Tiger barbs

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
🐶 POTM Poll is Open! 🦎 Click here to Vote! 🐰

Amolly83

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Hi, I'm totally new to keeping tropical fish and hoping for some advice, i was given a rainbow shark out of a cold water tank so went and bought a 126 lt tank, all levels, pH an temp, are good and have a few live plans in there, had it running for five weeks now, my son picked are first fish which he happened to pick tiger barbs and unfortunately the rainbow shark tried to get rid of them and attacked them none stop for thre days and nights, so decided the rainbow shark had to go not realising that the tiger barbs where quite aggressive aswell so now I have 6 tiger barbs in a tank and we would like somthing colourfull and bigger any suggestions please
 
Rainbow sharks are usually (there are always exceptions, your rainbow was one of them) more peaceful than its cousin the Reed Tail Shark, but even so it can take a dislike to upper fish, and frequently those with a vertical stripe pattern. The RTS is more likely to exhibit this trait, but Rainbows can too. It is generally not a good community fish.

As for Tiger Barbs, this is an aggressive species very prone to fin nipping each other in small groups, and fin nipping other fish particularly sedate (less active swimmers) fish and any with long fins. The Tiger is best in its own space in a group of 10-15, and your 126 liter (33 gallon) tank is the minimum for such a group. So, if you like the Tigers, get more of them and have a species tank of just the Tigers. No other upper level fish.

Alternatively, because the six will cause you trouble without question, you could return the TB. If you do, plan out future fish before acquiring them. Members here will be glad to offer advice on species.
 
Thank you for your reply I don't seem to be having much luck with these fish, that's two types of aggressive fish I've had, I did ask when I bought them wether they were compatable with other fish but there is unfortunetely so much conflicting I formation and have since learnt that there not as compatable as was made out
 
Thank you for your reply I don't seem to be having much luck with these fish, that's two types of aggressive fish I've had, I did ask when I bought them wether they were compatable with other fish but there is unfortunetely so much conflicting I formation and have since learnt that there not as compatable as was made out

One thing we have all learned is not to rely on advice from fish store employees. If you personally know them and their level of knowledge that is fine, maybe (not everyone with experience knows what's what). But always research a fish species before acquiring so you know what it needs, how it behaves, how many it must have, the tank size to suit all this. Members here will help you, none of us wants to see fish suffer. Before I learned this research thing, I returned a few fish, or worse sometimes.
 
I am learning slowly, thank you for your support, its quite disheartening having to take them back but I think this may well be the case with the tiger barb, I'm sure I will be back here soon asking for more advice.
 
I am learning slowly, thank you for your support, its quite disheartening having to take them back but I think this may well be the case with the tiger barb, I'm sure I will be back here soon asking for more advice.

A 126 liter (30 odd gallons) is a good size, and there are many fish suited that will live peacefully and provide hours of enjoyment. Before we suggest species or advise on any, we like to know your source water parameters. Source water is the tap water you use, and parameters refers to GH (general or total hardness, the most important param), pH, and KH (carbonate hardness or Alkalinity) though the latter is not always essential but good to know as it "buffers" (or not) the pH. The GH is most important for fish.
 
I've been using the 6in 1 testing strip and they are saying
Ph7
Gh80-100
Kh80-100
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 0
The temperature is at 77
I also took a sample to the pet shop and they said it was almost perfect
 
I've been using the 6in 1 testing strip and they are saying
Ph7
Gh80-100
Kh80-100
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 0
The temperature is at 77
I also took a sample to the pet shop and they said it was almost perfect

That's another issue with fish stores...if you have your water tested in future, make sure they give you the number and their unit of measurement. Stores have a bad habit of using general terms that may not convey the actual situation. Just so you know; without numbers advice for problems can bee difficult for members to give.

You have soft water, so that opens up a multitude of options. Most fish from South America and SE Asia are suitable as far as water goes, so that includes tetras, hatchetfish,pencilfiish, corydoras catfish, small plecos, rasbora, danio, barbs, gourami, loaches...some of these will bee too large but within these groups are dozens of species.
 
So more details the better , so you would recommend starting again, I do like the gouramis, there really beautiful, thank you
 
Thank you for your advice, I had a chat with my son this morning and we decided that the barbs needed to go back, so we now have 2 three spot gouramis, 2 red spot platys, 2 golden mollies, 2 rumy nose tetras and a male siamese fighter, all seem to be very happy and calm unlike the barbs and rainbow sharks.
 
I'm afraid you are in for more trouble down the line.

Three spot gouramis are one of the more aggressive gouramis and they and the betta will soon come to blows. They are both labyrinth fish, and different species should not be kept together as they are territorial and inhabit the same region of the tank. Bettas should really be kept alone as they are not community fish.
If both gouramis are male, they will likely fight each other. Two females may be OK. Can I suggest you post photos of them so we can see what gender they are.

Rummy nose tetras are shoaling fish, they need to be in a group of at least 6, but more is better. Having just two means they will be stressed and stressed fish get sick easily.

You also have soft water fish (gouramis, tetras) and hard water fish (platies and mollies). If the test strips are accurate, you have soft water (you said 80 to 100 ppm) so the hard water fish will start to suffer. They need hardness over 200 ppm with mollies being better at over 250 ppm.

Ideally, you need to return the platies and mollies to the shop and get more rummy nose tetras. And get a small tank for the betta on his own, or return him as well.
And if the shop recommended this combination of fish, don't believe anything else they tell you!
 
Agree with essjay. Please research any fish here (forum) before you acquire them. There is a lot to having an aquarium of compatible healthy fish, and we are all more than willing to help.
 
A Betta definitely needs to be in his own tank- I speak from experience. A 5 gallon size tank would be best for him. Walmart has a 5 gallon tank with filter , light, and hood for $30 shipped. You just would need to get a heater.

I have 6 tiger barbs and a Bolivian Ram in my 29 gallon tank and all is well and peaceful.
 
Thank you for all your advice, I will see how it goes for a few days, If it becomes a problem I will deal with it, they all seem quite happy at the minute,were I bought the fish they had male betta fish in 16 tanks all containing numerous other fish and they were absolutely fine together, if need be I have another tank so will separate the fish so not a huge problem, thank you
 
Thank you for all your advice, I will see how it goes for a few days, If it becomes a problem I will deal with it, they all seem quite happy at the minute,were I bought the fish they had male betta fish in 16 tanks all containing numerous other fish and they were absolutely fine together, if need be I have another tank so will separate the fish so not a huge problem, thank you

This is not going to work, as it is harming the fish and before very long you and your son will be losing heart over dying fish. You just cannot go against nature in this hobby. And you cannot ever take what you see in a store as suitable; stores want to sell fish, and they do not have the resources to keep them in habitat tanks. When you take the fish home you are now responsible for its life until it dies.

The problems of water parameters means the fish cannot function properly, and it is being stressed, hurt and weakened. The lack of sufficient fish for a shoaling species is harming the fish because they "expect" to be in a group and when this is not provided they too experience severe stress which weakens them. As in people, stress weakens the immune system as well, leading to other issues that could/should have been avoided.

Please read thee citations in blue and green in my signature block; I have them for very good reason, and both are applicable here. Your fish are living creatures and they deserve nothing less than the proper environment.
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top