Would love tiger barbs but...

[dixaisy930]

I've always liked the looks of tiger barbs (especially when they have a new batch of tiny babies) . At first my problem was I only had a 10 gallon tank, way to small. Now that I have my big 65 gallon . But now I have already put danios, gouramis, and some live bearers in there. I know that tiger barbs can be bully's, but I was wondering if kept in a big enough group (around 7 or 8...more maybe??) if they would be alright? And if I got them younger, would that make any difference?

 

[Bignose]

You may consider the Five-banded barb (Puntius pentazona) (a profile here) which has very similar coloration but has a reputation of being more peaceful and less nippy

 

[Ruby Shark]

Getting seven or eight would minimize the aggression and fin nipping of other fish...but you will be taking a chance with the live bearers. Not only could they be nipped but they might also be stressed by the fast moving Barbs.

Bignose brought up a very good idea. Five-Banded Barbs are less nippy(in general) and they still hold the same type of look.

 

[sushi]

I've got 6 tiger barbs. I've never heard of them stressing platties and I don't know if it's true but mine keep mysteriously dying.
In saying that, I love my tigers They're so cute and playful. apparently the bigger the group, the less they pester the other fish. I don't think getting them young makes any difference. I got mine quite small. they never nipped and so i thought it was all a load of cogswoddle. now that they've matured, i've noticed the ends of fins missing. but only on my goldfish (which are big and a lot slower than a tiger barb). My gouramis feeler broke off/got eaten. but I don't know how a tiger barb would fit 2" of feeler in it's mouth, so i'd put it down to something else.
I think that it's just a chance you have to take. to decide whether you want to try tigers or not. My lfs always says that to me with iffy breeds and they're always happy to take them back if you're not happy with them.
I'll quit rambling ) Tigers are really cool to watch. they play all the time and never stop doing stuff. and in a group they're really happy and exciting. Really amusing at times. I would say get them, even if just to try them out, but definately get a decent sized group to reduce any aggression.
Sorry about the long novel, but I love tigers. I hope this helps you in making a decision. sushi.

 

[Lateral Line]

Even in large groups, a Tiger will nip at anything with trailing fins. May not bother platy's but then they are not long finned as a rule. They will stress fish that are not used to activity at the level Tigers generate.

Barbus pentazona is a much milder mannered fish, but is also significantly more difficult to settle and very prone to Ich etc, when stressed in any way. It really needs good water conditions to thrive. Barbus nigrofasciatus is probably a better choice, (Ruby Barb).

 

[Goblin]

I have a school of 23 tiger barbs in my 55 gal and they play fight all the time. often a pair will jaw lock and swirl in circles. They don't seem to hurt each other by it.

If I put a pleco tablet in they will try to fight the plecos (I have 2) for the food. The plecos have no fear, if they barbs nip them they do a tail whip and swish them all away.
The barbs stay close but seem to respect the plecos.

 

[Grouchy]

I have a 10 gallon tank with about 20 young tiger barbs (largest is maybe 3/4 of an inch) and a small pleco. I also have a 29 gallon tank with 7 large barbs and about 16 young barbs, two mature albino corys, and a pleco. I had a three gallon tank with two neon tetras and a two orange platys that started leaking (poor design, Eclipse crap) and I had nowhere to put them so I tried the 10 gallon tank; the young barbs were merciless with the poor neons. I ended up putting the neons in the 29 gallon tank and they got nipped there too, but not as aggressively. Their fins grew back and they now live in peace in the large tank. I've had guppies and platys in the 29 gallon tank before. The tiger barbs have never touched the platys (red and orange). One guppy got nipped but most of them we ignored.

From my experience, mature tiger barbs in large groups will not bother most fish except neon tetras. The younger fish (and older) don't seem to bother platys. The younger barbs are just fiercely aggressive. I think anything that enters that 10 gallon tank is considered food as they will eat anything I put in there, including other fish.

I would say put larger fish (corys, plecos) but a while back my "evil" barb would go after a pleco four/five times it's size.

Hopefully with a 65 gallon tank and a shoal of 8 or more mature barbs you will be okay.

 

[dixaisy930]

Thanks for all of the input.

My biggest concern is them bothering my gouramis (because they are pretty slow moving, and won't stick up for themselves), and my danios (who are long finned). Those danios are constantly moving (and fast too), so I'm not sure if the barbs would bother them.

I've looked for the five-banded ones for that very reason, but never found any.

As for the livebearers being stressed by fast moving barbs, I don't think that would be too big of a problem...the mollies are pretty hyper themselves, and my danios are also hyper-active, and the platys aren't stressed with them.

I suppose if it doesn't work, I can return them...but I hate to create that extra stress....

 

[Max Action]

I have 9 barbs in my 75 gallon with a variety of fish, including Gouramis. The Gouramis will fearlessly come down and pick at bottom food right next to the whole pile of barbs.

The barbs do give just about everyone an occasional nip, from the snails to the African Butterfly, but don't seem to do damage, or do it enough to stress anyone out. (I have a lot of plants and hiding places, which also seems to help.)

Just be careful when adding new fish to a tiger barb tank - they can attack like a pack of pirahnas when they feel threatened it seems, which means any new fish that shows up. To avoid this, just add new fish in the evening - I flicker the lights whenever they start getting too aggressive, which startles them off. This plus a night spent in the tank together overnight in the gloom seems to take the edge off this behavior almost entirely.

 

[Daveo]

Listen Listen they arnt fin nipers as long as you keep them in groups 4-5 or so 8)


Daveo

 

[rvm]

Listen Listen they arnt fin nipers as long as you keep them in groups 4-5 or so


Daveo

Agreed to a point. I've got 8, and they've never bothered my neon tetras or platies, or any of the other fish in the tank. the largest of mine is about 2 1/2". However, I have seen groups that are really nasty to other fish. I think the secret is not just having a big group, but also giving them PLENTY of space and good water. Oh yeah, and a bit of good luck!!!

 

[Daveo]

Agreed to a point. I've got 8, and they've never bothered my neon tetras or platies, or any of the other fish in the tank. the largest of mine is about 2 1/2". However, I have seen groups that are really nasty to other fish. I think the secret is not just having a big group, but also giving them PLENTY of space and good water. Oh yeah, and a bit of good luck!!!

agree 8)


Daveo

 

[dixaisy930]

Hmm...ok...I've got quite a bit of swimming room...and I'm pretty lucky, so i got that going for me.

Now would it make a difference if I got them all from the same place, at the same time, or if I got them all on the same day but at different places? My thinking behind this is a) If they all come from different places, they'll be too worried figuring out the pecking order to bother the other fish or B) they won't have a school formed yet so they'll be harassing the other fish. Which one would be more likely? Or will it evem matter if I get them from the same tank or not?