I recently added 2 Silver Dollars and 2 Tiger Barbs to my 40 gal setup. All the fish are eating and healthy. My problem being, if it is one, is that the barbs are constantly picking on the Silver Dollars. Nipping at fins and chasing them around in the tank. I know that it is in the nature of the Tiger Barb to pick fights but I would like to keep the Dollars happy and healthy. Should I take the Barbs back to the LFS or should I add another Dollar? What should I do?
Tiger Barbs and Silver Dollars
- Thread starter fluke420
- Start date
The tiger barbs will stop nipping if you get more of them. They need to set up a social hierarchy, and if they don't have enough barbs to do it, they start "including" other fish. I would reccomend at least 6 for a happy school.
You'll also need about 6 silver dollars eventually, as they're also schooling fish.
Josh
You'll also need about 6 silver dollars eventually, as they're also schooling fish.
Josh
I see what you are saying. Another problem is that I don't think the tank has had time to cycle completly. I don't want to add more fish only to have them die. Will the dollars survive a couple of weeks of the barbs nipping? That way I could add a few more barbs and not shock the water cycle?
R
How long ago did you start the tank? One suggestion is buy a tank divider and put the dollars on one side and the barbs on the other. You should be able to buy it at a pet store. If not, buy a piece of plexiglass, cut it to fit and drill little holes everywhere. That will keep the two apart at least.
Another suggestion is take the dollars or barbs back and get more of the same you want to keep. Or take them all back a use a fishless cycle instead.
Adding additional fish might not be a bad thing depending in what stage the cycle is in. Of course, the best thing is the fishless cycle.
Another suggestion is take the dollars or barbs back and get more of the same you want to keep. Or take them all back a use a fishless cycle instead.
Adding additional fish might not be a bad thing depending in what stage the cycle is in. Of course, the best thing is the fishless cycle.
With the tigers after them ..they will become stressed. Also as your tank is cycling, the ammonia..then nitrItes will start to stress the fish as well.
Stress can lead to disease.
Your tank didn't start cycling till you put the first fish in. I would return the silver dollars, and get them later when you have cycled. Or return them all and do a fishless.
Also with doing a cycle with fish..your going to want ammonia,nitrite and nitrate test kits. If the ammonia/nitrIte gets too high, you need to do a waterchange, or your fish could die. Ammonia also burns their gills while nitrItes block the the O2 carried in the fishes blood. So as the levels increase, so does the damage and stress.
Stress can lead to disease.
Your tank didn't start cycling till you put the first fish in. I would return the silver dollars, and get them later when you have cycled. Or return them all and do a fishless.
Also with doing a cycle with fish..your going to want ammonia,nitrite and nitrate test kits. If the ammonia/nitrIte gets too high, you need to do a waterchange, or your fish could die. Ammonia also burns their gills while nitrItes block the the O2 carried in the fishes blood. So as the levels increase, so does the damage and stress.