Help Needed With Tiger Barb!

[rocknurworld2006]

Hi i have 4 tiger barbs in my aquarium (i did have 6 but 2 died), 3 of the tiger barbs are fine and no problems they are eating and swimming about together fine, the other one has not eating in a week and im starting to get worried, his behaviour has not changed at all.

he follows the other barbs then stands on his head and sticks all fins out and moves them quickly then as the other barbs go away he follows and does it again and again. as if he is showing himself of to them.

what do i do about his barb as im getting worried he is not eat in a at least a week, but still seems ok??
thanks for any help you can give

 

[WILDER]

Need more info on size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

84litre i have been having problems with ammonia and nitrites on another post on here and posted new levels today
ammonia=0.6
nitrite=0.3
nitrate=5-10

no other fish have been affected by this ammonia problem!
am still doing daily water changes till levels are at 0.

so what do i do about this barb, if only he would start eating, he has no problems swimming
and do you know why he does the headstanding ad showing of to other barbs
thanks

 

[WILDER]

Barbs need to be kept in groups of six to cut the aggression down.
The fish won't feel like eating with the stress of the bad water quallity.
If you just have barbs in the tank, increase aeration, a water change, and add some salt.
A teaspoon to every 5 gallons but add it gradually not all in one dose.
The barb that headstanding not good they die usually when the do this, the cycling tanks took its toll on him, bless him.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Barbs need to be kept in groups of six to cut the aggression down.
The fish won't feel like eating with the stress of the bad water quallity.
If you just have barbs in the tank, increase aeration, a water change, and add some salt.
A teaspoon to every 5 gallons but add it gradually not all in one dose.
The barb that headstanding not good they die usually when the do this, the cycling tanks took its toll on him, bless him.

why does he headstand to the other barbs and he sticks all fins out and flaps them to make them noticible and as the other barbs swim away he follows and does it again like he wants attention! he doesn't headstand on his own, only when he follows barbs to show them and doesn't do this to any other fish, and will repeat this procedure again and again. Is this any kind of barb breeding behaviour???

 

[WILDER]

Ok I get you now thought you meant he was ill headstanding.
Never kept tiger barbs so don't know.
Ask in tropical chat or the barb section of the forum, they will help you more.

 

[Polenth]

Tiger barbs do headstand normally. It's a male thing.

Your real worry is the not eating and the deaths, which looks to be down to poor water quality. Water changes to keep the levels down is about all you can do.

 

[I Love my fishies]

A male Tiger Barb will do headstands to gain the attention of a female this is a mateing ritual so the headsatnds are perfectly normal ............. however it is not good that he isn't eating.

 

[WILDER]

Not good not eating but I put it down to stress of the tank not being cycled.

 

[I Love my fishies]

How are the colours of your Tiger Barb? (do you have pic's) if Tiger Barbs are stressed due to water quality they usually go pale.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

How are the colours of your Tiger Barb? (do you have pic's) if Tiger Barbs are stressed due to water quality they usually go pale.

sometimes he is pale and sometimes ok a few days ago he was hiding in plants and now as ive been doing daily water changes to get ammonia down he is out all the time with other barbs he hasnt eating in at least a week. but has improved

do you think he'll pull through? he does look healthy!

why does he only do the headstands, as all my barbs look male 90% sure they are!
so they're arent any females?

is there anything i can do to help him eat??

 

[I Love my fishies]

he may just be doing it out of instinct .......... its odd but it seems that there are always at lot more male Barbs than females

try feeding them some frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worm he may take to that a little easier if he is turning plae sometimes that means he is unwell or heavily stressed so the best you can try to do is keep up with your water changes and get your water quality up (which is really just a case of waiting for the cycle to complete) and feeding him a good diet.