New To Barbs

[Tobigara]

OK...so i have a 10 gal tank set up with 6 very tiny (dime size) tiger barbs. i just bought them last weekend and they seem to behave very differently than i'm used to fish behaving. (i have 3 cichlid tanks) BTW, this set up is temp, i'll have a 30 gal cycled and ready by the time they get much bigger.

for about an hour after i turn the lights on, they all huddle in the corner, heads tilted down and twitching. the water params are fine and they only do this for a while. is it the shock of the light suddenly turning on? is this normal? i really like them and want to make sure they're happy

 

[Majjie]

Sounds fairly normal to me. For all that they're such aggressive fish with each other, and boisterous with other fish, they're quite skittish when they're disturbed. When I do water changes mine all hang together like that ... under the filter at the back of the tank, if they can all squeeze in.

It's quite different at feeding time though - they'd have a finger off, if they could get it in their mouths!

 

[Crazybob]

it could also be that theyre not used to their new surroundings yet. when i first got my green terrors the only thing they did was hide in a corner for about the first week, but now theyre swimming all over the place and having a good ol' time

 

[gourami_fan]

My tiger barbs do this at night up to around 10 in the morning. If the water param. is normal, then it is a normal behaviour. They are just taking a rest or sleeping. They like to sleep near or behind plants so they don't get disturbed. I'm not so sure about the twitching part though. They just float in one spot if thats what you mean.

 

[Straydum]

probably still not used to the enviorment they are in. do they eat?

 

[CrashingWaves]

I had a similar experience when I purchased young tiger barbs a long time ago. After some time they eventually started doing just fine. Mine wouldn't eat for a few days either, but they eventually got over it. Are your fish eating?

God Bless,
Joshua

 

[Tobigara]

i think it was the change in surroundings. they're all fine now. they eat everything i put in there very quickly. like little piranhas

 

[CrashingWaves]

That's awesome to hear, I'm glad they're doing better . Have any pictures?


God Bless,
Joshua

 

[Tobigara]

My home computer is broken so i can't get any pics up at the moment. i kinda have to be sneaky at work to get even a little time in here. i'll borrow a friends laptop tonight and put a couple pics up tonight.

it's so nice to have people interested in seeing them

 

[CrashingWaves]

Alright, just let me know when you get the pictures up

God Bless,
Joshua

 

[Tobigara]

Not sure if you're still interested but heres a few

 

[Iron Man]

These are some of my favorite fish and your look just dandy! They have good color and you said you had 6 in a 10 gallon. Sounds like a good number to me!

I know what you're saying about the twitching part. They can do that....its normal.

 

[Majjie]

They look great Tobigara - although, like you said, they'll do better in a 30g tank in the longer term

I keep mine in a 20g ... so I'm being a tad hypocritical here ... but mine have been in there for more than three years (before I knew any better!) and they're just too boisterous to go in my bigger tank!

 

[Tobigara]

Thanks. i think they look pretty OK too. The tank is temp so i didn't put as much work into the decor as i will when i get the 30 ready.

When i put them in the 30 gal, what could go in there with them? 6 smaller fish seems a bit too few. Can i add more? What esle can i do with them?

 

[CrashingWaves]

Of course I'm still interested in seeing pictures . You have some beautiful little tiger barbs, they have nice coloration. For now the size tank they're in will be just fine, but I'm sure they're looking forward to a larger tank . Keep up the good work

God Bless,
Joshua