Tell Me About Tiger Barbs...

[pkppv]

Ive been doing a lot of research on my tiger barbs, and even more research before i bought them but i still have tons of questions!

What does the little bit of shiny green on their stripes mean?

How do i sex them? (Ive read about it but cant seem to spot the differences)

How do the color morphs work?

and last but not least-what do you suggest i should do to induce breeding?

Thanks a lot!

EDIT: forgot one thing, what does it mean when they headstand?, ive noticed this in the morning a lot

 

[fluttermoth]

The bit of green on the stripes is just their natural colouration.

The males have red noses, and more, brighter red on the edge of the dorsal fin; females have a see-through edge.

The colour morphs; the green/moss barbs have just been bred from the normal ones so the black stripes have spread out and joined up, allowing the green to show more. The albinos are just albino; I don't know anything about the others, like the new 'platinum' ones.

The best way to breed is to set up a 10 or 20 gallon tank, with marbles on the base and some fine leaved plants. Put three or four of your best females in there and feed them on frozen or live food for a couple of weeks. Spring is the best time 'cos you can put the tank where it gets natural sunlight; the longer days help to trigger spawning, as can, unlike most fish, a warmer than normal water change.

Then, once your females look nice and fat, add your males in the evening and with luck they'll spawn next morning. Then you need to remove the parents and wait for the eggs to hatch

 

[KISSfn]

+1 fluttermoth.

They headstand when they sleep!