What Is Wrong With This Green Tiger Barb?

[Musahi]

Hi there. I have a young green tiger barb who's fins are being nipped by the other tiger barbs. I don't know what to do, as I don't have a spare tank to split them up. He's now got a white on the very tip of his dorsal fin. As you can see in these pictures his fins aren't in a great state, and I don't know what this white bit is. He seems to go out of his way to get nipped, he goes into the center of the tank, stands vertically on his nose, and flutters his fins, attracting the other tiger barbs to him. I do have an older green tiger barb who's fins are also getting nipped. Seems the stripy tiger barbs go for the green ones!

As a side question...I've always had this growth in my tank, if you can notice it on the heater in the 3rd picture. It's like a fine fuzz or hair. Only short. It doesn't seem to be hair algae as I've treated the thank for that and there's been no difference. It seems to be on everything, the glass, ornaments, plants...but not the fish. I don't think it's harmful for them, but it is unsightly.

Thanks!

 

[Musahi]

This is how he used to look....

 

[CrazyAirborne]

well i know most people say if u have a large enough group, TB's wont be so nippy. If you can, maybe increase your numbers with some new fish to take the spotlight off this little guy?

 

[Musahi]

Thanks for your reply. That's pretty much what I thought. I previously had 6 TB's, but unfortunately they all died (but one) from a failed filter over night. I got these 3 to replace them, so I have 4 TB's in all. The previous 6 didn't fight at all. So I guess I need to add 2 more in. I was annoyed about this though and thought I wouldn't replace any more TB's as they seem too naughty, but I guess I have to for this little guy's sake.

 

[Musahi]

Ok, have come up with another solution. A friend is taking them off my hands to a larger group of TB's. That solves it for me. Don't think I'll be getting TB's from now, they're too aggressive.