Greedy Tiger Barbs

[onidrase]

this morning when I was feeding the fish, I did the usual, feed the barbs and firemouth first to distract them while I drop in a tablet for the catfish as far away as possible from the feeding frenzy, in a remote corner where they tend to not patrol

I used to break the tablet up, but the other fish would always catch the pieces of it on the way down, so all the catfish weren't getting their share. So instead I dropped the tablet in as a whole, and all 5 of the catfish were gnawing at it at the same time, sometimes one catfish or the next would drag the tablet away from the group, but ultimately they all get some

After the barbs were done with their greedy feeding frenzy, one of them was patrolling the ground for scraps, actually nuzzling the sand as a catfish would, and it happened to find the group of catfish gnawing on the tablet, and he decided to join in

But he didn't want to share.

He snagged the tablet and dragged it around with him, all the catfish following and gnawing on the opposite side, and the tablet luckily was too heavy for the barb to carry far off the ground. This happened for a good while, then the other barbs started joining in, and all the fish except my firemouth were at it on a single tablet of bottom feeder food about the size of a finger nail

Moral of this story: Tiger barbs are 2.5 inch piranhas. Keep them away from small children.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I should take a video of mine feeding sometime. They actually look like those old films of pirhanas eating! And they're splashing all over the water surface too. Cracks me up.

The only way I can get my catfish fed is to wait until just before lights out, drop the algae wafers or sinking pellets and then turn the lights off.

 

[onidrase]

I should take a video of mine feeding sometime. They actually look like those old films of pirhanas eating! And they're splashing all over the water surface too. Cracks me up.

The only way I can get my catfish fed is to wait until just before lights out, drop the algae wafers or sinking pellets and then turn the lights off.

My upside downs only feed in the morning for some reason I tried to get them at night a few times, but they just don't come out, at least, not while I'm awake. I do the lights out and such but they don't come out till around midnight, then they go back into hiding around 9 am

 

[fluttermoth]

I've always said that if tiger barbs were the size of piranhas they'd be bloody terrifying! You can hear my lot breaking the surface as soon as they see anyone walk into the room; my son calls them 'The Swarm'!

They used to live in the tank in the kitchen and part of the reason I moved them out was that they'd beg for food everytime someone was making a cuppa, and they were getting very fat

 

[smokeyjo]

They are crazy my lot go nuts when I do anything in the tank if I put my hand in to sort the plants out they swim into my hand thinking I've got food lol

 

[onidrase]

I've always said that if tiger barbs were the size of piranhas they'd be bloody terrifying! You can hear my lot breaking the surface as soon as they see anyone walk into the room; my son calls them 'The Swarm'!

They used to live in the tank in the kitchen and part of the reason I moved them out was that they'd beg for food everytime someone was making a cuppa, and they were getting very fat

The swarm

I like that name

They are crazy my lot go nuts when I do anything in the tank if I put my hand in to sort the plants out they swim into my hand thinking I've got food lol

They've actually bit at my fingers when I put the little glass vials in the water to check the peremiters

 

[fishprotector]

I have just put some courgette in my tank for my Plecos and my Black Ruby Barbs were nibbling at my arm lol.