them? How are your water conditions? When fish are stressed they can either become weak(causing others to pick on them) or aggressive. Have you, or did you seen any signs of illness in him or any of your other fish? Sorry for all of the questions. lol I'm just trying to make sure that's what the problem is.


If you are considering new tank mates I would go with something that can handle the speed and toughness of TB's. No slow moving or long finned fish. Again, keeping them in bigger numbers helps to reduce the level of aggression in TB's.


HTH


EDITED BECAUSE I DIDN'T READ HIS SIGNATURE. LOL

 

[Lateral Line]

When anybody says they have Cichlids in a community tank, my suspicions always start to lean in that direction. Possibly unfair, but they always seem to me to be trouble to other small fish. That said, they would do well to catch and kill a TB.

Keep an eye on them is best really. If you had 7, I'd be suprised if the TB's own actions killed it, generally if one is getting bullied badly, you notice it for days before it gets to the lethal point, it will hide, and show obvious stress, (the kind of thing you see when keeping just 2 or 3 fish).