EVoyager31 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Hello, So I have a 75g tiger barb tank and I am a little concerned. I looked in today and two fish have their tail fins nipped to hell, one of them with half their tail fin clean off. It was my understanding that *most* aggression is curbed when the school is large enough... I have 31 small (about 1.5") tiger barbs on their own in this planted tank. I have lots of filtration and the water parameters are good so Im not sure why this (presumably) one fish is acting out. I have not seen exceptionally aggressive behavior when I am looking at them, a nip here and there but nothing bad enough to tear up fins... On another note, I don't really see my barbs school in a traditional way. They only really pack and move together when its feeding time.. which to me is odd. Someone educate me. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 If they are alone in the tank they will not feel the need to school tightly as that is more of a defensive action than social if they are happy and relaxed they will be in a more open schooling style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVoyager31 Posted March 10, 2022 Author Share Posted March 10, 2022 On 3/10/2022 at 10:35 AM, Flumpweesel said: If they are alone in the tank they will not feel the need to school tightly as that is more of a defensive action than social if they are happy and relaxed they will be in a more open schooling style. That's what I figured, just wasn't sure if there was anything else that could be causing that. When I find the little bastard who is hurting the others he is going in jail. xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Hopefully once pecking order is sorted it will all calm down. Don't have much experience with tiger barbs but you can an bully in any population. I have an angry pygmy cory that will periodically go on a ramage where no one is safe. It's aiming for smallest tank boss. Life with a community tank. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary K Posted June 24, 2022 Share Posted June 24, 2022 Same thing is happening in my 75g tank, I started with 16 Tiger Barbs (small healthy ones from Aqua Huna). Now, I am down to 11 or 12. Just noticed last week one with a missing tail. Then yesterday I see there are at least 4 with damaged tails. Their tank mates are 3 platies, 8 Siamese Algae Eaters, and one....ahem.. demasoni cichlid. None of them are missing tails. Very Frustrating. Thinking of trying to breed them. I guess the Male that is left will be the father... 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVoyager31 Posted June 24, 2022 Author Share Posted June 24, 2022 On 6/24/2022 at 1:44 PM, Mary K said: Same thing is happening in my 75g tank, I started with 16 Tiger Barbs (small healthy ones from Aqua Huna). Now, I am down to 11 or 12. Just noticed last week one with a missing tail. Then yesterday I see there are at least 4 with damaged tails. Their tank mates are 3 platies, 8 Siamese Algae Eaters, and one....ahem.. demasoni cichlid. None of them are missing tails. Very Frustrating. Thinking of trying to breed them. I guess the Male that is left will be the father... 🙄 Yeah, I have multiple tigers with missing and/or damaged tails. My thought was to remove the problem barb.. but I'm not sure which one and I heard that if you remove it another will just take its place. I have 40 something tiger barbs now and its been continuing since I posted this.. not sure what to do short of just getting rid of all of them and going a different route.. or letting it play out. Very frustrating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary K Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 On 6/24/2022 at 12:48 PM, EVoyager31 said: Yeah, I have multiple tigers with missing and/or damaged tails. My thought was to remove the problem barb.. but I'm not sure which one and I heard that if you remove it another will just take its place. I have 40 something tiger barbs now and its been continuing since I posted this.. not sure what to do short of just getting rid of all of them and going a different route.. or letting it play out. Very frustrating. Dang, 40? and they are still being aggressive? Well, that just a bummer. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 (edited) On 3/10/2022 at 7:16 AM, EVoyager31 said: So I have a 75g tiger barb tank and I am a little concerned. I looked in today and two fish have their tail fins nipped to hell, one of them with half their tail fin clean off. It was my understanding that *most* aggression is curbed when the school is large enough... I have 31 small (about 1.5") tiger barbs on their own in this planted tank. I have lots of filtration and the water parameters are good so Im not sure why this (presumably) one fish is acting out. I have not seen exceptionally aggressive behavior when I am looking at them, a nip here and there but nothing bad enough to tear up fins... On another note, I don't really see my barbs school in a traditional way. They only really pack and move together when its feeding time.. which to me is odd. I am trying to find the words to describe how mine behaved. Can you describe the scape you have for yours? I think there's a lot that comes down to line of sight issues, especially for the non-dominant males that are getting bullied. On 6/24/2022 at 10:48 AM, EVoyager31 said: Yeah, I have multiple tigers with missing and/or damaged tails. My thought was to remove the problem barb.. but I'm not sure which one and I heard that if you remove it another will just take its place. If you remove one that's a bully, another will take it's place. That is for sure. For reference, here is a photo of mine. Max size was high 20's. Once the PSO in the back right took off and some of the other plants filled the top of the water things were better. Having tall decor for them to swim around, swim through, even rest on is something that helped mine when they needed the break. I definitely would recommend having erythromycin on hand for the sake of a bad wound and needing bacterial meds in the water (or salt) for when they do have a bad fight. If there is a fish that's struggling, don't let the herd pick them off, try to move them to another tank and let them regain some strength, then added them back once you're sure they are healed up and/or can handle themselves. The other thing you should do is stagger feeding. Feed the main body, then find the few that don't get enough food and go ahead and target feed those while the herd eats. Edited July 6, 2022 by nabokovfan87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapexghost Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 On 3/10/2022 at 8:16 AM, EVoyager31 said: Hello, So I have a 75g tiger barb tank and I am a little concerned. I looked in today and two fish have their tail fins nipped to hell, one of them with half their tail fin clean off. It was my understanding that *most* aggression is curbed when the school is large enough... I have 31 small (about 1.5") tiger barbs on their own in this planted tank. I have lots of filtration and the water parameters are good so Im not sure why this (presumably) one fish is acting out. I have not seen exceptionally aggressive behavior when I am looking at them, a nip here and there but nothing bad enough to tear up fins... On another note, I don't really see my barbs school in a traditional way. They only really pack and move together when its feeding time.. which to me is odd. Someone educate me. Thank you! You could try addition another fish, something bigger than the barbs. This will make it so the barbs will spend more time schooling and less time fighting, since theyll see the new fish as a bigger threat then their fellow barbs. One of the more mild central american cichlids, like a blue acara, would by what i would try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 How long has the tank been setup @EVoyager31? That may set the stage for where you’re at in terms of the maturation of this group. If they started out as very small and they’re reaching adolescence well we all know what happens in middle and high school don’t we? Bully’s are also the most beautiful of the group, those dominant males and females have the genetic mother load if you decided to breed them. @Scapexghost brought up a good point that you could use the centerpiece fish to help The group dynamics. If you want to keep it as a regional biotope I would throw in some larger gouramis in there three spots or some rainbows 🌈 and they’ll smarten up. Electric Blue Acara are a fantastic fish and a group of 3-5 in a 75 would be perfecto. If you can net the little monsters with the tails and damage@nabokovfan87gave some great advice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 (edited) On 7/5/2022 at 10:15 PM, Scapexghost said: You could try addition another fish, something bigger than the barbs. I had a red tailed black shard who was definitely the tank boss. I also had SAEs in there for algae and they all knew who was in charge. She was never aggressive, never harsh, but she didn't like them in her spots. The tigers basically avoided her when they could, but when they sleep they might drift off into her area and some did get pushed into the filter that way (resolved issue now for the most part, thanks seachem). I can't wait to have the tank back and have the herd back. Soon, hopefully. It's a very good point you make about the "boss fish" I forgot about that aspect. Edited July 6, 2022 by nabokovfan87 added video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwallace Posted July 6, 2022 Share Posted July 6, 2022 I would add a "tank boss" type such as the previously suggested Acara or even a Parrot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted July 7, 2022 Share Posted July 7, 2022 Mine had odessa barbs. I think adding another school of barbs helps that situation also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVoyager31 Posted July 7, 2022 Author Share Posted July 7, 2022 Thank you all for the suggestions. I am considering adding a “tank boss” as several of you suggested and am still researching. thank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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