Question Re: schooling barbs

[xBSD]

Quick question:

I have three Green Tiger Barbs, and I want to add two more, but I'm wondering; if I get two regular Tiger Barbs, will those two school with the existing three Green Tiger Barbs?

They seem to be an almost identical species save for the different colors.

Cheers!
xBSD

[Colin]

I have found that with green and longfin tiger barbs that once of a simillar size they will interact as though they are the same: fight, swim, feed, sleep blah blah blah.

but its only when they are of a simillar size. My green were tiny and hung in the folliage but once they were bigger and chilled, maybe 3 months, then things changed.

Maybe it was because they felt safer and effectivly came out to play, i dunno but yes they do go togther.

[Adrian]

I agree with Colin. Tigers of any sort really, green albino or just plain tiger barbs will hang with each other, providing they are similiar in size. I have found that barbs like to be in schools of 6 or more. They tend to take their aggressive attitudes out on each other then, and not on more peaceful fish.

[Dave66]

Quick question:

I have three Green Tiger Barbs, and I want to add two more, but I'm wondering; if I get two regular Tiger Barbs, will those two school with the existing three Green Tiger Barbs?

They seem to be an almost identical species save for the different colors.

Cheers!
xBSD

BSD,
They aren't almost identical, they are EXACTLY the same species; Puntius tetrazona. The green color is simply a man-made color morph, nothing more, as are albino and long-finned versions by selective breeding.

I quote myself from my Barb Primer:
Common in nearly any fish store in several color variations are Tiger Barbs (Puntius tetrazona), perhaps the most misunderstood of the Barbs.
Many, many people have problems with Tiger Barb aggression. They will pick at ANY fish with flowing fins, chase smaller fish like Neon Tetras endlessly, and end up being a giant pain in the neck for the fish keeper.
The solution is simple; keep them in schools.
At least eight is what I recommend, and they make a vivacious, nice display in a group. A school like that or larger diffuses aggression, as they spend their time between themselves genially working out politics. I wouldn't keep a large school of Tigers, though, with a Betta or other long-finned fish without careful observation.
In their natural form, Tiger Barbs are a slightly brassy cream color moving to silvery toward the bottom of the fish. Four deep black bands run top to bottom, the first bisecting the eye, the last the base of the tail. Vivid red is outside of black on the dorsal fin, the edges of the tail fin and both ventral fins. Tiger Barbs top out at 2 inches, are native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. They don't pick at plants.
Albino and 'Green' Tiger Barbs are available.


Dave

[Tigerbarb]

It seems they will all school together. My tigerbarbs love schooling in a row and playing follow the leader. Tigerbarbs love schooling through holes, so if you got one of those Carved rocks with a cave-cave like hole through them, they have a better chance of schooling.

[xBSD]

Thanks guys, three new Tiger barbs are set to join my existing three green Tiger barbs. thumbs2:

Cheers!
xBSD