Tiger Barbs Are Sensitive To Light

[blanc1g]

My Tiger Barbs have recently become very sensitive to light and seek any kind of shelter they can find. When they are under the light they dart around the tank and go slightly opaque. The only changes I made in the last few weeks was to remove a large piece of driftwood and I've recently had a sudden explosion of snails as well (I don't like them but they are cleaning all the algae up - just trying to keep numbers down). I had the driftwood in the tank since the barbs were introduced and there was a lot of tannin - I assume this was blocking some of the light and now the barbs are not used to the light. Any other possible causes?

Thanks

 

[Tizer]

How many do you have and what size is the tank, how old is the tank and what are your water parameters. Was the filter correctly cycled, have you had any fish deaths? etc. etc.

 

[nurglespuss]

I would agree that removing the wood (being the latest major change) has spooked the fish (either it was providing shade/cover, the tanins were enjoyed, or the removal of a large piece of scenery makes them feel insecure....

I would suggest adding some real or fake floating plants (amazonian frog bit for example) to shield them from the light.

Of course, it may also be worth considering adding a piece of wood again...

 

[blanc1g]

How many do you have and what size is the tank, how old is the tank and what are your water parameters. Was the filter correctly cycled, have you had any fish deaths? etc. etc.

6 barbs, 5 peguin tetras, 3 neons, 2 bottom feeders in a 90L tank. Tank has been up and running for 4 months, the barbs were used to condition the tank - knew them as hardy and suitable for the task. Had a couple of deaths - a couple of tetras swelled up a few months ago before dying. Will need to get back to you on water perameters - any thoughts in the mean time?

I would agree that removing the wood (being the latest major change) has spooked the fish (either it was providing shade/cover, the tanins were enjoyed, or the removal of a large piece of scenery makes them feel insecure....

I would suggest adding some real or fake floating plants (amazonian frog bit for example) to shield them from the light.

Of course, it may also be worth considering adding a piece of wood again...

I put the wood back in tonight - no immediate difference. At the moment I have turned one of the lights off and they sit in the darker areas - not sure whether to persist in order to help them get used to the light or keep the lights off until problem is solved.

 

[KittyKat]

How many do you have and what size is the tank, how old is the tank and what are your water parameters. Was the filter correctly cycled, have you had any fish deaths? etc. etc.

6 barbs, 5 peguin tetras, 3 neons, 2 bottom feeders in a 90L tank.

The schools are too small, really, and what are the bottom feeders? It would make noticeable difference if you increased them into the 10 per species region, although whether your filter will actually take that depends on your set-up. Floating plants will help, as someone suggested, and also with nitrate too.

Tank has been up and running for 4 months, the barbs were used to condition the tank - knew them as hardy and suitable for the task.

You mean that you used the barbs to cycle the filter? How high were the ammonia and nitrite concentrations and for how long? This will affect their behaviour, susceptibility to diseases and life span.

Had a couple of deaths - a couple of tetras swelled up a few months ago before dying.

Did you ever identify the cause? Or at least do you think it was constipation or a disease?

 

[blanc1g]

I had them all in schools of 6, except neons as I inherited them - I would love schools of 10 but my tank isn't big enough. I don't know what the neons died from - I presumed constipation as no other fish was ill.

I really doubt that the barb problem is illness - I'm watching them now and with the light off they regain their colour and are happy swimming around the tank, chasing each other, protecting their section of the tank. They also feed well. When the light is on they rush to shelter, lose their colour and won't eat.

I've had barbs before but this behaviour is new to me.

 

[KittyKat]

I really doubt that the barb problem is illness - I'm watching them now and with the light off they regain their colour and are happy swimming around the tank, chasing each other, protecting their section of the tank. They also feed well. When the light is on they rush to shelter, lose their colour and won't eat.

This problem is not, but the fish are still affected permanently by the ammonia exposure. Most likely, this is problem is caused by a combination of small school numbers and them feeling exposed/unprotected.

 

[Miles_hot]

could you feed when the light goes on so that they learn light = food = good times?

 

[Tizer]

i've been conditioned with: bedroom : lights off : good times.