Tiger Barbs

[StevieD]

Hi
I have a 32 gal tank (1 year old) with 15 healthy Tigers.
Over the last month every time I put on the aquarium lights they all gather together in the bottom left bottom corner. when I turn the lights off they split up & behave normally.

I have not seen such behavior before ......... any advise???

 

[Barry Tetra]

Welcome to the forum , It might be scared of light. Are they scare of you? Can you post a video? (You can post a video by upload it on youtube, copy and paste here)

 

[Colin_T]

They are stressing out from the light.

Have you got any plants in the tank?
How about floating plants?

Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

--------------------
Add some floating plants like Water Sprite so the light isn't as intense.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week and see if that helps.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[StevieD]

They are stressing out from the light.

Have you got any plants in the tank?
How about floating plants?

Stress from tank lights coming on when the room is dark can be an issue. Fish don't have eyelids and don't tolerate going from complete dark to bright light (or vice versa) instantly.

In the morning open the curtains or turn the room light on at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the tank light on. This will reduce the stress on the fish and they won't go from a dark tank to a bright tank instantly.

At night turn the room light on and then turn the tank light off. Wait at least 30 minutes (or more) before turning the room light out. This allows the fish to settle down for the night instead of going from a brightly lit tank to complete darkness instantly.

--------------------
Add some floating plants like Water Sprite so the light isn't as intense.

Check the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week and see if that helps.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Thx I will try this. Lots of plants in tank & fish are normally healthy and active. Suspect sudden change in morning from dark to bright light could be the issue.

 

[Byron]

Thx I will try this. Lots of plants in tank & fish are normally healthy and active. Suspect sudden change in morning from dark to bright light could be the issue.

Colin's advice about the room being in light when the tank light comes on and when it goes off is very important. In addition to that, having the tank lighting on a timer so it is the same each day is important. Light affects fish even more than most other animals. Having the same period of "daylight" (the tank lighting on) is very significant to the fish. A simple timer on the tank light achieves this. Turning the light on to view the fish, then off, then back on later is a source of problems for the fish.

 

[StevieD]

Colin's advice about the room being in light when the tank light comes on and when it goes off is very important. In addition to that, having the tank lighting on a timer so it is the same each day is important. Light affects fish even more than most other animals. Having the same period of "daylight" (the tank lighting on) is very significant to the fish. A simple timer on the tank light achieves this. Turning the light on to view the fish, then off, then back on later is a source of problems for the fish.

Ok got it...... how many hours per day?

 

[Retired Viking]

I have my lights turn on at noon and off at 9pm. I have a light (low) on in the room that goes off at 10pm to simulate sunset. Before my lights turn on there is light from the windows so they have a sunrise. I also have some floating plants to give them shade.

 

[Byron]

It's up to you, depending upon the specifics of your aquarium. If you have live plants then sufficient light for the plants but not more to encourage problem algae will be your primary concern. The time when you are normally home each day to observe the aquarium is important; no sense in having the tank lighting during the day if you are away working/school and then have it in darkness when you are home.

Fish also need a period of several hours of total and complete darkness each 24-hour period. No ambient room light or daylight, but complete blackness. This period, along with the light "day" period, and the two most important. The times between these two (dusk and dawn in a sense) are not really important.

Retired Viking mentioned the schedule that works for him. My present one is similar, now that I am retired and thus home most days. I have the tank lighting on for seven hours daily, from 9 am to 4 pm when we are on standard time, and from 10 am to 5 pm when we are on daylight savings time. I actually do not adjust the timer, so to the fish the light comes on the same time every day of the year, and goes out the same time, and there is ambient daylight entering the room at both ends, and that is all that matters.

 

[seangee]

The time when you are normally home each day to observe the aquarium is important; no sense in having the tank lighting during the day if you are away working/school and then have it in darkness when you are home.

I agree with that. Sadly I am not retired so mine come on in the late afternoon and go out at midnight as I am a late person. One of the tanks is in a living room so gets more ambient light but the other 2 are in my office which has blackout blinds so I have more control there. Although at the moment they are enjoying an extended sunrise as the company I work for has decided that all 5000 of us (worldwide) should work from home every day until further notice.

 

[Fishmanic]

My 8 tiger Barbs are huddled in a corner when I turn lights on but within a short time to are schooling back and forth in the tank as they await being fed. They are generally very active. They have huge appetites but I make sure not to overfeed.

I use smart timers on all 3 of my tanks. LIghts go on at about 12 PM and turn off about 10 PM.