Question about Tiger Barb behavior

[Hankdan]

Bought 5 green Tiger barbs a month ago. Put them in a 12 gallon tank with a Pearl Gourami and a Bristlenose Pleco. One barb died. Of the remaining four, one is always out in the open swimming, but it bullies the other three which hide in the plants all day. They only come out to feed. Does anyone have a clue as to why they are acting like this? I had hoped all of them would be actively swimming all day.

[Sharon]

Tiger Barbs need a larger school, as they are aggressive in small numbers. The tank is also too small to allow proper swimmimg room for Barbs. The Gourami and Bristlenose also require a bigger tank....Now you've got a good reason to go tank shopping!:hmm3grin2orange:

[sid101]

They dont call them tigers just for the pattern, tigers are bullies and will bullie everything bigger than them specially if they have the numeric advantage, i only had them once in a theme tank i had and everything went well just because i putted them with fish that were also agressive but after a while they started bulling other fish again, i fed them to a friends oscar and lionfish.

Besides Sharon is completelly right you need a bigger tank for all those fish at least 25 gallons, lots of plants and two other fish that are not very agressive but can be if they want, angels and some rasboras would be a good choice (rasboras also in a good number about 6 would do), in adition to that tank some neons (maybe 20) would make a nice set up.

I like agressive fish but i hate bullies.

[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.

This is also all in a 75 gallon.

Your tank is a little small as well. If you go by the inch per gallon rule, your tank is almost maxed out with just the barbs alone. Barbs will max out at 2.5 inches.

I would suggest a bigger tank and 4 more barbs.