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New to tiger barbs

6K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Romad 
#1 · (Edited)
I did do my homework on tiger barbs, but after purchasing two of them on new years day. My hubby bought 4 more yesterday after learning that they are schooling fish. I woke up this morning and all 6 seemed fine. I just went to feed them again and found two belly up and maybe a third by tonight.

They are babies in a 10gal tank. After hubby brought home the four, I wanted to let the bag float in the tank so they wouldn't get overly stressed out being in a new environment. Well, hubby disagreed and had me put them straight into the tank shortly after he got home.

Petsmart does have a two week guarantee and we can have them replaced. I want to know what we're doing wrong before we get them replaced tomorrow.
 
#2 ·
I would recommend you return them and not get more Tiger Barb. They need to be in a group as you say, but a larger group, say 8 or more, to control their nippy aggressiveness. And a 30g tank is minimum for a group of 8 TB. While they are very attractive fish, and widely available, they are not the easiest fish as they really are not "community" fish due to their inherent behaviours. This is explained more in our profile, click on the shaded name to go there.

In a 10g tank, you have lots of options in small fish. There are the rasbora and tetra groups, selecting those species that remain medium and are not overly active (need more swimming space), and a group of 6 of one of these can work. Or select the "dwarf" species such as Ember Tetra, Boraras brigittae and similar dwarf rasbora species, Dario dario, and many similar. A group of 6-7 of 2 or even 3 of these would work; more interest in the tank.

Byron.
 
#4 ·
To get the tank ready for a different kind of fish, I would need to put in all new water correct?
I suspect the issue here was ammonia poisoning. Do you know about cycling a new tank, to establish the nitrification bacteria cycle? It is explained in a "sticky" at the head of the Freshwater Aquarium section.

Fish produce ammonia through respiration and waste, and bacteria do the same (different bacteria from the nitrification bacteria). Ammonia is highly toxic to all life, but there are bacteria that automatically establish themselves in an aquarium as in nature (lucky us), but it takes time. I won't go into the next phase, the article does that. My point is that this is probably what killed the TB's, a sudden increase of ammonia when the bacteria to handle it was not established sufficient to do so.

However, once the fish are out, I would change all the water, and vacuum the substrate when doing so.
 
#5 ·
You dont need to change your water for a new fish, just make sure the water levels are safe for they type of fish you are planning on getting.

The reason a couple of your tiger barbs died could have also been from shock. It is important for the fish to be given a time to adjust water temps and ph levels...and if the ammonia levels were high, then of course that could kill them. I am with Byron on that, it probably was ammonia, considering tiger barbs are good hardy fish for tank cycling.

A good option for your 10 gallon is cherry barbs. :)
 
#6 ·
I did do my homework on tiger barbs, but after purchasing two of them on new years day. My hubby bought 4 more yesterday after learning that they are schooling fish. I woke up this morning and all 6 seemed fine. I just went to feed them again and found two belly up and maybe a third by tonight.

They are babies in a 10gal tank. After hubby brought home the four, I wanted to let the bag float in the tank so they wouldn't get overly stressed out being in a new environment. Well, hubby disagreed and had me put them straight into the tank shortly after he got home.

Petsmart does have a two week guarantee and we can have them replaced. I want to know what we're doing wrong before we get them replaced tomorrow.

Take some of your tank water with you to Petsmart when you go to return the fish...they will test your water for free for you.
 
#8 ·
First and foremost: You did remove all of the fish before adding pure ammonia right? Right? There is no live fish in a tank that's having ammonia added right? Cuz if you're adding ammonia AND have fish in the same tank, death is inevitable. Ammonia as a pure chemical is only added for fishLESS cycle.

And to answer your question yes, it can take up to 8 weeks or so to see a drop of ammonia in a newly cycling tank.
 
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