Rosy Barbs' fin nipping and group size?

[Lennie]

Hey guys,

Since my last couple visits to my LFS, rosy barbs stole my heart. Today, I wanted to get them, as I have been looking for mid column swimmers in my 33g/125Liters tank, and they have been in the store for a while now. Seems like nobody liked them as much as I did 🙂

The thing is, my LFS only had 5 in stock for my past couple visits. I assume 3 females and 2 males.

I wonder if a school of 5 enough? Not planning to add any more mid column swimmers to this 50cube tank. I want them to enjoy their space. They haven't seem nippy like tiger barbs  are in the store. But barb is a barb. I have nothing that has long fins anyway.

Should I increase the group size if they ever get into stock again or is 5 good enough? Are they nippy? Is 2m:3f ratio okay? 

I'd like to hear about personal experiences, besides the info available online.

Thanks for the help,

Lennie

[Biotope Biologist]

Rosy barbs are beautiful often overlooked fish! In my experience they are less nippy, but still nippy compared to tiger barbs. 
 

Id say the bigger the school the better but if those 5 have been in the store for awhile I’m sure they have a pecking order established.

 

All fish have different personalities so experiences may vary but I really enjoyed barbs when I was a kid. So much personality! They look really good against a dark substrate, heavily planted background

[Lennie]

On 3/25/2023 at 9:36 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

Rosy barbs are beautiful often overlooked fish! In my experience they are less nippy, but still nippy compared to tiger barbs. 
 

Id say the bigger the school the better but if those 5 have been in the store for awhile I’m sure they have a pecking order established.

 

All fish have different personalities so experiences may vary but I really enjoyed barbs when I was a kid. So much personality! They look really good against a dark substrate, heavily planted background

 

Thanks a lot.

That tank has black background, lots of dense plants and black aquasoil on 2/3 of the tank size! I'm glad to hear that now. Sounds to be fitting what you described! 

They seem to be doing fine in my LFS whenever I checked them. Tigers were nipping each other at the store all the time, these guys didn't seem like it. Hope I don't face any issues.

And I definitely agree with you. Barbs are so beautiful. It was just their potential nipping issue that worried me so I've never given them a chance before. 

Some say they may destroy some plants, I hope not 🤣

I'm glad I have them now.

[Lennie]

Update:

They are one of the most peaceful fish ever in my experience. I have never seen any agression between them or versus any other tankmate. But as they are considerably quite cheap and some even consider them as feeder fish, I believe finding a healthy stock is hard. 

They were the worst fish Ive ever gotten in my life considering all the diseases that no medicine ever worked. Maybe I was just unlucky?

 

Luckily, they gave me some babies that I still keep before I lost my adults I got. I love them.

Big group of rosy barbs is a one day goal again if I happen to find a good stock.