Wood or rocks

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so you just have the internal filter--no external?
 
are the fish able to swim over to the far right of the tank or is that rather large filter blocking them?
In my video you can see my round sponge filter on the rear right corner. It doesnt take up much room. I have a medium size HOB filter as well.
 
Yes there is a gap for them
are the fish able to swim over to the far right of the tank or is that rather large filter blocking them?
In my video you can see my round sponge filter on the rear right corner. It doesnt take up much room. I have a medium size HOB filter as well.
 
You might consider adding an external filter like mine for more consistent water flow throughout the tank. I think the barbs like moving water which a HOB can provide.
 
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The internal filter has a output thing that provides a bit of current
If it's just a small gap and they avoid swimming there, you might get a small sponge filter that works off an air pump and then add an external filter like mine so barbs will have more swimming room. I think the barbs like moving water which a HOB can provide.
 
do the barbs regularly swim to the far right of the tank or do they tend to avoid the area due to the filter?
 
If they are avoiding the right side due to either plants or filter, you need to correct that situation. They need the full width of the tank for swimming.
 
take out the plant on the far right and move filter as far to the rear as possible. If there is a plant on the far left, take that out as well. Barbs like to swim the full width of the tank, and if they can't, they can get stressed. In my video , you can see them swimming the entire lenght of the tank.
 
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You must understand that I don’t have the life you do where you have complete freedom to have any tank you want
I live in a desert. That means that most fish and plants just won't grow here. That means I can have almost every thing I want to have. I didn't realize until I started getting into forums like this (years ago) that others were not so fortunate. Californians cannot have caulerpa algae, floridians can't have lionfish, etc.

It is an important lesson for people to understand.
 
The issue of this tank/species occurs in another thread as well, in which I just posted some general info on fish needs. I see nothing wrong with this group of 8 Tiger Barbs (golden, but there is one or two regular barbs in the photos, this is fine as it is the same species) in a 30-inch 29g tank. I would agree to rehome the swordtail, but no matter.

Back in post #1 it reads, "I am going to rescale my tank so should I use drift wood or rocks as my primary hardscape?" The answer to this question should be, provide what the fish being housed in the tank "expect" because this is part of their genetic makeup as a species. Sometimes a fish species has very specific needs, such as sand substrate, or chunks of wood, or piles of rock, or thick plants, or dim light, or strong water currents or no water currents...all these things must be considered for any species that is to go into the aquarium. @Fishmanic mentioned that this species does like some water current, more than many other species might not, and I agree--you don't want a raging torrent, but a nice stream flow down the tank and this is achieved by the type and placement of the filter.

The way to determine what the fish need is to study their habitat. Post #15 asked, "What would a tiger barb environment look like ,they seem to like the java fern always sleeping within it." The answer to this question tells us what the tank needs to have for this species.

Puntigrus tetrazona is probably endemic to central and southern Sumatra. Fish native to the island of Borneo are likely congeners. Populations have been introduced elsewhere. Congeners occur in quiet streams in the forest, with sand and rock substrates and dense marginal vegetation.

That is your guide. Even though the fish purchased will almost certainly be commercially-raised, the species is still the species and its genetic blueprint has not changed.
 

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