Gold Barb Strange Behaviour

[AdrianB]

Hope this is the right section.

I have five gold barbs in my 110 litre tank (not sure of their sex), along with a couple of other livebearers.

I've never had any problems with the gold barbs but today three of them are charging around the tank REALLY fast in what seems to be some sort of chase, were they spin round each other.

Anyone know if this is normal behaviour?

26c, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia.

 

[Lateral Line]

Golden Barb females, are somewhat larger then males, also deeper in the body and wider when viewed from above or the front. Additionally, the females are sprinkled fairly randomly with small black spots.

Males are smaller, slimmer, more brightly coloured and have their spots concentrated into a more or less easily seen pattern of vertical to oblique bars on the upper flank.

In breeding condition, the males in particular, females less so, develop a pinkish colouration along the lower flank. Spawning rarely occurs if this pink flush is not present.

So, if you look at your fish, determine their sex, and see it is males chasing males, then you are probably seeing a minor territorial/pecking order issue, which rarely results in any damage and usually quietens down again after a few days.

If you are seeing males chasing females, then they are probably courting.

 

[AdrianB]

Thanks for your reply LL. The unusual behaviour only lasted for about two hours they are back to normal now.

Only one of them has a very clear reddish/pinkish colouration on the lower flank and this fish is a bit smaller so I think its a male.

 

[AdrianB]

Well they are doing the same thing again today, i find it hard to tell their sex accurately but it looks like I might only have one male and four females.

Two of them have the red/pink colouration now.