Betta vs tiger barbs

[lilcam]

My understanding was that bettas shouldn't be place in a tank with any other fishes. I made a mistake before when I placed my convict with a male betta. He didnt last long and the convict had him for lunch a couple of days later.

So, last night I came back from the LFS and purchased 5 tetras and 5 tiger barbs. At first the betta (male) chased everyone around but didnt nip or anything. I came home this evening and found the limp body underneath a piece of driftwood. As I examined closer, i noticed the 5 tiger barbs nipping away at the dead body!

I learned a valuable lesson. No more bettas in a tank with other fishes.

 

[Leopardess]

Bettas are fine with many other fish. Putting them with tiger barbs is possibly the worst choice you could have made (sorry - it's true). Tiger barbs are *notoriously* nippy and that betta didn't stand a chance.

Most bettas are fine with other peaceful fish. I've kept them with cories, pygmy cories, frogs, neons, harlequin rasboras, etc.

Also, if tiger barbs weren't the worst choice to make, it would probably be convicts. You generally cannot mix big mean cichlids with small community fish or fish that are small, relatively defenseless and finny.

A little research before hand saves many lives and aggrivation.

 

[Fruitbat]

Actually....bettas will do well in a tank that doesn't have aggressive fish like cichlids or barbs. I've successfully kept Betta splendens with smaller Rasbora species like R. heteromorpha and R. borapetensis and with many species of tetras. However....Tiger Barbs are notorious fin-nippers and cannot resist the long, flowing fins on a fish like a betta (or a big veil-tail goldfish or guppy). Cichlids, in general, are far too aggressive, territorial and foul-tempered for a fish like a betta.

-Joe

 

[mcshell]

Yes, I'm going to say the same thing.
The betta and tetra are in more danger than the tiger barbs.
Some resources say if you have a school of tiger barbs, they tend to pick on themselves and wont' bother others. But I also read resources that say tiger barbs nip / kill other tank mates.
I had once purchased 6 tiger barbs because they were so cute... but then after reading all these reviews about tiger barbs, I took them back to exchange for other fish

 

[jasonh]

Tiger barbs are what they say tigers they ge pretty nasty , and have guts lol

 

[Fruitbat]

I keep Tiger Barbs in with my Blue (Opaline) Gouramis, Combtails, Brilliant Rasboras and a bunch of different kinds of loaches. Haven't had a bit of trouble at all. Of course....all of the other fish either can take care of themselves or are at least as fast and maneuverable as the Tigers and none of them have those irresistible long, flowing fins.

 

[michael999]

my 3 barbs chase my angels about but have never nipped them, i think its due to the angels being twice the size of the barbs.
But none the less im taking my barbs back unless i can get a tank to put them in.
They just dont allow you put anything small and/or peacful in the same tank.

But it doesnt surprise me that they killed the betta.
If you really want a betta in there with them then you could get some "betta barracks" so that he has his own little domain in the tank.

 

[jasonh]

i had to do the same in my 55 gallon i had alot of problems with tiger barbs nipping and chasing my angels
i also remove my barbs,
they love to fin nip , i even had a school of 7

 

[whatsmango]

i heard that barbs are best in a school of at least 6, but the more the better if u dont want them terrorizing the other fish. if there is an adequate number of them, they tend to entertain themselves within the group.
mine are little sods, although i think the gouramis have put them in their place now. so instead of the ther fish, the little bleeders nip my arm n hand when i gotta put it in the water for plants!
ooh, and as an add on, mine loved cucumber to bits! wouldn't let the plec anywhere near it!

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

Tiger barbs are awesome I just dont have any anymore