Tiger barbs nose pointing down

[Raechal]

Ever since my mom bought the 55 gallon from the garage sale, the 2 year old tiger barbs were kind of acting strange and would kind of point their nose toward the ground. I was watching them lastnight and it is getting worse to the point where they are almost vertical pointing towards the ground. What is this and what can I treat them with? The other fish in the tank do not do this, only the tiger barbs.

The previous owner of the tank put a lot of salt in the tank because he wanetd to keep it "half brackish" I don't know why, I mean he did have clown loaches and a plec in there. So maybe 2 years olf being in salt has damaged something?

 

[The-Wolf]

this is perfectly normal behaviour for TB's they do this to attract a mate.

 

[Raechal]

this is perfectly normal behaviour for TB's they do this to attract a mate.

Woah, are you serious? I just thought they were deathly ill. Well you just made my whole day! Thanks a bunch. Nothing worse than thinking your fish are sick all day and not know what to about it haha. I did actually watch two of the tiger barbs do the "mating dance" all over the gravel. It was pretty neat to watch. They were twirling all over each other, but I never saw any eggs or anything. They probably gotten eaten up or something.

Is it just the males that do the pointing thing or females too?

 

[The-Wolf]

yes It is the males that headstand, the females will swim around him, checking him out and then they do the lip lock dance

 

[Beta 93]

um, my tiger barbs did that cause the nitrates got to high, it even says so on this site, you might want to check your water

 

[Raechal]

um, my tiger barbs did that cause the nitrates got to high, it even says so on this site, you might want to check your water

I will test right now.

 

[Raechal]

am-0
ni-0
na-10

 

[abstract]

typically all of my tiger barbs seem to do this when they are resting (not vertical though, mind you)....my water parameters have been fine for months

 

[NikkiY]

What happen when it is pointing down? I read somewhere that this pointing up and down behavior is like the nitrite (or nitrate? i can't be sure) is too high.

Nikki

 

[Sorrell]

What happen when it is pointing down? I read somewhere that this pointing up and down behavior is like the nitrite (or nitrate? i can't be sure) is too high.

Nikki

As mentioned above that is normal behavior for tiger barbs, but will other fish (and all actually) it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your water parameters