Opinions Please!?

[tyedyefishy]

I have a 55 gallon (209L) aquarium that I bought off craigslist 6 months ago. It came with a 3 spot gourami and a 4 year old tiger barb. I put in long finned rosy barbs and angelicus loaches that I already had from a previous tank.

I read a lot about tiger barbs and found that they do best in larger groups. Since the lady I got him from said shes had him by himself for 4 years... I thought it would be a good idea to buy him 5 little buddies. He seemed like he didn't like the new tiger barbs. He always seemed to avoid them. One day after work I came home and he was wounded really bad on one of his sides and the little tigers kept biting off his scales. I thought he was going to die and I already sold the tank I had previously so I had to buy a 10 gallon tank. I used the 10 gallon as his hospital tank for 2 or 3 months. Slowly but surely he healed up well and he's been back in the big tank for about 2 months. I've noticed he's been finally swimming with the other tiger barbs for the last month.

My problem right now is the little tigers seem to pick on each other. They also pick on my rosy barbs and cause the rosys to get nippy back. I feel selfish for saying this but I really wish I just kept the old tiger barb and never bought the 5 buddies. I feel like the tiger barbs are more aggressive than what I wanted in a fish. I really want to find a good new home for the little 5 and keep the tiger barb that came with the tank... but I'm torn on what to do... I feel bad just giving them away because I don't like their personalities but I really think I could utilize my tank space better without them... I just want to cool down the aggression =/
My old 4 year old tiger barb is always friendly to all the fish. He never nips... even if hes being attacked.

Should I keep my 4 year old tiger who has never given me any problems and find a new home for the other 5?
Should I get rid of all 6 as a group and lose the old tiger that I feel attached to?
If I do get rid of some or all of the tigers what fish should I put in my tank?
Am I just cruel and need to suck it up because I should have done my research better?
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!

I have
6 Angelicus Loaches (my favorite!)
6 Long-finned Rosy Barbs
1 Opaline Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
6 Tiger Barbs (unless I decide to rehome)

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to our forum tyedyefishy.
I have found that tiger barbs deserve their common name of tiger. They are not good community type fish at all, at least that is my impression of them. Their aggressiveness extends not only to their own species but to other species that they are housed with. I no longer try to keep any of them in my tanks. If the older fish is truly peaceful in your tank, why not keep him? As rare as a peaceful tiger barb is, he is definitely an exception and worth keeping. I would dump the others as fast as I found a good home for them. I never simply dispose of a fish, but tiger barbs are probably the one fish that would tempt me to do so.

 

[tyedyefishy]

Thanks so much OldMan47... that makes me feel much better. I want my fish to live peacefully... not constantly chased.
I've made the decision to rehome the 5 and keep my peaceful one that I'm attached to. I was only worried about him being the only tiger barb in the tank... but he's obviously made it pretty far by himself =)

So once I get rid of the tigers do you have any suggestions for new fish? Maybe more of the species I already have or maybe even something new and awesome??

6 Angelicus Loaches (my favorite!)
6 Long-finned Rosy Barbs
1 Opaline Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 Tiger Barb

 

[clay]

I have always had better luck with groups of 12 or more. Always with more females than males.

 

[Dazzler666]

Sorry to hear you having problems with your tigers. I have 8 tigers (4 green & 4 striped) in my 120ltre along with seven lemon tetras, 7 harlequin rasboras & 5 beacon tetras and so far I have had no problems!! . The tigers chase themselves and one occasion two did a 'lip lock' dance as I call it but nothing else aside. I may have been lucky as I got all eight from a friend and added them to my all ready stocked tank. Though sometimes I find fish have there own personalities and maybe not for the better!!!
On a positive note, I love watching my barbs explore my tank and chase one another and I find them a very active fish!!
Hope all works out for you in the end bud.

 

[tyedyefishy]

My tiger barbs only seem really active when they are chasing and nipping each other. I found the 5 a new home already. The person I am giving them to plans on buying more tiger barbs so they'll be in a larger school. I feel like both my other fish and my tiger barbs will be better off. I still feel a little crappy about keeping a single tiger in my tank... especially since he recently seems to like the 5 others.

after today I will have
6 Angelicus Loaches (my favorite!)
6 Long-finned Rosy Barbs
1 Opaline Gourami
1 Bristlenose Pleco
1 Tiger Barb

any suggestions on other fish I should get? I was thinking about a couple rainbow fish just to add a little color.

 

[DJH584]

If the single tiger has been more than happy and thriving under your ownership on its own for the last four years, then don't change the status quo. And certainly don't beat yourself up about getting rid of the little aggressors that were making his life hell.

We've had bullies in the past and I have had no hesitation or qualms about getting them out of the tank and returning them to the LFS on that basis.

David