Siamese Fighter

[BABYELLZ]

Hi Guys, Im new on this site, I was after some help if you could please.

I have recently started keeping tropical fish in the last 3 months. In the tank are -

x 2 small Angel fish

x 2 Marble Mollies

x 2 Plattys

x 2 Female Cheryr Babrbs

x 1 male cherry Barb

x 2 kissing Gouramis

x 1 Silver Shark

x 1 Male Siamese fighter.

My PH balance is 7 and all the fish were fine together up until a few days ago.

My Siamese fighter became Ill, very depressed, his colour had faded a lot, and he was hanging in the corner of our tank just below the surface of the water ( It says in my fish book they do this when they are sick and or unhappy). My local pet shop owner told me it could be the gouramis giving him jib by being terrotorial, but I have never seen them behave aggressively towards him.

I took the fighter out of the tank and put him in the hospital tank for 2 days and treated the water with Supa tonic salts.

This seemed to perk him up until he was back to his normal self.

I then put him back into the community tank and kept a close eye on him.

To my amazement he was instantly attacked by the cherry barbs, both female and male, they chased him around, nipped his fins etc, until he became tired and crawled under any rock or plant to hide.

I took him back out and put him in to the hospital tank for his own safety.

I dont know what to do next, can anyone help me please as the poor guy is all alone in the hospital tank.

Thanks, and I look forward to your replies

Ell x

 

[james_fish]

I suggest keeping the fighter in its own tank from now on. Unfortunately it is not compatible with some of the fish you have, so they may be bullying it when your not around. Fighters are fine in a tank on there own and are sometimes best left alone, don't worry about him getting lonely.

James.

 

[BABYELLZ]

ok thanks James, Have you ever heard of the cherry barbs doing this sort of thing? I was told they are very calm and great community fish, but they have been nothing but trouble makers since we saved them from a neighbour who broke their tank when their daughter done a kartwheel and put her foot through it!

I very much appreciate you reply,.

 

[james_fish]

Well, there are several species of Barbs renowned for fin-nipping. Cherry Barbs aren't as bad as lets say Tiger Barbs, but it is not uncommon for them to turn out to be fin nippers.

They are an okay community fish, just when they are not mixed with long finned fish, but it depends on the actual fish and its aggression.

Glad to be of help, James.

 

[Carlovel1]

Gouramis, sharks and the angelfish can all be bad fin-nippers