What to do?

[PostalPenguin]

So in my 20g I have 7 tiger barbs. I recently added a new tiger barb to replace the one that I lost. It is larger than any of the other tigers. However, my largest tiger of the original group, who is the alpha, is mercilessly attacking the new tiger. The new tiger has tattered fins and some mouth rot. I am treating the tank with melafix but the new tiger spends all its time hiding and is clearly stressed. While the alpha does chase around the others from time to time, it seems to be his purpose in life to attack the new barb. The new barb, fortunately, is responding to the melafix and his mouth rot is going away but his fins are still a mess. He still eats and is allowed to get food.

So what can I do to keep the new tiger from being bullied to death? Should I get 1 or 2 more large tigers to intimidate the current alpha/give him more targets? I can no longer return the new barb, nor do I have a tank that he could go in to recuperate. Will this aggression diminish once the alpha realizes he has "broken" the new barb? Thanks for your input.

[DrNic]

I would try adding one or two more into the tank. Odds are it will give the alpha some more fish to spread around the pain.

I have 6 in my tank now and plan to add some more in as a group once I can find some green tigers. I'll let you know how it goes.

[whisper]

Yes that's a good idea to add a few more. They may even turn on the alphs one and put him in his place.:lol:

[Wiggs]

Agreed, if wiating it out isn't working and there are no other options, i would add 2-4 more and see what it does to the aggression.

Picking on the single odd man out is easy.... add a few more and maybe hey will be accepted.

[mac]

IMO get a few more TB and then you will be able to help take the attention of the victim, and spread it around.:22:

mac

[PostalPenguin]

Thanks. I'll go look at getting a few more tonight.

[PostalPenguin]

Got another large tiger. Now green terror is chasing around it and ignoring the other one. On the upside it seems he is chasing them around less.

I am hesitant to get another tiger since the others in the tank didn't look the greatest. I will wait till I go to the big fish store out in Lancaster to get a 2-3 more.

I think 11 tiger barbs will be pushing my stocking however.

[jaysee]

Got another large tiger. Now green terror is chasing around it and ignoring the other one. On the upside it seems he is chasing them around less.

I am hesitant to get another tiger since the others in the tank didn't look the greatest. I will wait till I go to the big fish store out in Lancaster to get a 2-3 more.

I think 11 tiger barbs will be pushing my stocking however.

If I remember correctly you have a 20L. A agree that 11 is pushing it, and think it's too much for a 20H.

What is your m/f ratio? If you do add any more, you should add large females IMO and E.

[Lab_Rat]

Your tank is not big enough for the number of tiger barbs you need to disperse aggression. Can you upgrade them to a 30g+ tank?

[PostalPenguin]

If I remember correctly you have a 20L. A agree that 11 is pushing it, and think it's too much for a 20H.

What is your m/f ratio? If you do add any more, you should add large females IMO and E.

I think you are right, I need more females. I just looked and saw that I have only 2 females.

[jaysee]

I think you are right, I need more females. I just looked and saw that I have only 2 females.

Yeah, that's the problem - 5 males and 2 females. I would get 3 more mature females, the bigger the better. That ought to do the trick.

[pazbich3]

I was just at That Pet place on Monday and they had a pretty large selection of TB and Green tigers....I love that store!! Love the plant room as well hehe

And I do agree if you ever ad more tigers, add them in small group of 3-4...always helps in the pecking.

[jaysee]

I was just at That Pet place on Monday and they had a pretty large selection of TB and Green tigers....I love that store!! Love the plant room as well hehe

And I do agree if you ever ad more tigers, add them in small group of 3-4...always helps in the pecking.

Possibly true if you're adding fish of the same size, but when you're adding fish that are either larger or smaller than the ones you have, that fascilitates a quick restructuring of the pecking order.

[PostalPenguin]

Well I added 2 larger barbs. Ones definitely a female, the other I am not sure, looked female in the store but as it has colored up it seems to be male.

I also put the green terror into "time out" which was a 2qt tupperware container while I went to the pet store. Came back, added the new fish and allowed them to adjust before I added back the green terror. His behavior is calmed down a bit. He appears to be smitten with the female and it looks like they may be courting at the moment. He chases her but unlike the males he does not peck at her, just follows her closely.

Hopefully this will allow the other fish to recover. I found one barb floating on its side on a lotus leaf. His shredded fins make it hard to swim upright. Melafix treatment is continuing.

[jaysee]

If one is a male, I highly recomend taking it back for another female - You already have too many males. Things will be quiet for a week, maybe two, but it'll revert once the newness wears off.

[PostalPenguin]

If one is a male, I highly recomend taking it back for another female - You already have too many males. Things will be quiet for a week, maybe two, but it'll revert once the newness wears off.

I've been watching them closely and it seems I got two females. thumbs2:

[jaysee]

No news is good news?

[PostalPenguin]

Harrassment has completely stopped. However, I have new problems. The original large barb I got has severe fin damage from being bullied. He is missing most of his fins. His tail fin is down to the stub, his anal fin is gone, his side fins are barely there and his dorsal fin is shredded. He can still swim, but barely. I haven't seen the other fish pick on him so it seems he is just not healing.

I am treating the tank with melafix and pimafix but haven't seen any improvement. I may have to euthanize him since he is not eating.

And to top it all off, it seems I have an outbreak of some internal parasite. I have lost two fish in the past two days. They get a sunken belly and are dead within 24 hours. And now I have a tiger who can no longer sink. I am going to wait till morning and hopefully it is just a case of eating too much.

However, the tank may have a parasite in it. UV sterilizer is now on, which means the melafix and pimafix in the water will be destroyed and I can no longer treat. I was afraid of leaving it off when introducing the new fish but all the new additions seemed healthy so I turned it off to treat the damaged barb.

Ugh.

[jaysee]

I'm a big fan of the UV. I haven't had a single issue since using one. Problem is the UV won't help the fish that have already contracted the ailment...