What To Do Tiger Barbs

[baker360360]

My mum got me 3 tiger barbs today for mine and wife's anniversary. I worried they are going to attack my other fish. Angles/betta/guppies ect

 

[Ninjouzata]

They like to be in groups so need to be kept at 6+, the more the better to lessen fin nipping. Not sure if your tank can handle that or not though.

 

[baker360360]

50g tank

 

[Ninjouzata]

That is fine but depending on your other stocking you may already be fully stocked and not able to handle another shoal of fish, can you give the exact numbers of fish you have? The length of the tank would be good to know as well.

 

[fm1978]

I think barbs can get nippy nippy and you've already got angels in there, too. It's a bit of a mix between boisterous and community type fish. 
 
As above, barbs do prefer groups and that may also lessen the aggression toward other tank inhabitants. I'd keep a close eye on them, just in case!

 

[baker360360]

I've got rid of some fish last week this is what's left
9 neon tetra
10 glass cats
7 guppies male
2 angles
4 Amano shrimp
1 betta male
3 tiger barbs

50g juwel trigon ( corner tank)
Thinking of getting rid of guppies as all they do is fight each other

 

[Chad]

50 gallons is a pretty good size tank to keep them in, I think if you got 4 or 5 more and maybe moved some of the auqascape around to create new territories that they should be okay. Now, as mentioned, with angels it's really hit or miss so that's a risk.

 

[fm1978]

+1 on the rescape, thats an idea!

 

[biggerfish]

yeah barbs can get nippy on low numbers, I would aim for 8-9 and they should be good, i have 20 tiger barbs in a pond right now and they treat my 8 inch jack Dempsey just like one of them including the fin nipping lol, so it can also depend on individual personality. but all in all you should be good with a couple more.

 

[baker360360]

The tiger barbs are already showing alot of aggression between each other

 

[ncguppy830]

can you return them?

 

[Ninjouzata]

Have you increased their numbers? That will spread the agression.

 

[biggerfish]

yeah the point of having alot is so they are aggressive to each other but not other fish and they WILL beat each other up buts just how they establish their pecking order, they wont kill each other though.

 

[baker360360]

I got another 4 today, so 7 in total, I read that they should be mid tank swimmers, so far they swim along the bottom

 

[plectastic]

When you get a decent amount and they get settled and confident you will find they will be swimming all over the tank and trying to eat you like piranhas every time you feed or move something. My favourite fish. I have got greens, albinos, regulars, long fin rosys, and Odessa in there too though.