8 barbs = no nipping?

[Lindsey]

I found a cool freshwater aquarium book today and there was a whole chapter on fish aggression, which is where they included nippiness. It said that barbs will generally take out their energy on each other instead of the other fish species if you keep eight or more. Is that true? If I had eight or ten same-species barbs, could I keep a gourami or fancy guppies (probably not a betta) something gorgeously-finned and susceptible to nips? I'm not planning on getting any more species right now except maybe loaches, as I've got tetra schools to build up. But I'm thinking about future tanks. :)

[Lady Hobbs]

Same reason the mbuna's are stocked with many. More fish means the orneriness is spread out in more areas.

[mxgibby911]

We started out with two Tiger Barbs and had issues with them nipping at our Dwarf Guaramis, so we bought four more Tiger Barbs and didn't have any more problems until the Barbs were fully grown. I loved our Tiger Barbs but you have to be extremely carefull when considering their tankmates.

[ctjlm1088]

I started out with 2 walmart tiger barbs haha. I loved the little guys so much and that weekend I went to a fish store and got 4 more (after one of the walmart ones died). The guy at the fish store was really knowledgeable about fish and said that at least 3 is pushing it for tiger barbs. My 6 (4 tiger, 2 albino tiger barbs) all get along great and just nip at each other. I've never had a problem of them biting anything else. But I think it depends on the situation from what I've been reading. I think they're worth it though, they're my favorite fish by far!

[mrs fishpatrick]

I have 6 odessa barbs and they never bothered my gourami at all, I thnk they are less agressive than the tiger barbs

[Owlbehere]

I guess I'm lucky. I haven't been able to find buddies for my odessa barbs. I only have two and they are fun to watch. They will squabble with each other then go to separate ends of the tank... Then you will see them eating side by side till they get into another argument. They don't bother the danios, wags, or paradise fish.

[ErikFromNJ]

With barbs, the more the merrier. I started with 3 and they picked on EVERYBODY! Then went with 3 more and things calmed down but I also had just picked up 2 baby electric blue dempseys and they constantly were nipping at the dempseys fins. It got so bad that my ebjd's did nothing but hide. I went out and picked up 3 more barbs and the tank is complete harmony. No one is hiding.

They will once and a while attack each other. They dont pull pieces of each others fins off though. Mainly chase each other. They are hilarious to watch too. Mine will pick up there dorsal fins all the way when they're pissed. They look like little roman soldiers! Haha Excellent fish to watch, very entertaining.

[terrapin24h]

I started with 5 rosy barbs, no issues. I then took my 3 major schools to 6 each, barbs included, and still no issues. I would go so far as to say my rosys are the most passive fish in the tank. They don't go at each other or any other fish, but they are *constantly* pecking the gravel looking for stuff to eat. My only fault with my rosy barbs is that they are not rosy, but they are a beautiful golden color :)

--chris