Fighting

[Cameron747100]

Hi there! A couple of months ago I bought a pair of keyholes and an RTBS. I then got a Indian striped catfish and 2 bristlenose plecs. Yesterday I bought 2 green tiger barbs and when I check this morning the barbs where fighting similar to

 Any reasons why? The tank is a 180 liter (approx 50 us gallons) and is semi planted with a large log for hiding in. I tested the water and all is good. Any ideas why? thanks for any answers? 

 

[fluttermoth]

Mouth wrestling in fish is either a sign of dominance issues, or sometimes mating (fish like to test each other's strength, to make sure they're choosing a fit and healthy partner).
 
Tiger barbs are semi aggressive, shoaling fish, and need to be kept in largish groups so any aggressive behaviour is spread around. With only two, they'll very likely carry on fighting until one dies, i'm afraid.
 
You need at least six, and preferably more, to stop that happening.

 

[Byron]

What may see "play" to us may in fact be deadly serious to the fish.  But moving from the possible to the definite...this species should have no fewer than eight in the group, and it would be better with more.  However, before going out and getting more, you have a Red Tail Shark, and this fish is known to take a strong dislike to vertically striped fish, like the Tiger Barbs.  I would take the barbs back and not risk damage to the fish.  Nature made them the way they are, and we are not going to alter their inherent nature.
 
Byron.

 

[jag51186]

What may see "play" to us may in fact be deadly serious to the fish.  But moving from the possible to the definite...this species should have no fewer than eight in the group, and it would be better with more.  However, before going out and getting more, you have a Red Tail Shark, and this fish is known to take a strong dislike to vertically striped fish, like the Tiger Barbs.  I would take the barbs back and not risk damage to the fish.  Nature made them the way they are, and we are not going to alter their inherent nature.
 
Byron.

 
That's oddly specific. Do we know why they have this specific dislike?? Just curious

 

[Byron]

 

What may see "play" to us may in fact be deadly serious to the fish.  But moving from the possible to the definite...this species should have no fewer than eight in the group, and it would be better with more.  However, before going out and getting more, you have a Red Tail Shark, and this fish is known to take a strong dislike to vertically striped fish, like the Tiger Barbs.  I would take the barbs back and not risk damage to the fish.  Nature made them the way they are, and we are not going to alter their inherent nature.
 
Byron.

 
That's oddly specific. Do we know why they have this specific dislike?? Just curious
 

 
I have never come across the reason, but similar behaviour is not unique to this species.
 
Only yesterday in another thread we were discussing Bolivian Rams and corys, how the rams sometimes take umbrage at the corys at feeding time since they both feed from the substrate.  I had a male Bolivian for almost 8 years, and it was interesting that he only seemed bothered by the spotted species of cory, whereas the non-spotted species (like C. metae, C. duplicareus) were generally ignored.  But he shoved the spotted corys aside, always.  Now, I am not suggesting that this is an universal trait of Bolivian Rams, but it is interesting that the individual I had in this tank acted this way.  One would assume that any cory poking its snout into a tablet the Ram was feeding from would be treated with the same disdain, but no.
 
Byron.

 

[RainboWBacoN420]

'what Fluttermoth said.
 
Barbs are semi- aggressive, and in my opinion, all semi-aggressive fish should be houses in a species only tank.
 
I hear a lot of people housing only barbs in one tank. In your case, especially if it;s two males, they're most likely going to brawl.

 

[jag51186]

Just to clarify, not all barbs are semi-aggressive.

 

[fluttermoth]

Just to clarify, not all barbs are semi-aggressive.

 
Agreed! I think there are more species of tetra that cause trouble than there are barbs; piranha are tetras, just for a start!
 
Tiger barbs have given the whole genus a very bad name, and I say that as someone who loves tiger barbs and kept them for many years. They are absolute devils though, tbh. I kept a shoal of around two dozen, and I still nearly always had at least one female missing a tail