Ethical Advice

[newfishaddict]

I have one Denisons Barb. “Heâ€￾ is big and healthy and looks amazing! But he is alone. I had 5 of them then 4 of them died, so now I have just one.

Should I take him back to the store? Am I being cruel not allowing him to shoal with his own species? Today I noticed him trying to shoal with my neon-rainbows, but his size kinda scares them….(neons are small/young). They are hard to get in my store and their price has gone up.

The 4 barbs died : 2 died from camalanus worms, the tank got the worms from rainbow fish I failed to quarantine. 2 died from beatings from this big healthy barb. As soon as the shoal was reduced from 5 to 3 (from worms) the big one killed the other two in the dark when I had no idea what was happening….

Thanks for any ethical advice

 

[Scott MacAdam]

well , sorry for your loss of the fish, but first before we go any further.... how big is your tank and how much "open space" if you will, do you have? if you could have more of them, then yes , why not! he would probably be happier with a few friends to swim with, but if your tank cannot support 4-5 more fish of his size, then i'd suggest leaving it alone because it may get crowded and your fish will be stressed anyway, and now not only the one in question but all of the tank. if this is the situation, is there any chance of a larger tank? i've come across some GREAT deals from second-hand merchants and newspapers, such as 75gallon tank for 75 dollars (canadian) so just imagine how happy he could be wit 20 others!!!! hahahah! probably not possible but keep a look out!

 

[newfishaddict]

well , sorry for your loss of the fish, but first before we go any further.... how big is your tank and how much "open space" if you will, do you have? if you could have more of them, then yes , why not! he would probably be happier with a few friends to swim with, but if your tank cannot support 4-5 more fish of his size, then i'd suggest leaving it alone because it may get crowded and your fish will be stressed anyway, and now not only the one in question but all of the tank. if this is the situation, is there any chance of a larger tank? i've come across some GREAT deals from second-hand merchants and newspapers, such as 75gallon tank for 75 dollars (canadian) so just imagine how happy he could be wit 20 others!!!! hahahah! probably not possible but keep a look out!

my 55g is under stocked I THINK. 10 rummy nose, 1 x 2"clown-pleco, 1 x 6" super-friendly rainbow shark, 3 2" "tiger" rasboraos (incleprys auropyris - spelling wrong) , one 5" denisons barb, 4 juvenile 1" neon rainbows...also, my tank is planted but there is significant swimming area, I trim every 1-2 weeks.

(I have a FREE 55g coming from my brother in 2 weeks! I have considered selling all my tanks (21g, 55g, 55g,) and buying a 75g or 90g but my cash is tight and I feel like I have everything I need but fish to get this new 55g running...

 

[Scott MacAdam]

sweet! a free tank is always great! GO FOR IT! with your current stock you'd be fine anyway, i was hoping you didn't have a 10gal or something! yeah i'd suggest getting some more if your could

 

[newfishaddict]

sweet! a free tank is always great! GO FOR IT! with your current stock you'd be fine anyway, i was hoping you didn't have a 10gal or something! yeah i'd suggest getting some more if your could

But the last time I saw them they were 80$ EACH!, WOW, at that price I am reluctant to buy more... My expreice says a schoal of less than 5 is not a good idea with these fish....so can I keep him alone? OR do I take him back? I cant afford 4 more at 50-80$ (I bought my 5 at 30$ each 6 months ago...)

 

[Scott MacAdam]

WOW

that's EXPENSIVE, well it technicaly "should" be in a group, butif it's not i can't really see a problem either, i had no idea they were that expensive. if you come into any problems like him getting stressed or agressive then a group woul be better , either rehome or buy more, but as long as he is acting ok, i wouldn't worry about it.

 

[OohFeeshy]

It depends how long he's bene on his own. I've kept tetras perfectly happy in twos or threes before after their companions died, in fact, they seemed much better for it (as lnog as they had other fish to be dominant over).

 

[Gankutsuou]

yesh. there is one roseline shark in my LFS that constantly bullies the other 3 into a corner.... sometimes the bully is better off alone ?

 

[Scott MacAdam]

i agree, if it may cause the death of other fish, tank it alone...

i have a cichlid who used to attack anything it came near, but now it is bigger and is in a community tank... hahaha! go figure! it has tiny danios swim by it now and it couldn't care less , when before it took on my shark twice it's size.... i don't understand, but while he was agressive he was in his own tank

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Shoaling species of fish do best in groups of at least 6, in too smaller numbers they will display abnormal behavior from stress or unsettled pecking orders- tiger barbs for example become more agressive towards each other the smaller the numbers they are kept in, so more is better to help disperse agression.
If i were you i would introduce 5 new Denison Barbs to the tank- the bully will most likely become normal as the it will have to establish itself in a new pecking order, and with more barbs to go around, things will be a lot less tense between them ;

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/...s_denisonii.htm

 

[newfishaddict]

Shoaling species of fish do best in groups of at least 6, in too smaller numbers they will display abnormal behavior from stress or unsettled pecking orders- tiger barbs for example become more agressive towards each other the smaller the numbers they are kept in, so more is better to help disperse agression.
If i were you i would introduce 5 new Denison Barbs to the tank- the bully will most likely become normal as the it will have to establish itself in a new pecking order, and with more barbs to go around, things will be a lot less tense between them ;

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/...s_denisonii.htm

When I see a reasonable price for them I will get some...but I just realized there will NEVER be a good price on fish the size of this one. The ones I’ve seen for about 35$ are 2" long. If I buy small ones that is asking for trouble isn’t it?

 

[Gankutsuou]

hmmmmm.... well.... meh... o_o' Really, it's up to you. I know, cash is a problem.

I would not buy the bully in my LFS. I would buy the three it forces into the corner. but that is me...