Help! Tiger Barb

[alexfenton]

Hello, I've had a small tropical tank for almost a year now. Its had 5 happy black tetras in it until I recently added 6 smaller tetras, 2 catfish and a tiger barb. The guy in the shop said the tiger barb would be ok, and he was for weeks, but now he has taken to spending 100% of the time pecking the 5 black tetras (that are double the size of him). I feed them in the morning usually, but now have started to feed them in the evening aswell. One of my nice black tetras now looks like he has a white mark on his eye, and his back fin looks a little ragged. Is it possible that Tiger barb has bitten his eye? If so, is there anything I can do with tiger barb apart from take him back to the shop?
Also, one of the catfishes has completely disappeared without trace. Is it possible he died and the other fish ate him? It all seemed so peaceful for weeks!
The tank is small, maybe 60-70 cm long not sure what the ph value is, but I clean the tank by swapping a pint or 2 of water every week or two. I add a couple of drops of tapsafe to it. I feed the fish quite well 1-2 times a day, and there are quite a few plants in the tank, and a fair amount of algae. Any help of advice would be much appreciated before tiger barb worries my tetras to death!
Alex

 

[Kryten]

Firstly, the guy in the shop should have advised that tiger barbs are nippy fellas

Secondly, most barbs, especially the tiger barbs should not be kept alone, but kept in groups of five or more to be happy

Keeping more may not help the nipping totally though. If you want barbs, the best to keep is a small shoal of cherry barbs say 3 males and 2 females. They are a much calmer, non-nippy barb and just as beautiful as the tiger

 

[alexfenton]

Kryten, thanks for that. I cant help feeling the guy in the aquarium didnt quite give me the full story! Is it possible the white mark on the tetras eye was caused by the barb do you think? If this is damaging to the tetras then I guess my only option is to take the barb back.
Alex

 

[CFC]

If space permits get another 4 or 5 tiger barbs,they will then spend their time fighting and playing with each other this is what the lone one is trying to do with your tetras.The damage to your fish was undoubtedly caused by the barb but if the water quality is good should heal up in time.What is the volume of the tank?you should be changing around about 25% of the water every 2 weeks or 10% every week.Make sure the missing catfish has totally disapeared,a rotting corpse in a small tank can cause disasters especially to the injured fish

 

[alexfenton]

Hi, thanks for that. There should be space for more barbs, but I think I might opt for peace and take the other one back to the shop! Not sure exactly what the volume of the tank is, but its about 70cm long and 30cm wide. I usually change about 10% of the water per week.

 

[bodyshop20]

Hi, I have a 60 gallon tank and found that any bard was a pest in any communial set up.
Get them barbs out and forget them.
Then rest of fish in set up will do this

 

[wherryj]

I have a 55 gallon hex with one tiger barb, one gold tiger barb (I assume an albino of some sort), two green tiger barbs a black barb (again, I assume a variation of the tiger with a reddish face) and a male/female pair of neon rosey barbs.

In the same tank are two rainbow sharks.

Everyone seems to get alone, but the tiger does somewhat harass the gold and green barbs. Not much trouble, and everyone else gets along. I don't think that the barbs have to be given up upon. I believe that if you get enough "nippy" fish to keep the tiger busy, you'll be ok in a community tank.

 

[alexfenton]

I have to agree with bodyshop20 on this one. I havent really got the time to dabble with nippy fish, as the aquarium is only open when Im at work, and its miles away. I left early yesterday and took Tiger barb back, which was a shame, but hopefully it'll give my tetras a chance to recover. One of them looks a little sick really, as his eye has gone a bit white. Im pretty gutted at the staff from that aquarium and their advice! Thanks to all of you for your words of wisdom, much appreciated.
Alex