tiger barbs

[sushi]

hi. i've got 5 tiger barbs. I'm pretty sure four of them are fm an 1 m. The fm ones have started get black colouring as they've grown - shading/messy stripe - horizontally between their last 2 stripes. THe male is still bright and lovely. Is the females horisontal colouring normal. It definately makes them look less pretty. Is there something wrong or is it just a female thing.
If anyone else's barbs have this or you've seen it or know if it's normal, I'd love to know.

 

[Lateral Line]

Odd dark scales are relatively common on both sexes. It is line breeding those with the most dark scales that developed the "Green" Tiger Barb. Unfortunately, the farming techniques and quality control tend to allow fish with these extra dark scales to multiply.

On a show bench, these fish showing extra dark scales would be marked down as faults.

There is nothing wrong with them, it is simply colouration.

 

[sushi]

thankyou, that makes me feel better. Would I be right in thinking that the one without the colouration is a male or is it just coincidence that it's different. I didn't buy them all at the same time, but they are from the same pet store.

 

[Lateral Line]

It is coincidental. Neither male nor female should have the extra dark markings, although as I said, they are not uncommon. The easiest way to sex Tiger barbs is the red colouring. In particular, the males develop a red nose. The red streches up over the head towards the dorsal fin. Males are more generally brighter coloured, and females are a little deeper and when viewed from above, wider.

 

[Max Action]

I prefer the ones with weird markings. It gives them more character.

 

[digital_run]

One of my seven barbs has very faint vertical stripes...but black all over...Like Max said....just an easier way to ell them apart

 

[Grouchy]

One of my adult barbs has a black blotch between a stripe. I called him "stab" because it looks like a stab wound. "Stab" kinda fit his personality too, mean little SOB that would attack the other barbs and tug at the tail of the pleco about five times bigger than him.