The Truth about Tiger Barbs and why you should NOT buy aquarium or farm grown.

[Stan510]

He tells the whole truth starting around 14:20. Tiger barbs are NOT community tank fish and he says generations of Tiger barb species hybrids has created a fin eating monster sold all across the world.
I used to breed them..and if I didn't keep breeding them ,I would end up with one 3" fat mama who had won the last barb standing- they killed each other off. Basically our old Tiger Barb friend has been bred into a psychotic killer.
Listen how he tells you wild Tiger Barbs are not holy terrors...Interesting history.

 

[Retired Viking]

cool, thanks for posting

 

[madmark285]

and if I didn't keep breeding them ,I would end up with one 3" fat mama who had won the last barb standing- they killed each other off.....
Basically our old Tiger Barb friend has been bred into a psychotic killer.

Just to be clear, are you speculating or did that really happen ie: your Tiger Barbs ended up killing each other off? I am in the process of setting up a Tiger Barb tank, I had no issue with my first Tiger tank I had long ago, 20+ barbs in a 50 gallon tank. But I never view Tiger barbs as a true community fish. I am researching tankmates for my barbs, I may try a group of Serpae Tetras along with a Rainbow Shark.

But a valid point on the issue of captive selected breeding, speculation but I assume that physical appearance is the primary factor for fish breeders, who cares about behavioral issue. But in the wild, a highly aggressive brightly color barb may quickly become lunch for another predator.

Unfortunately, buying wild caught Tiger Barbs may be impossible in the USA and if you did find them, they may be very expensive. But that's OK for myself, I want the aggressive hyper behavior of Tiger barbs, they are fun to watch. Hopefully next spring I will start on my second tank, African Mbuna's, another aggressive fish. Now if my wife makes a request for a family room aquarium, I may go with a tall tank with Angels ie: a fish that prefers floating over swimming

 

[Stan510]

Not making that up. As I recall a 30 gallon full of Tiger Barbs if I didn't sell them would kill each other off one by one. Happened over and over. I liked the green Tiger barbs..but didn't matter..still that hyper aggression. I mean,it must be millions of times people have bought those fish..only to trade them back after the barbs killed the other fish or shredded fins. Listen to the Barb whisperer.."They should not be sold as community fish" I didn't even like them as T.B. only fish.
Amazing you mention Serpaes. They - to me- are the TB of tetras. I see other tetras as much more easy and less fin nippy. 'Candy Canes" are one,Bleeding Hearts are another..plenty of more.
Its a shame because I see wild serpaes that are RED..and wonder why those aren't in the hobby instead of the washed out fish - by comparison - that are sold?
Tiger Barbs? I think one of the nicest looking fish are the gene altered version. I would buy those in a second..if they were any other barb!

 

[madmark285]

Amazing you mention Serpaes. They - to me- are the TB of tetras.

Well that's why I picked Serpaes, similar temperament as Tiger Barbs. And they are cool looking.

Comparing fish from the wild with their farm raised brethren would be interesting. I am not a supporter of taking fish from their native habitats but reintroducing wild fish to the breeding stocks may be a wise idea.

Anyways, I let you know how my Tiger Tank turns out.

 

[On_a_dishy]

Oh. I've just bought 5 tiger barbs for my community tank. I did have only 3 but one kept bullying the others so off I went to buy 2 more...
They leave my neons alone, but they do seem to 'wrestle' with each other. And my goodness, they eat.

 

[Stan510]

Any aquarium with them you see that looks like all is fine? Is probably because the barbs were just added. Over time "800 Tiger Barbs in a 800 gallon aquarium" starts to look sparse as everyday they eat a fallen brethren.
I've never had a good Tiger Barb.

 

[On_a_dishy]

My young daughter was just watching me feed them some cooked peas. She said they, "Look like pirhanas".
I've been watching them. They are ignoring the tetras but like darting at each other. So when one gets sick I can expect a horror film?

 

[Stan510]

Pretty much so. Its what makes the smallest sick..the pecking order is really lots of pecking until the stress causes them to die..and then they feast on him.
I've tried every way to keep them...even with cichlids that they can't bother. But each other? No way to stop it. People who claim success..its got to be short term and with other fish fast or large. Angels are the worst...poor guys fins are targeted.
I give up...go with barbs with stripes that aren't them is my advice to the world.

 

[On_a_dishy]

Oh my goodness; you could not have been more right about these deranged monsters.
They were with my guppies one night and I woke up this morning to a damaged tail (halved - I've added King British Disease Clear - basically silver proteinate - to the tank as a prophylactic precaution against fin rot). All 5 have gone back to the LFS, and I didn't drive carefully over the speedbumps on the way there, I can tell you.
Wish I'd found this thread earlier!

 

[Guyb93]

What is a community fish though? In theory any fish is a community fish just depending on the community I guess , it’s interesting that they eventually wipe each other out but that doesn’t mean they can’t be in a community I just would t school them

 

[On_a_dishy]

They were incredibly entertaining, and beautiful. But they were way too fiesty. My tank was not big enough to school them.

 

[Utar]

I don't know why anyone would be surprised about this. Tiger Barbs are very aggressive, that is a know fact. They are not community fish, but same for many other species from Bettas to Oscars. That's why I don't mess with any of these species, Angels can be aggressive but I love my Angels so I make allowances for them. The last thing I want is aggressive fin nippers like Tiger Barbs in the same tank as my Angels.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Just to be clear, are you speculating or did that really happen ie: your Tiger Barbs ended up killing each other off? I am in the process of setting up a Tiger Barb tank, I had no issue with my first Tiger tank I had long ago, 20+ barbs in a 50 gallon tank. But I never view Tiger barbs as a true community fish. I am researching tankmates for my barbs, I may try a group of Serpae Tetras along with a Rainbow Shark.

But a valid point on the issue of captive selected breeding, speculation but I assume that physical appearance is the primary factor for fish breeders, who cares about behavioral issue. But in the wild, a highly aggressive brightly color barb may quickly become lunch for another predator.

Unfortunately, buying wild caught Tiger Barbs may be impossible in the USA and if you did find them, they may be very expensive. But that's OK for myself, I want the aggressive hyper behavior of Tiger barbs, they are fun to watch. Hopefully next spring I will start on my second tank, African Mbuna's, another aggressive fish. Now if my wife makes a request for a family room aquarium, I may go with a tall tank with Angels ie: a fish that prefers floating over swimming

Be wary of your tank size if you want a rainbow shark. They need at least a 4 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot footprint so be careful with a rainbow shark if you decide on getting one.

 

[On_a_dishy]

I don't know why anyone would be surprised about this. Tiger Barbs are very aggressive, that is a know fact. They are not community fish, but same for many other species from Bettas to Oscars. That's why I don't mess with any of these species, Angels can be aggressive but I love my Angels so I make allowances for them. The last thing I want is aggressive fin nippers like Tiger Barbs in the same tank as my Angels.

It wasn't a fact known by me, but lesson learnt and the barbs have now all been returned.
I love angel fish but have been warned off because of the size they can grow to. I had 2 once, and they thrived and were so graceful and curious. They would recognise me, they never bothered my other fish (mollies and swordtails) and I could watch them for ages.