Tiger Barbs Chasing Other Fish!

[Andyuk1991]

I have had Tiger Barbs for a while now but they have only started chasing the other fish today, what can i do to prevent this?

 

[fluttermoth]

Hi Andy, welcome to the forum!

First of all a few quick questions; how big is your tank, how long has it been set up and what inhabitants are there?

I expect what's happened is that the tigers have matured and are now thinking about spawning, that'll be why their behaviour has changed suddenly. Tigers do better in groups of 10 plus, as then their aggression is kept within the group and doesn't spread out to other fish.

 

[Andyuk1991]

Hi Andy, welcome to the forum!

First of all a few quick questions; how big is your tank, how long has it been set up and what inhabitants are there?

I expect what's happened is that the tigers have matured and are now thinking about spawning, that'll be why their behaviour has changed suddenly. Tigers do better in groups of 10 plus, as then their aggression is kept within the group and doesn't spread out to other fish.

Thanks, the tanks is 60L and has been set up almost a year. They have been in the tank for about 5 months. In the tank with them are Cherry Barbs, Neons and Zebra Danio's. I Currently have 5 x Tiger barbs, as the place that sold them me told me to keep them in groups of five. Is there anything I can do to stop them or is the only option to buy 5 more?

 

[leviethan]

adding more fish will not guarantee your fish behaviour will change. If anything it could make it worse. How aggressive are they acting? Any actual damage done to other fish?

 

[Andyuk1991]

adding more fish will not guarantee your fish behaviour will change. If anything it could make it worse. How aggressive are they acting? Any actual damage done to other fish?

They did no damage at all till these last few days. They have been chasing all of the other fish and nipping at their fins/tail.

 

[fluttermoth]

That's typical of tiger barbs in a too small a group I'm afraid.

I'm sure their behaviour would be better in a larger group, but in all honesty your tank is really too small for any tigers, let alone five more; they are quite a chunky fish when full grown; mine are a good couple of inches long and quite deep bodied.

adding more fish will not guarantee your fish behaviour will change. If anything it could make it worse. How aggressive are they acting? Any actual damage done to other fish?

Adding to a shoal of tiger barbs is the best thing you can do to curb aggressiveness towards other fish, as then they'll only chase around the other tigers and not every other fish in the tank.

 

[Andyuk1991]

That's typical of tiger barbs in a too small a group I'm afraid.

I'm sure their behaviour would be better in a larger group, but in all honesty your tank is really too small for any tigers, let alone five more; they are quite a chunky fish when full grown; mine are a good couple of inches long and quite deep bodied.

adding more fish will not guarantee your fish behaviour will change. If anything it could make it worse. How aggressive are they acting? Any actual damage done to other fish?

Adding to a shoal of tiger barbs is the best thing you can do to curb aggressiveness towards other fish, as then they'll only chase around the other tigers and not every other fish in the tank.

Thanks guys, I've managed to pass them on to a friend with a bigger tank. Thanks for all the help!