Something wrong with my tiger barbs

[OscarCichlid]

I bought 6 tiger barbs for my 30 gallon convict tank. Someone on this board reccomended that i try that. Well it didnt work out. 2 of them were killed and mostly eaten overnight. So this morning i took the remaining four out and put them in my 55 gallon tank. In the 30 they were swimming around very good now they seem to never move. They just stay there in the water with there faces pointed down (not completely vertical but on an angle). i thought that they only had to get used to the water but it has been since about 4 o'clock and it is now almost 12. What could be wrong with them?

 

[Lateral Line]

I'm suprised anyone told you to put small fish in with a Convict, they're evil little sods.

After a stressing experience and a move, I'm not overly suprised they are not happy, I'd give them some more time. Tiger Barbs are, however, sensitive to water quality, so check you parameters to be sure.

 

[OscarCichlid]

I am taking my water to my lfs to be tested today. What should the parameters be tom make them happy??

 

[Lateral Line]

The best answer is ""the same as the tank they were swimming about happily in". The more complicated answer is that Barbs in general prefer soft acidic water, that is not terribly common from the tap as it is unstable. Most tap water is neutral to alkali and hard.

Thing is, unless you really understand chemistry, fiddling with things like pH and hardness is a dangerous business. It is likely your lfs uses tap water, if you use tapwater, then you are not shocking your fish when you buy them.

What I was getting at with water conditions before, is the pollution levels, there should be no ammonia, no nitrite and nitrates should be kept as low as is practical. Barbs are sensitive to pollution, even mild pollution will make Tigers hang their heads as you described.

I still think they should be given a day or so to recover from being moved though, especially if they've had a bad time with that damned Convict.

 

[OscarCichlid]

I will give them more time then because i am sure that my water is very clean. And the nitrate and nitrite levels are normal. It is a 55 gallon tank and there is alot of filtrtion. I have an AquaClear 300 and an Emporer 400.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'm suprised anyone told you to put small fish in with a Convict, they're evil little sods.

Plenty of them in my tank. I have yet to lose any to my convicts and they even have fry. They completely ignore my barbs and tetras

 

[OscarCichlid]

Are females weaker than males?? or less tolerant of water conditions??? I have 2 males and 2 females.. The 2 males seem to be fine and swimming around now but the females are still pointing there noses down...

 

[Morrgan]

Plenty of them in my tank. I have yet to lose any to my convicts and they even have fry. They completely ignore my barbs and tetras.

Perhaps it's because your tank is 10g larger than OscarCichlid's? Or maybe your fish were all added at the same time? Could also be that OscarCichlid's barbs are still small juveniles and can't yet stand up for themselves.

Just thinking out loud here, curious about why some people have luck with certain fish combinations and others don't.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Perhaps it's because your tank is 10g larger than OscarCichlid's? Or maybe your fish were all added at the same time? Could also be that OscarCichlid's barbs are still small juveniles and can't yet stand up for themselves.

Well my tank is technically a 38 gal tall. It's only 9 gallons bigger but i also have a lot more fish that technically "shouldn't" be in there with breeding cons.

Also, the convict pair was the first two fish in the tank. All others were added later.

Also, my barbs are still juviniles ranging from 1/2" to 3/4" long.

The only fish that really gets the "stare down" in my tank is the pleco if he gets too close to the fry. He does get nipped and i'm considering removing him.

 

[OscarCichlid]

I was watching my barbs today and the light went off (its on a timer) well i kept watching and when the light turned off they immediatly started moving all around. They were no longer staring at the gravel. They are not nocturnal. I had my water tested and its fine so i really dont know what eles to do

 

[Mustang5L5]

I was watching my barbs today and the light went off (its on a timer) well i kept watching and when the light turned off they immediatly started moving all around. They were no longer staring at the gravel. They are not nocturnal. I had my water tested and its fine so i really dont know what eles to do

Mine do that as well. It's just natural instinct. When the lights go out that fast they think something is over them and start running for cover. My barbs and my neons go crazy for about 10-15 seconds when i do lights out.

I try to shut the tank light before the room lights but no matter how gradual i try to make it they pretty much dart around like crazy every night.

Also, mine do the head-down thing routinely. They are very active, but once in a while i'll catch a few behind seveal plants swimming in place in a head-down attitude. It's odd but they usually snap out of it and rejoin the group.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> i also have a lot more fish that technically "shouldn't" be in there with breeding cons.

There are people who can spend their whole life striking matches and be fine, others get burned the first time.

 

[Mustang5L5]

There are people who can spend their whole life striking matches and be fine, others get burned the first time.

So true