Tiger Barbs Butting Gheads

[chishnfips]

Hi folks, I have been watching my green tiger barbs and lately two of them have been constantly at each other butting their heads together and kind of nibbling each others mouths, does anyone know what it means?

I reckon its some sort of fighting to see who the leader of the pack is, but not sure, can anyone shed any light?

cheers chish

 

[millym]

hi
yes its the way tiger barbs fight to see whos to be king for the day/week/hour they'll swim up to eachother with their dorsal fins at full stretch then sometimes will swim around next to their 'opponent' tilting in towards them, it usually progresses to a 'joust' where the 2 barbs will spin around back & forth nose to nose............have seen a scrap last 1/2 an hour or more, i love the way the other barbs will often gather round to watch & occasionally try to join in. usually one will give up...............the defeated. in 4 years of keeping tbs ive never seen any injuries at all from this behaviour & i love watching them esp if you have a barb who has been a right bully & then loses a 'joust' and spends the next few hours being chased himself!!!!! ive got a video clip somewhere of 2 having a scrap ive posted it before i'll see if i can find it.

 

[chishnfips]

lol yeah its cool to watch, would getting more calm this down or do they just do it anyway?

 

[millym]

hi
i cant seem to sort the link for the clip i'll keep trying or see where i can find it. more tbs if you have room is always better (at least 6 is a MUST) as it helps spread the aggression out throughout the pack so one barb wont be the poor sod who gets picked on all the time. the chasing/scrapping trying to be the boss is just normal tb behaviour nothing to be worried about. however make sure you have enough hiding plaes (plants etc) so if a barb wants to he can get away from the bully and keep an eye to make sure not one is being constantly harrassed all the time, ( esp keep an eye to make sure one is not sick and being harrassed)you will find that a particular barb will seem to get picked on for a little while ( maybe for a day or so)but over a few days it should spread out among the pack, or you will find out the one being picked on will decide he's had enough & will stand up for himself & the 'worm will turn' as they say.
great fish we love ours

 

[millym]

think might have the clip link sorted...........its quite an old clip cant believe how different our tank looks (rubbish i mean)