Green Tiger Barb tail nipping advice?

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Chadders
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I have a group of 8 GTB and 10 WCM Minnow. The GTB have been nipping the tails of the WCM. Most the time they get on but every now and then the GTB seem to go on a rampage!! There's plants and decor to break the tank up and the WCM swim happily amongst the GTB. Will the tails grow back is there any treatment I can add to help the repairs? Anything I should keep an eye on the overall health of the WCM doesn't seem to have been affected ! Cheers.
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black ghost
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Their health might not be visibly compromised yet but they’re stressed so it’s only a matter of time.

Peace among tiger barbs is down to a combination of two things. Tank space (at least about 40-50g) and numbers (at least about a dozen). Anything less and you can’t guarantee peace.

Tigers need sufficient open swimming space and numbers so they can play amongst themselves without other species being too close and too tempting. Lots of decor won’t stop them.

Fins usually will grow back in good water if the fish are stress-free, unless they’ve been removed right down to the body.
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VikingMummy2015
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Notorious for it and the reason I will never keep them because I’d only trust them in a species only tank, and even then...
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
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black ghost
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VikingMummy2015 wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 15:52 pm Notorious for it and the reason I will never keep them because I’d only trust them in a species only tank, and even then...
You’ll never stop them nipping each other because that’s what they do. It’s how they maintain the social structure of the group. It’s also play, to an extent.
But Tiger Barbs are not nippy towards other species... unless the tank or the group is too small. They don’t deserve the bad reputation that they have. They’re like cichlids. They’re only aggressive when they don’t have enough space. We label them wrongly because we keep them wrongly.
Last edited by black ghost on Sat Jan 09, 2021 17:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
FishyMcFishFace
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Id love a Tiger barb only tank, may be a some bottom dwellers too, I think I am allowed a bigger tank its still being negotiated. If I get it, it will be full on Tiger barb.
Aquamanta 90L Nano
6 Cardinal Tetra
4 Pepper Cory
6 Galaxy Rasbora
6 Amber Tetra
2 Rams (1 blue, 1 golden (breeding))

... More to come...
Chadders
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black ghost wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 16:22 pm
VikingMummy2015 wrote: Sat Jan 09, 2021 15:52 pm Notorious for it and the reason I will never keep them because I’d only trust them in a species only tank, and even then...
You’ll never stop them nipping each other because that’s what they do. It’s how they maintain the social structure of the group. It’s also play, to an extent.
But Tiger Barbs are not nippy towards other species... unless the tank or the group is too small. They don’t deserve the bad reputation that they have. They’re like cichlids. They’re only aggressive when they don’t have enough space. We label them wrongly because we keep them wrongly.
I've not observed them nipping each other up to now
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VikingMummy2015
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That’s very true @black ghost . I was quite taken aback at how “violent” my cherry barbs appeared, given they’re labelled as a peaceful community fish. But despite being informed otherwise, my tank was too small for them and their behaviour is much more peaceful in the 240L than the 57L. They’re still far more full on than the tetras now or any in the past, so I’d still give the tigers a miss as I prefer a peaceful tank with no arguments! I don’t see myself ever being a cichlids keeper either 🤣
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
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Art
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A large swarm of tiger barbs alone in the aquarium is very nice.
But they have an instinct to play. When other fish are there, there are problems.
It's not aggression, but many fish need rest to be comfortable.
I've already lost large scalars in the process. The TB constantly tug at the fin ends.
I also lost catfish because they were constantly disturbed by the TB play behavior. C. julii.
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plankton
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Yes, given the space and the right companions (usually loaches), tiger barbs can be fine, but anything smaller than 3' is going to prove problematic as they get a lot bigger than people realise as well. Even then a 3' is probably best as a species-only tank.
Females may reach 3", males a little smaller, but not much.
They are good to watch in the right conditions. :)
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