Cherry barb

[sif]

Got a very nicely balanced 50gal with a number of zebra danios, dwarf gouramis and cardinals, the danios flit around the top of the tanks but everyone else is very calm. Then I bought a pair of cherry barbs as I've always liked barbs but didn't want the agression problems of Tigers, but the little guy has such an attitude problem, he turns psycho whenever a danio comes anywhere near him and chases it around the tanks until he finds another danio then chases that, but leaves all the other fish alone. This in itself is OK as the danios are fast enough to keep out of trouble but all the extra action has caused the cardinals and gouramis to hide in the plants so effectively that it now looks like i've got half my stock missing! Is his behaviour likely to settle or should I think about moving him?

 

[nitro]

Perhaps you could see how things go for another couple of days while the cherry barb settles into his new home?

He might be just showing that he is the boss...?

Hopefully after a couple of days the aggresion may begin to dissapear. Just wait it out a little but if nothing happens you know you will have try something else.


HTH

 

[digital_run]

You need to get more cherry barbs....they do best in groups of 6+ ...This allows them to keep the chasing amongst themselves and they will ignore the rest of your fish...Heres a good bio on them.

Cherry Barbs

Ðigital_run

 

[sif]

You need to get more cherry barbs....they do best in groups of 6+ ...This allows them to keep the chasing amongst themselves and they will ignore the rest of your fish...Heres a good bio on them.

Cherry Barbs

Ðigital_run

I read that before I got them which is why I got the pair "some sources suggest that a male/female pair might also do well". Maybe that those some sources are mistaken though . Though strangely he hasn't chased the girlfriend once... its literally all directed at the ZDs.

The danios do this to each other anyway in a slightly less manic way so I'm hoping they will be able to 'take' the hassle its the way the other tankmates are upset by it all that is annoying and would only get worse with more barbs. I'll wait a while and see what ensues (or start dosing the tank with valium! )

 

[nitro]

I read that before I got them which is why I got the pair "some sources suggest that a male/female pair might also do well". Maybe that those some sources are mistaken though

There are lots of arguments about people who believe they should be kept in pairs and those who think they should bekept in groups....


How about if the aggresion doesnt start to decrease in the coming days, add some more?

 

[sif]

How about if the aggresion doesnt start to decrease in the coming days, add some more?

not many inches>gallon stock level left unfortunately...

 

[Lateral Line]

The Cherry Barb does not school/shoal in the wild. They keep themselves to themselves. I have heard people keeping them in groups, but frankly, that sounds like "dealers tank" syndrome where they are so overcrowded, their normal behaviour cannot be seen. I always advocate keeping a sexed pair or trio, one male two females.

They are not aggressive by nature, you don't say how long they have been in there, often a settling period follows rehousing - can last a few days to a week.