Bully Barbs!

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Vodalian

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So I recently added a pearl blue gourami and a fire red gourami to my tank. Both are approx 2" in length and very healthy, and also have staked their claim in my tank. They have been getting along great with every fish in the tank including the RTBS. But every once in a while one of my tiger barbs decides to nip at the gouramis. The tiger barbs are only 1" big and still quite young, but very brave. Every time im in the tank moving something or cleaning the barbs like to nip at my hand a lot. But this seems to be the first time they have attacked a fish.

Should I move the tiger barbs or gouramis to my other tank? Or will the tiger barbs eventually leave the gouramis alone?
 
gouramis are not ideal tankmates for the tbs to say the least. they dont like the frantic fast moving activity that is constant with these barbs, barbs also as you have found out do like to have a little nip at the gouramis. they need to be separated or the gouramis will have a miserable life and may end up seriously injured.
 
Yeah i agree, tiger barbs and gouramis are simply not suitable tank mates and there's nothing you can really do to make them suitable for each other, so you should definately separate them; tiger barbs have a reputation for being nippy fish and are not advised to be put with fish like gourami's with long feelers and things as they don't really have any defense against them, while gourami's are not suited to tiger barbs because such tank mates are too active for their liking etc.
Pearl gourami;

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=72152

"some fish like to nip at their ventral fins, or "feelers". This is stressful for them, and should be avoided. They like to be in well planted tanks"- tiger barbs are known fin nippers and will pick on gouramis, especially going for their feelers.

Dwarf gourami (also known by other names like robin gourami, fire gourami etc);

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=35308

Tiger barbs;

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=60999


You should definately separate the fish, either by;
a. Put a tank divider in to separate the two fish if the tank has enough space
b. Put the gourami or barbs in another tank which you own with more suitable tank mates for them, or
c. Rehome them- take them back to the shop or find someone else who can either look after the barbs or the gourami's etc.

What is the length and width of the tank?
 
Tiger Barbs are little jerks. They've always bugged the crap out of the fish in my tank, and each other.
 
Tiger Barbs are little jerks. They've always bugged the crap out of the fish in my tank, and each other.

tiger barb behaviour is just their nature............its up to us who are taking these little creatures to home them in a closed 'box' rather than in a lake or river where they can escape from other types they dont get on with, in an environment that suits their personality
and natural behaviour
 
I brought the barbs to a friend of mine to add to his collection. He now has 6 green tiger barbs and 3 regular tiger barbs in a 40 gallon long tank. They seem happier having 6 new barbs to school with!
 
Wait till the RTBS gets large, the tiger barbs will be too busy running to think about terrorizing other fish :good:
 
hi
thats good news & all the barbs will now be much happier.....not to mention your gouramis who must be having a party :D
 
I brought the barbs to a friend of mine to add to his collection. He now has 6 green tiger barbs and 3 regular tiger barbs in a 40 gallon long tank. They seem happier having 6 new barbs to school with!

Glad to hear everythings sorted out now, the gourami's will be a lot happier and less stressed out now (and the barbs sound like they got a good deal out of it too in the end) :good: :-
 

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