Torpedo Barbs

[STEVIE]

They are also called Denisoni barbs.Stunning looking fish but as i've not seen them for sale before should i buy or not buy?
Anyone keep them and do they eat flake as well as frozen foods?
Should i get a group for my 4ftx18inch wide tank?
Will they eat my plants?

 

[AncientMariner]

They are also called Denisoni barbs.Stunning looking fish but as i've not seen them for sale before should i buy or not buy?
Anyone keep them and do they eat flake as well as frozen foods?
Should i get a group for my 4ftx18inch wide tank?
Will they eat my plants?

I bought a pair for my 320 litre set up along with other fish. The larger one constantly harrassed the smaller torpedo barb. I asked a similar question on here & was told it would be best to keep in groups of 5+. That way one fish isn't always the target from the bully.

I now have just one Torpedo Barb & he has come on great since there separation. People often advise to keep certain fish in minimum groups but from my limited experience I would say this is not set in stone.

 

[STEVIE]

Thanks for your reply.I'm glad now that i didn't impulse buy a group.They are available in two sizes.Small ones about 1-2 inches long and bigger ones about 4 inches long.
From what you say i'll go out tomorrow and just get one of the bigger ones.

 

[modernhamlet]

Thanks for your reply.I'm glad now that i didn't impulse buy a group.They are available in two sizes.Small ones about 1-2 inches long and bigger ones about 4 inches long.
From what you say i'll go out tomorrow and just get one of the bigger ones.

They are a schooling fish. Get them in a school or don't get them at all.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>>
People often advise to keep certain fish in minimum groups but from my limited experience I would say this is not set in stone.
<<<

Shoaling fish are shoaling fish. They shoal because it makes them feel secure. A shoaling fish kept alone will always carry a residual level of stress, and they frequently behave atypically. B. denisoni are a peaceful fish in groups, but as you, yourself have seen, in a non-group situation, one harrassed the other - this is very common in groups that are too small.

 

[rixy]

i have kept denisonii before and had a group of 7.they never ever fought amongst theirselfs or with other fish.i would never keep them in 1's or 2's.i kept them with various rainbows and some odessa barbs and some sterbai cories.keep them in a minimum of 5 in my opinion.

 

[AncientMariner]

>>>
People often advise to keep certain fish in minimum groups but from my limited experience I would say this is not set in stone.
<<<

Shoaling fish are shoaling fish. They shoal because it makes them feel secure. A shoaling fish kept alone will always carry a residual level of stress, and they frequently behave atypically. B. denisoni are a peaceful fish in groups, but as you, yourself have seen, in a non-group situation, one harrassed the other - this is very common in groups that are too small.

I take your point about the group size, but surely in the wild they are in massive groups of say 50 to 100 so weather you have 7, 10 or 15 fish in your tank, will these still carry a residual level of stress?

+ I know it states minimum tank sizes for certain fish, but for your average 50 to 100 gallon tank this can't be ideal compared to the wild?

Ps - I am a newbie to fishkeeping.

 

[mikev]

I take your point about the group size, but surely in the wild they are in massive groups of say 50 to 100 so weather you have 7, 10 or 15 fish in your tank, will these still carry a residual level of stress?

Your fish is not intellectual enough to count to 50 or 100; all it really needs are a few shapes around with correct markings to join and follow... (and chase, with Barbs)

+ I know it states minimum tank sizes for certain fish, but for your average 50 to 100 gallon tank this can't be ideal compared to the wild?

Yes, it would be best to buy a river in some 3rd world country....if you can.

 

[STEVIE]

Oh well, i just bought the one.They only had one left anyway.He seems to be doing ok and is about 4 inches long.Not shy and interacting with the other fish plus he's eating ok.Here's a pic.Not too good as he moves pretty fast.

 

[funkybodal]

Nice fish. I reckon you should get some more. I've got four (I bought five but one unfortunately died randomly on the way home) and although there is a dominant individual that bullies the others, no damage is ever really done. Having said that, they're pretty hardy and chilled out (not very jumpy or anything) fish so I wouldn't have thought they'd do too badly alone.

Cheers,
Luke.

 

[Sanj]

I have 6 of these fish in a 400 litre aquarium. The oldest are 4-5" and I have had them for over 2 years. Great fish, excellent substitute for silver sharks and im going to increase my small shoal to 9 at least.

One fish on its own is not going to die, it may live and appear healthy, but they are definatly better off in numbers of their own kind. Certainly they will be able to exhibit more of their natural behaviour this way.

In a 4 ft aquarium I would at least get 3. They will look all the better for it. Although it is easy to understand newbies wanting lots of variety and therfore skimp on what would actually be better for the fish.

 

[albino frog]

I bought 4 of them for my 4.5ft tank. The colours arn't very bright. Any ideas why?

I have 6 of these fish in a 400 litre aquarium. The oldest are 4-5" and I have had them for over 2 years. Great fish, excellent substitute for silver sharks and im going to increase my small shoal to 9 at least.

One fish on its own is not going to die, it may live and appear healthy, but they are definatly better off in numbers of their own kind. Certainly they will be able to exhibit more of their natural behaviour this way.

In a 4 ft aquarium I would at least get 3. They will look all the better for it. Although it is easy to understand newbies wanting lots of variety and therfore skimp on what would actually be better for the fish.

 

[STEVIE]

Since buying the lonely torpedo i've bought another 3 the same size to make a little group.Unfortunately they have not been a happy gang.My original one has constantly harassed the others from day one by chasing and biting their fins.I've given them over a week to settle but due to the newbies being too afraid to come out to eat,or come out at all,and starting to look abit tattered i've had no choice but to take them back to the shop before they die.
My original torpedo has grown and is a greedy eater.He's made friends with a siamese flying fox which he seems to get along with so far.Although alone he's got very tame and seems ok.
I've no idea why yours arn't bright.Maybe your water quality.Mine is gorgeous.

 

[Sanj]

I bought 4 of them for my 4.5ft tank. The colours arn't very bright. Any ideas why?

Hello, what temp is your aquarium. Their red stripe tends to fade to a pink colour below 25C. Having said that one of my 6 is not as brisghtly coloured as the others.

How long have you had them? If recent it can take a little while for them to settle in and colour up.

Since buying the lonely torpedo i've bought another 3 the same size to make a little group.Unfortunately they have not been a happy gang.My original one has constantly harassed the others from day one by chasing and biting their fins.I've given them over a week to settle but due to the newbies being too afraid to come out to eat,or come out at all,and starting to look abit tattered i've had no choice but to take them back to the shop before they die.
My original torpedo has grown and is a greedy eater.He's made friends with a siamese flying fox which he seems to get along with so far.Although alone he's got very tame and seems ok.
I've no idea why yours arn't bright.Maybe your water quality.Mine is gorgeous.

Hmm that seems very odd, how big is your aquarium Stevie?

For the most part these fish have been known to be very peaceful and they are shoalers by nature. However there have been a few reports of aggression and there has long been debate over whether there are actually two forms of this fish, one sub-species (if it is) tends to be more aggressive and grows larger. However the jury is still out on this. Agression in fish can also appear when space is too confined, but im not sure this is the case here. My original 3 were housed in a 240 litre aquarium although anything less than 200l is not great for a fast moving shaoling fish that grows to 6".

 

[STEVIE]

That's interesting that there may be 2 forms.I've noticed my torpedo barb is exceptionally brightly coloured but thought maybe it was a male and males show higher colours.The shop owner told me other people have been bringing them back so it's not only me.
The aggression is very similar to that of a red -tailed shark.Starting as body movement,then constant chasing and nipping tail/fins.
My tank is not highly populated and is 4ft x 18inches x 18inches.
I swopped the 3 torpedos for a group of 5 madagascian rainbows plus 2 packs of bloodworm.