Help! My Tiger Barbs Are Not Acting Normal!

[cjpf]

Hey guys, I have a planted 55G with a rainbow shark, 3 mollies 2 dwarf gouramies, 5 tiger barbs (mostly midium sized), 5 green tiger barbs(small sized) and 5 albino tiger barbs (2 small 3 adult) . I have been doing a water change every 2 days, the tank has been running for 2 and a half months, the amonia is at 0.1, the nitrites are at 0 and nitrates at around 30.

One of the small albino barbs and one of the adult albino tiger barbs are hiding in the plants most of the day. They seem healthy and eat when they see that there's food. But barely come out at all. I don't know what could be wrong with them. There are no signs of agression with other species, but one of the adult albino barb likes to chase all the other barbs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I don't want any of them to die when I could've done something to help!!

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Did you do a 'fish-in' cycle? Maybe they are reacting to the Ammonia that is in your water.

Terry.

 

[cjpf]

Well, the thing is that those barbs (the ones acting like that) were added not too long ago ( i would say a week). By the time they were added the ammonia levels were already very low. I think that as far as the small albino tiger barb, it could be that it feels alone because they other albino barbs are completely grown? I don't know if that theory even makes sense!

 

[Martha689]

thumbs UP

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Unfortunately, no matter how low the reading of Ammonia is, unless it is '0' then it will be doing some sort of damage to your fish.

Terry.

 

[cjpf]

Yeah, I understand. That's why I have been doing very frequest water changes! I hope that helps enoug to make them be happy

 

[The Taffy Apple]

I'd say that's just about the only thing you can do for the present then, unless this is a small 'Ammonia spike' in a recently cycled tank, otherwise you could add some mature media from someone that has a fully cycled filter and tank.
Out of curiosity, have you added these fish over a weekly period, or something similiar?

Terry.

 

[KISSfn]

Agree with The Taffy Apple that ammonia should be kept as close to 0 as possible. I think your Albino Tiger Barbs are acting normal. Being Albino they feel vulnerable and will not feel a part of your group of 10 Tigers and Green Barbs that will shoal with each other. I'd try adding another Albino and keep a sharp eye on water stats. I think size, numbers and establishing a hierarchy are very important to Tiger Barbs. I had the same expereience until I added to my Albino group.

 

[cjpf]

Thanks for the replies. Terry, I did add the fish with some time in between. So I didn't do it all at once.
KISSfn I have updated the numbers. I noticed that 2 of the adult albino barbs were harassing all the other fish in the aquarium, including the other adult albino barb in the tank. I decided I would take them back to my LFS and I replaced them with 3 younger albino barbs. its been a day and a half and so far everyone seems much happier. There are no barbs hiding, eventually one will get chased by another but I believe thats normal. So now I have 6 small green tiger barbs, 5 small albino, and 5 small to medium normal tiger barbs. Hopefully this solved the problem!!

The water parameters have been good. and I have kept up with the water changes, in fact i am doing another one today. I will post the readings later!

 

[KISSfn]

Glad to help! Tiger Barbs chasing each other is very normal as is jockeying for position in the pack. The best way to deal with a bothersome bully is to add to his particular pack.

 

[cjpf]

Sweet! Thank you! I actually went to my LFS several days ago and saw two albino barbs (about 1 inch) by themselves in the tank. They were staying in one spot and barely moving. I felt so bad because they didn't have a school that I brought them home with me. Now they all seem very happy, except one of the ones i brought. It is still adjusting I guess.

 

[KISSfn]

Glad to help! Nice of you to take home those Albinos! The one that doesn't seem happy may be the lowest member of the pack at the moment. But pack positions change all the time eventually reaching a happy balance. I also bought another Albino the other day to increase their pack to a nice number of 8!