tiger and green tiger barbs acting weird

[benji's_fish]

my 2 tiger barbs and 2 baby green tiger barbs. are all acting in the same way. they are pointing their heads down and just sitting there. i wasnt really to worried when i saw one tiger doing it but when i saw all of them doing the same thing im REALLY worried. but this activity isnt lasting for very long. they are acting like this then a minute later they are swimmin around like nothing is wrong.

so is this normal? or are they sick? or what is the deal?? i just noticed this today. i am usually gone during the day so maybe im just not seeing it happen.

[OscarFan]

This is normal. They usually tend to do it after feeding becuase they are pigs and don't know when to quit.

[Wild Turkey]

Theyre going "tail-up" its a spawning behavior/display like flashing (going sideways to shimmer). They could be trying to attract the attention of you, or the other tbs

[benji's_fish]

so your saying i have a pair male female pair??? or just horny fish lol :1luvu:

[Wild Turkey]

so your saying i have a pair male female pair??? or just horny fish lol :1luvu:

horny fish lol, in relatively good conditions most egg scatterers are kind of breeding constantly, so seeing such behavior is totally normal. Tb's tend to do more breeding around 80 degrees or so if i remember correctly.

[tiger_barb_stripes]

Oh. I always assumed my barbs were just sleeping or something. My barbs tend to go tail up when I turn off the lights. Are my barbs really just making babies in the dark!? lol:ssuprised:

[jaysee]

Have you noticed which fish are displaying for each other? Like, tiger for tiger, green for green or is a green displaying for a tiger? As you have 2 + 2, I'm very curious.

[benji's_fish]

i couldnt really tell. because i thought they were dying i put my net in the water to see if they would swim, which they did. i saw my tigers about a foot apart doing it with a green between them doing it also. it was just the one green TB doing it.

[Wild Turkey]

The smaller, more colorful ones are males, if that helps.

[OscarFan]

I do not think this is them trying to breed, rather just resting.

[Wild Turkey]

Its possible, but going "tail-up" is a classic breeding behavior for A LOT of fish, TBs being one of them. The only thing that makes me think it may be rest is the timing with the lights, sticking your hand in would disturb them from both breeding or sleep so that doesnt really offer a hint, but if the green TB is the only one doing it, that makes me doubt its sleep; it was posted at 2:17pm after all.

[Mynameisnotpj]

I have read that tiger barbs point their noses down in order to display submission to the dominant barb. I would believe that this is the reason, opposed to breeding or resting.

[jaysee]

I agree with PJ. My submissive males do that a lot when the dominant male is NOT chasing them.