Tiger barbs killing corys

[Ook]

I'm not an expert, but I have raised tiger barbs with corys, and they never
once bothered them. I have 6-8 of them, and while they did seem a bit ****y,
they only picked on each other. I would wonder if you fed them enough? My
tiger barbs had voracious appetites, but if I fed them too much they would
bloat from what I assumed was over eating.

"Russ Arcuri" > wrote in message
...
>A few days ago I added 7 small tiger barbs to one of my community tanks,
> which already contained two corys, two otocinclus, one dwarf african
> frog, one flower shrimp (aka wood shrimp), and six neon tetras.
>
> My initial concern was that the tiger barbs might harass the neon
> tetras, but I remembered the advice that a group of 6 or more tiger
> barbs will likely harass each other and leave the other fish alone.
>
> Now three days later, one of my corys is dead and the other one has
> obvious damage to his fins. The corys are at least double the weight
> and noticeably larger than any of the tiger barbs.
>
> The neons and otocinclus are just fine though. No damage to any of
> their fins. The otos will actually swim in the tiger barb school
> occasionally without fear.
>
> I have another community tank with two corys, two otos, one rubbernose
> pleco, two zebra danios, and two cherry barbs. I can transfer fish from
> one tank to another, but I'm not sure who to move. I like the way the
> corys work to keep the bottom of the tank clean, but I fear the tiger
> barbs will harass corys in either tank.
>
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Russ

[Russ Arcuri]

A few days ago I added 7 small tiger barbs to one of my community tanks,
which already contained two corys, two otocinclus, one dwarf african
frog, one flower shrimp (aka wood shrimp), and six neon tetras.

My initial concern was that the tiger barbs might harass the neon
tetras, but I remembered the advice that a group of 6 or more tiger
barbs will likely harass each other and leave the other fish alone.

Now three days later, one of my corys is dead and the other one has
obvious damage to his fins. The corys are at least double the weight
and noticeably larger than any of the tiger barbs.

The neons and otocinclus are just fine though. No damage to any of
their fins. The otos will actually swim in the tiger barb school
occasionally without fear.

I have another community tank with two corys, two otos, one rubbernose
pleco, two zebra danios, and two cherry barbs. I can transfer fish from
one tank to another, but I'm not sure who to move. I like the way the
corys work to keep the bottom of the tank clean, but I fear the tiger
barbs will harass corys in either tank.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Russ

[Mean_Chlorine]

Thusly Russ Arcuri > Spake Unto All:

>Now three days later, one of my corys is dead and the other one has
>obvious damage to his fins. The corys are at least double the weight
>and noticeably larger than any of the tiger barbs.
>
>The neons and otocinclus are just fine though. No damage to any of
>their fins. The otos will actually swim in the tiger barb school
>occasionally without fear.

I wouldn't give much for the long term survival of neither the neons
or otos.

I've also heard this that if kept in large enough schools tigers don't
attack tank mates, but my experience is that they're dyed-in-the-wool
bullys. If they sense weakness in a fish, they *will* mob it, whether
it is a fellow tiger barb or not. They can get a long with a fish for
a long time, but if it falls ill or gets old, they're all over it.

However, fortunately tiger barbs are the exception, not the rule, and
pretty much all other barbs are peaceful (in comparison to tigers).
You could get e.g. Puntius pentazona
(http://www.zoopet.com/akvarium/fisk_bild.asp?BILD=2535)
or Puntius rhomboocellatus
(http://www.zoopet.com/akvarium/fisk_bild.asp?BILD=566)
....which are somewhat similar to tigers, only (IMO) prettier and far
more peaceful.

[Flash Wilson]

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 16:32:29 GMT, Russ Arcuri > wrote:
>A few days ago I added 7 small tiger barbs to one of my community tanks,
>which already contained two corys, two otocinclus, one dwarf african
>frog, one flower shrimp (aka wood shrimp), and six neon tetras.

I'd say that was a mistake. The barbs will go "ooh good. Toys!"

Also IMO tigers quite like hard, alkaline water, and tetras like
soft, acidic water. I've never mixed them for that reason, too.

>My initial concern was that the tiger barbs might harass the neon
>tetras, but I remembered the advice that a group of 6 or more tiger
>barbs will likely harass each other and leave the other fish alone.

They tend to fight amongst themselves, but are also quite fast
moving when they want and can hassle slower or smaller fish.
I made sure they were the smallest thing in my tank to avoid that.

>I have another community tank with two corys, two otos, one rubbernose
>pleco, two zebra danios, and two cherry barbs. I can transfer fish from
>one tank to another, but I'm not sure who to move. I like the way the
>corys work to keep the bottom of the tank clean, but I fear the tiger
>barbs will harass corys in either tank.

I'd put the tigers in there; I've kept them with danios, plecos
and other barbs with no problem.

Trouble is tigers are very pretty, but a bit nippy! I had them
for a couple of years but when the last ones died I decided enough
was enough.

Other ideas include keeping them with other vertically striped
fish (they might school more happily with them or at least accept
them) or giving the ring leaders "time out" in a breeding net box,
so they have to re-establish themselves in the the group when they
get out - that sometimes helped me but only on a temporary basis!

--
Flash . o O ( www.gorge.org )