Hyperactive Tiger Barb

[Tanked]

Six months ago I bought a single Tiger Barb to accompany an older fish that has since died.  The youngster now acts like a kid on a permanent sugar rush.  Its favorite activity is repeatedly swimming vertically surface to substrate.  It does use the rest of the 65 gallon tank and will occasionally chase other fish.

In addition to the hyper fish, I have a Moonlight Gourami that may be showing signs of stress (fin nipping) or just old age.  The young barb could be responsible after the lights go out.

Options:

1. buy more Tiger Barbs for the community tank.  The tank is lightly stocked.
2. buy more Tiger Barbs and move all into the Tinfoil Barb tank, and hope for the best.  The TFBs have not been receptive to new occupants in the past.
3. move to the 29 gal. community.  This tank already has 1 berserker, and doesn't need a second.
4. do nothing

 

Thoughts?

[Solstice_Lacer]

I'd say get more tiger barbs for the current tank if you have space. They need a decent sized school to keep themselves busy.

[OutBout]

Tiger barbs definitely need a group in order to thrive. They live in a hierarchy and a singular barb seems to be out of sorts.

[Kiefer]

That behavior is a pretty clear sign of stress/insecurity, tiger barbs are schooling fish and require a decent sized group to feel safe, when they don't feel safe they will swim frantically, hide, or attack other fish that make them feel unsafe depending on species and individual personality. Tiger barbs are kind of infamous for being 'aggressive' in those situations.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/4/2022 at 8:08 AM, Tanked said:

Thoughts?

what all is in the tank right now?  How is the tank setup?  What is the temp?

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/4/2022 at 8:08 AM, Tanked said:

In addition to the hyper fish, I have a Moonlight Gourami that may be showing signs of stress (fin nipping) or just old age.  The young barb could be responsible after the lights go out.

Options:

1. buy more Tiger Barbs for the community tank.  The tank is lightly stocked.
2. buy more Tiger Barbs and move all into the Tinfoil Barb tank, and hope for the best.  The TFBs have not been receptive to new occupants in the past.
3. move to the 29 gal. community.  This tank already has 1 berserker, and doesn't need a second.
4. do nothing

Very likely is due to the Tiger.  They don't really like flat body fish and they tend to view them as competition. I have heard it a few times before that gourami can have their antennae chewed off when stuff like this happens.  It would be best to move that gourami to a different tank.  Moving the gourami to the smaller tank isn't a good option because the tigerbarbs want space to swim and that is how they burn off steam.  they will literally school for a majority of the day back and forth if they feel threatened or are trying to hide from a predator.

Tiger barbs are a barb species, which generally means cooler temps. 70-74 range.  This also means if they are warmer, that could be why you're seeing the stress from the barb, which is causing stress elsewhere.

In terms of a minimum group size, the absolutely minimum would be 10.  BUT, I would also recommend having another similar sized group of something else in the tank to distract them.  This way, those two school around and try to protect from one another, typically this is just to keep them occupied in the open space in the tank.  When the barbs are doing well, you'll see them even act like a betta fish and rest on plants under cover.  They will rotate in and out of the swarm and then take turns pecking around for food. 

So... the other trigger is setup. Do you have plants to break up sight? Things for the fish to swim around and swim through?  Do you have places for the fish to hide that need it away from the more active species (bushy plants, wood, cover, etc.)

Edited September 6, 2022 by nabokovfan87
autocorrect issue

[Scapexghost]

Tiger barbs are like kids. They need other kids around or theyll bug the adults all day.

So yeah get more tiger barbs. The up down movement is pretty typical of a lonely fish.

[Tanked]

On 9/4/2022 at 2:41 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

what all is in the tank right now?  How is the tank setup?  What is the temp?

3 Angels, 3 Serpae Tetra, 1 Moonlight Gourami, 2 SDs, 1 Tiger barb. 

Based on once weekly testing

Average temp. 76-78.  Summer avg.  81,

Average ph : 6.5  Ammonia, Nitrite, Chlorine : 0, Nitrate : 38 Kh : 40, GH : 301+

65 tall, gravel, HOB, Biweekly 30% water changes.

There is a fish fence protecting a 10 inch wide space the plants.  All of the small fish spend some time there.

 

The tank is nearly void of decoration. so line of site is an issue.  I have been hesitant to add more barbs, because two of the angels are a breeding pair and I would like to give them a chance. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Tanked

[Tanked]

@Solstice_Lacer  @OutBout @Kiefer @Scapexghost   This tank is pretty much a Senior Center. There is plenty of room for more fish, but the new comers would have to get along with the old farts.  The first two barbs got along with the Angelfish, so it could work if I put all of the plastic plants back, and keep a very small group.  

Further reading makes option #2 a coin toss.  Several opinions include TFBs and Silver Dollars as tankmates. At least 2 go on to say that putting young Tiger Barbs in with older Tinfoil Barbs is a bad idea.  That is probably accurate.  Introducing Silver Dollars to the barb tank did not go well, so the Tiger Barbs may also have a problem.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/5/2022 at 7:58 AM, Tanked said:

Average temp. 76-78.  Summer avg.  81,

For generally any barb this is going to make them very, very active and likely cause some damage to themselves.  Barbs like temps in the cooler range, 76 is probably the highest I'd take them on a constant temp basis. There's a ton of conflicting info given a brief good search. Their range starts at 68 degrees and I have definitely had them cooler. 68-82 is what's reported, I would start with a value in the middle of that range. For me, I try to keep mine in the 72-74 range and seasonally it'll be higher or lower.  There is definitely people that keep them warmer, but this also increases their behaviors and can be a cause for what you're seeing from that fish. It's a sign of stress, potentially.

Everything in that tank is going to be fine warmer. So I think your best bet is to re-home the barb elsewhere if you can.

On 9/5/2022 at 7:58 AM, Tanked said:

The tank is nearly void of decoration. so line of site is an issue.  I have been hesitant to add more barbs, because two of the angels are a breeding pair and I would like to give them a chance. 

Yeah, the main thing is they like to swim around, through, and then for them to have places to rest as well. Especially if you have a school of semi-aggressive fish.

You have Angels in there and they will definitely get territorial, so will the barbs.