Tiger Barbs nipping Tiger Barb fins

[SuzeeCat]

I have 14 Tiger Barbs in a 260L tank. Two of them were being nipped by the other Tiger Barbs and developed fin rot. I put them into my hospital tank and treated them for fin rot. The fin rot cleared up, the male is back to normal, but the female's tail fin hasn't grown back completely yet. This morning the filter on my hospital tank packed up, so I thought now was as good a time as any to put them back in with the other Tigers. The other Tigers immediately started chasing them and attacking their fins. I could understand why the female looked different, but the male just looked like any other Tiger to me. I left them in there for a while, hoping that they would lose interest in chasing them, but half an hour later they were still after them, so they are now back in the hospital tank, both very stressed. I have added Stress Coat, but don't know what else to do. I can't put them in my other tank becasue I have Guppies in there. They seemed happy enough on their own in the hospital tank, but I don't really want to keep them in there for ever. Has anyone else come across this and what on earth should I do next?

 

[fish_r_great]

You could try putting them with the guppies since they don't seem that agressive or maybe try rearranging the tank around or you could take the 12 meaner ones out for awhile and then add themm later that way the "weaker ones" will have their territory first.

HTH

 

[jams.alaskan]

Perhaps the two that are the victims here should go back to the lfs if your large school is happy without them. It might be best for them...

ALASKA

 

[digital_run]

I found that as i introduced new barbs to my tank ..usually in pairs...the original group mem. chased them pretty solid for about a day...but they intergrated eventually...I recently added a green tiger barb to my group of 6 regular tigers...They chased him so much i thought he was a goner..even damaged his fins...but he made it and now as those little dominace dances with tigers twice his size ...But this is only in my brief experience with them...maybe try again and give them a little longer ...if it doesnt work and u can place them some where else ..do it..good luck

 

[SuzeeCat]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions.
I am loathe to take them back to my lfs as I am quite attached to them, but will keep the option open as a last resort.
I think I will leave them in the hospital tank for a while (I have dug out an old internal filter) and give them a chance to recover from their ordeal yesterday and also perhaps let the female's tail grow back some more. Then I will then try putting them in with the Guppies and see it they behave . I am afraid to try them with the Tigers again, I really don't want the females tail ripped to shreds again. It has taken ages to grow back.
If the Guppy tank doesn't work I may just keep them in the hospital tank for good and add some other friendly fish for company, some none tail nipping Barbs perhaps (any suggestions?). The hospital tank is my old 120L tank, so it is plenty big enough for them to live in permanently. I was going to sell it when the Barbs were rehoused, but maybe I will just have to keep it running as well.

 

[Yenko]

I find the best way to introduce Tiger Barbs is to buy them when they're small (about 1/3 to 1/2 adult size) and introduce them. The larger ones won't bother with them because they aren't adults yet.

 

[silent_one]

You can try and keep your tigers in odd numbered schools, Ive heard it tends to reduce aggression torwds each other and tank mates.

 

[rjarcher]

probaly tue as i bought 10 and now have 9 they ate the poor guy they are only babies too and 3 of em missin an eye