Tiger Barb Size

[fluttermoth]

Yes, it's normal.

The green tigers have just been selectively bred so the stripes spread out and join up; the green iridescence comes with it

They can go lighter or darker according to mood; when two males start scrapping, they can go almost completely black!

 

[thisguyek]

alright flutter... you seem to know your barbs. heres a behavioral question. I've seen some of the larger barbs do either a 'nose stand' or a slow motion flip when in the group. is this a show of submission or something?

by nose stand i mean like they sleep... almost vertical...

 

[KISSfn]

All my Tiger and Green Barbs sleep in the vertical position. Quite a sight! Have you seen a pair "dance" round and round yet? They are a joy to watch!

 

[fluttermoth]

I've had tigers nearly continously for about 20 years now I love them to bits; if I could only ever keep one species of fish again, I'd pick the tigers

Yes, the 'head standing' and the slow flip are submissive gestures, although if they all start head standing, it means you have a nitrite problem

 

[thisguyek]

All my Tiger and Green Barbs sleep in the vertical position. Quite a sight! Have you seen a pair "dance" round and round yet? They are a joy to watch!

yeah, they sure are fun to watch! Two of my little guys have been 'dancing' for most of the morning

I've had tigers nearly continously for about 20 years now I love them to bits; if I could only ever keep one species of fish again, I'd pick the tigers

Yes, the 'head standing' and the slow flip are submissive gestures, although if they all start head standing, it means you have a nitrite problem

It's just one or two that i notice doing that. I'll keep my eye on it though

I've also noticed that there are a couple big guys with frayed/tattered top fins. Is this from the nipping? Doesn't appear to be fin rot... but they do seem stressed, for lack of better words. I've been keeping up with water changes and testing and everything is spot on. started doing changes twice a week rather than once a week. about 25% instead of 50%.


I know many people swear by quarantine tanks for new comers... as i just set up that 10gal for the live bearers, i HIGHLY doubt the wife will let me set up yet ANOTHER tank! of course i'd have no problem with it how do you go about it? i know its a risk not having one, but...

 

[fluttermoth]

I must admit, I don't quarantine.

All my fish come from the same LFS, which I trust; and I never buy fish until they've been through quarantine there, and only then do I buy them if every thing in the tank is healthy.

That 'dancing' round and round is males testing each others strength; I think it must be spawning time of year for tigers and they do get quite rough with each other.

One of my females lost part of her tail last year. Just keep the water quality up so you don't get secondary infections like fungus, and they'll soon mend.

 

[thisguyek]

Yeah, I've got two that look pale(theyre the ones whos top fins are frayed a bit) must have had a rough couple days huh? Ill be doing 2 water changes a week like I said.

I would like to know... My house has been getting quite warm(despite the AC running) due to remodeling. I've got most of the insulation out right now. My tank as been hanging right around 78-80F rarely making it much past 80. when doing water changes, how much cooler can i make the supply water without causing stress to the fish?

 

[KISSfn]

Under this heat wave in the US my tap water at full cold is around 77F so it doesn't cool my tank at all. I think they could handle a couple of degrees drop if you froze some dechlorinated water and put it in the tank. You could also increase the surface agitation, open the lid's doors and direct a fan at the water's surface. I think if the temp change is gradual, rather than sudden, they should be okay.

 

[fluttermoth]

I regularly do 50-60% water changes with straight cold water. As long as you let it trickle in (I often take an hour or so to refill, but I use a hose), so your not actually pouring cold water on the fish you'll be fine.

Oddly, to stimulate tigers to spawn, you do a change with water that's hotter than the tank; with most fish you do a cold water change, which simulates the rainy season and the floods.

 

[Tizer]

missed this thread love barbs

Head standing is a sign of over feeding, so just dont feed for a few days, or feed at night when they are asleep.

 

[thisguyek]

missed this thread love barbs

Head standing is a sign of over feeding, so just dont feed for a few days, or feed at night when they are asleep.

really? hmm. I've got a question about overfeeding that i'd like to clear up then.

When people say 'overfeeding' do they refer to the amount that goes uneaten or the fact that the fish themselves are eating too much? I dont really have a set feeding schedule per se... usually whenever i get around to it. sometimes its once a day, sometimes its twice a day, and others i dont get around to it. When i do feed, i go in small increments. when they have eaten what i have given them, ill add a little more (with each pinch of food getting smaller) when they start leaving food go, i stop.

i could see it go either way... where as uneaten food pollutes the water. but if fish are eating alot, theyll produce more waste, which also pollutes the water. probably just answered my own question, but just wanted to make sure

 

[Tizer]

Some fish behave like dogs and will eat everything on the plate no matter how much, while some behave like cats who have their fill and leave food for later.

Barbs are like dogs, they will stuff themselves stupid and the head standing is a sign of that. You can also see their stomachs grow and actually look fat.

Instead of feeding until you think they have had enough, just feed them once a day, a set amount and they will be fine. I know its sometimes hard because you want to make sure that they all get a fair amount, but that doesnt happen in the wild so it doesnt have to happen in your home tank. When i feed mine, nothing makes it to the bottom. So i have to feed a few pellets later at night when lights are out for the Kribs to eat.

PS. head standing at night is fine, thats the typical sleep position, its just during the day you need to keep an eye out for it.

 

[fluttermoth]

Fish that are overfed will, basically, just crap the excess straight out of the other end anyway, with a minmal amount of it actually being digested, so it doesn't really matter whether the fish eat it or it just falls to the bottom and rots; the end effect on the tank is exactly the same