Tiger Barbs are a fun fish to keep. They are a colorful, active and even playful addition to your aquarium. But are Tiger Barbs hardy fish?
Tiger Barb are hardy fish that are relatively easy to care for. They are freshwater fish that are omnivorous and can tolerate water temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. They will swim in any area of an aquarium.
But that’s not everything you need to know. Now that you know they are hardy and easy to care for, read on to learn more about Tiger Barbs and whether they will be a good fit for your aquarium. You need to know this before you get Tiger Barbs.
About Tiger Barb Fish
Tiger barbs are tiny fish that grow to only about 2.5 inches long when they are fully mature. Their shape has a triangular frame and their bodies are widely flared.
The tiger barb fish are fun to watch. They have a reputation of aggressive behavior and dominance in the aquarium and they sometimes bit and bump into their tank mates.
If the tiger barbs are kept in a small group of about 3, they will gang up to harass any other fish residing in the same tank. They like to attack fish that have long and flowing fins. Interestingly, if they are in a group of 6, the easily turn among themselves and start quarrels and fights.
Due to their aggressive nature, you should avoid keeping them in the same tank with docile fish. Instead, let them share the tank with more agile fish that can keep up with the energy from the tiger barb fish. You can also purchase a tank specifically for the tiger barbs and the other one to keep all your other pets together.
Best Tank Conditions for Tiger Barbs
The best temperature to maintain for tiger barb fish to survive is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and a PH of between 6-8 should be kept. This is the temperature that should be observed whether during summer or winter.
The substrate in the tank should be gravel that is fine, large rocks and cobbles that can be used for shelter. This environment forms the perfect choice for the tiger bard to survive in.
Shelter is provided by submerged freshwater plants and algae. This provides a good breeding ground which also provides supplements for the fish. The space they are put in should also be wide enough for them to be able to swim.
A 20-gallon tank should be used at a minimum.
Tiger Barb Behaviour
The tiger barb fish are known to be aggressive. When they are placed in a tank sharing space, they will attack the rest of the inhabitants so that they dominate the space there. They are so aggressive that they are known to nibble on their tank mates to push them to the limits and create domination.
They like staying in groups for socialization and companionship. Therefore, you should keep them in groups and not separately as they like to be part of a group for play and companionship purposes. They should be kept in groups of 6 or more.
When the fish are less than 5 they attack the other slower fish and when they are more than 5 they may end up fighting among themselves. The reason why they fight among themselves is to create dominance especially if there is a new member joining the tank. It is therefore important to match them in a way that they will enjoy and will not too aggressive to others to affect their livelihood and survival.
Due to the reputation of being aggressive, these fish have made many people avoid keeping them as pets because they do not want to experience that aggression with their pets. Most people prefer the more docile animals.
Rather than avoid keeping the tiger barb fish, you can consider keeping them in a separate tank and avoid having them share the same tank with these other types of fish.
How to Manage Tiger Barb Aggression
The tiger barb fish tend to hang out in groups and they like it so because it protects them from danger in the world. There is security in numbers and they are able to have a common position if the enemy attacks them. When they are in a group, they can easily scare away a potential predator for it cannot attack them altogether.
If you keep then in fewer groups, they might end up being stressed and thus susceptible to illnesses and possible death because their health will deteriorate.
Another way to reduce their aggressive behavior is by keeping them in shoals of their kind and in large numbers to attempt to neutralize their aggression. If you do so, you will be in a position to even keep them together with other hardy species in the same location but they will not attack them because of the shoal. They can cohabit with other barbs, leaches, mollies and sharks.
Hunger and lack of food might be a reason for the barb to be aggressive. You should make sure that the barb is always provided with enough food for its nourishment. They are omnivorous and they can, therefore, feed on anything edible. You can give them any food but it is also important to supplement it with worms, shrimps which are life. It will appreciate the gesture.
You should ensure that the house they are located in has enough space and there is no need to fight off or become aggressive when trying to outdo each other in a small space. The space should be enough to allow them to swim freely for them to also establish their territories. The tank must also be well lit and should have good vegetation and decorations to make it look good and have good aeration for life to be sustained inside there.
Conclusion
The tiger barb fish are aggressive tropical fish by their nature. They cannot share space with other fish without causing the other fish to receive harassment by the barb fish as they seek to create dominance.
However, these fish can add the experience of having fish in your aquarium and they can be fun to keep and watch much to your delight and that of your family.
The aggressive behavior can be reduced through the different suggestions above and it should not discourage you from keeping these fish as your pets.