Tiger Barb question

[cope]

I have 4 tiger barbs...really cool personalities... I have one that likes to play chase.. he chaes one after the other.. looks like they are having fun.. I have one that sits in the corner and looks like he is shivering... He does eat and he does participate in the chases..... I was wondering if some tigers just act like this or maybe he is sick? out of the 4 he is the loner..   He does swim around but I notice some times he sits idol and face pointing down at about a 45 degree angle... and also if you think he is sick, should I isolate him in another tank.. and If I do not have another tank can I justput him in a bucket? should I airiate the bucket? Or should I not worry and let nature take it's coarse?

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Tiger Barb question

I think you need more than 4 tiger barbs to keep aggression down. The chasing is probably fighting.

[cope]

Re: Tiger Barb question

maybe, the one who is doing the chasing.. is the most colorfull... and the others are a little duller in color... so you think maybe the chaser is just a jerk... and is picking on the others? or could it be a male female ritual?

[CichlidFan]

Re: Tiger Barb question

Sounds like to me, the barb in the corner is the loser in this game. I agree with Chris, add a few more barbs.
If after adding more barbs, this "corner dweller" continues to be withdrawn, move him if you can to another tank.

CF

[cope]

Re: Tiger Barb question

I did just that...and the little sh*t started it with them too... they were all at peice.... I put him in and they were like twisting around and butting heads and it looked like a war..... meanwhile the other 3 seemed like a sih of relief..... so now I took him back out and now I have him isolated inside a huge net.... I am watching him and the others... the others are curious.. the corner dweller has come out and investigating...... what should I do... I want to keep him but not at the expense of the others....he only messes with the other tiger barbs... and I have just noticed this behavior in the last 3-4 days... I really thought they were playing... and I noticed when he is in attack mod,,, his top fin is straight up...

[CichlidFan]

Re: Tiger Barb question

When you feed them, do they ease up on the chase game any?

CF

[cope]

Re: Tiger Barb question

so I got one in isolation... and the other one is trying to break him out.... it's kinda funny really to watch them...

[cope]

Re: Tiger Barb question

No.. they take a break but when done feeding..the chase is back on... I started to take note of the behavior and spotted that there was just one who was doing the chasing.... I'm telling that it was like they were taking turns resting... and the chaser never got tired.... not just in one area.. all over the tank like a race track..

[CichlidFan]

Re: Tiger Barb question

Keep an eye on these guys, they will pick on the weaker and alot of times these guys will croak due to the stress.

CF

[cope]

Re: Tiger Barb question

he is deffinitly upset being in that net... he is hyper active...   I had my gold guoromis do this until it killed my blue gouramis... see the one with the arrow... he stays in one place.. at that angle..most of the time... while the others are out doing what fish do..  might be hard to see in this picture.

[Bogdan]

Re: Tiger Barb question

I am not going to be easy on you.
1. Buy a few more tigers like it was already suggested.
2. Throw out the plastic crap (pseudo plants and whatever else you have inside the tank)
3. Add a lot of real plants, maybe some driftwood so the fish have a places to hide.
4. Read more, there is plenty on tigers behavior in the net.
Good luck.

[Mzungu]

Re: Tiger Barb question

I think, like others said, the one in the corner is just the loser of the group. I would take the one out of the net, that can't be good for him. And I agree, a larger group would help to displace the aggression - did you say you bought more? How many do you have, total?