Cory vs Barb round 1

fosteder · 04-22-2004, 01:07 PM

Hello,
I recently purchased 7 Tiger barbs (4 normal, 3 golden), all around 1.5", the only other occupants of the tank (20 gal long) were a leopard Cory, 2", and an otocinclus cat. Four of the barbs have been in the tank since Sunday, while three of them were purchased on Tuesday. There were no sign of fin nipping until yesterday when one of the golden barbs, which is perhaps the largest barb in the tank, went after the Cory. I tried to arrange the tank in such a way that the Cory could hide from the barb in a rock cave (there are also plenty of plants to hide around), but the barb still seeks it out to nip at the dorsal fin. I DID do research before I purchased these fish. Everything I read said that if they were kept in groups, fin nipping was not an issue. So this leads me to a few questions for those who have real life experience.

1. Is this one fish just aggressive?
2. If I remove the one fish, will another rise to the dominant role and start nipping?
3. Is it just the golden barbs? (None of the others have looked twice)
4. Is it because the Cory is the only other noticeable type of fish in the tank?
5. Is it just a territorial thing that will diminish later on?

The lady at the store said I could return them if nipping was an issue. I love how they look and how lively they are, but I have had the Cory for over 7 years and am rather attached to it, more so than the Barbs. Any suggestions?

corigan · 04-22-2004, 07:25 PM

Not that this is an exact answer to any of the questions you have posed, just more of a suggestion from certain experiences I have witnessed, am going through. I have noticed nipping on a few different fish and agressive acts towards each in my aquarium. Right now I have a brochis green hump cory that likes to search the substrate infront of my dwarf chicilds cave where they have just laid eggs. Needless to say everyone else has gotten the message to stay away, but this cory is perssistant on scavaging around there. So this cory now has a big chunk taken out of his dorsal fin just recently. I had also noticed acts of agression between other species in my tank, but they had died down over time. Fish that used to be at each others throats now school together. It's like they got sick of going at each other and then came to an agreement over space/territory. Of course an agreement won't always be reached, I would monitor what your fish are doing. If it doesn't get to bad on the cory I would let them try to co-exist in the same enviornment. Maybe over time they will work out their differences and co-exist. I am hoping that my cory in my tank will just stop trying to hang out next to the cave (it's a 55g tank, my cory just needs to hang out at different areas.) I hope that your fish just get used to each other and the nipping/aggression goes away. Also as you suggested maybe a timeout tank would be good to try to train that fish to be a little nicer to your cory. I wouldn't also necessarily say that removing the one offender would make another one of the barbs become dominant, but it is always a possibility. Really I don't think you can determine how a fish/school would or would not react in sitations. Trial and error I believe would be your best approach. I would first try to let them work things out on their own, next I would try an in-tank Time-out box/divider/tank. Then finally I would try moving the offending fish if all of that didn't work. Just my advice, hope some of it might help you out.

Matt

fosteder · 04-22-2004, 07:31 PM

Thanks for the response corigan! I haven't decided what to do yet. I won't do anything drastic. I agree the watch and see approach is the best for right now too.

Basilisk · 04-22-2004, 11:59 PM

Although it is difficult to achieve, you could scare the barb away every time he tries to pick on the cory, without startling the cory. It has worked with cichlids for me, and the 'protected' fish bonds to your presence in the tank. However it does not solve the problem when you are not there.
You could try make the cory fond of you, and get rid of the bully barb later.

(barely helpful reply I think)

fosteder · 04-23-2004, 01:13 PM

Well, last night I took the offending barb and the other two golden barbs back to the store. They were picking on the cory non-stop, even in his "cave". I bought/traded for two more plain tigers, 2 more leopard cories, and 2 cherry barbs (I may get more later if these work out). After I added them to the tank I watched them for a good long while. And they seem to get along great. Maybe when I get a larger tank in the future I will be able to get some more golden tigers. They are beautiful fish.

Thank you all for your help.

04-22-2004, 07:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
corigan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA Posts: 683	Not that this is an exact answer to any of the questions you have posed, just more of a suggestion from certain experiences I have witnessed, am going through. I have noticed nipping on a few different fish and agressive acts towards each in my aquarium. Right now I have a brochis green hump cory that likes to search the substrate infront of my dwarf chicilds cave where they have just laid eggs. Needless to say everyone else has gotten the message to stay away, but this cory is perssistant on scavaging around there. So this cory now has a big chunk taken out of his dorsal fin just recently. I had also noticed acts of agression between other species in my tank, but they had died down over time. Fish that used to be at each others throats now school together. It's like they got sick of going at each other and then came to an agreement over space/territory. Of course an agreement won't always be reached, I would monitor what your fish are doing. If it doesn't get to bad on the cory I would let them try to co-exist in the same enviornment. Maybe over time they will work out their differences and co-exist. I am hoping that my cory in my tank will just stop trying to hang out next to the cave (it's a 55g tank, my cory just needs to hang out at different areas.) I hope that your fish just get used to each other and the nipping/aggression goes away. Also as you suggested maybe a timeout tank would be good to try to train that fish to be a little nicer to your cory. I wouldn't also necessarily say that removing the one offender would make another one of the barbs become dominant, but it is always a possibility. Really I don't think you can determine how a fish/school would or would not react in sitations. Trial and error I believe would be your best approach. I would first try to let them work things out on their own, next I would try an in-tank Time-out box/divider/tank. Then finally I would try moving the offending fish if all of that didn't work. Just my advice, hope some of it might help you out. Matt __________________ Member #6 of the Eheim Pimp Club - 2 Eheim 2213 & 2215 w/ surface extractor, LiquidDoser and Auto Feeder.

04-22-2004, 11:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
Basilisk Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mexico Posts: 228	Although it is difficult to achieve, you could scare the barb away every time he tries to pick on the cory, without startling the cory. It has worked with cichlids for me, and the 'protected' fish bonds to your presence in the tank. However it does not solve the problem when you are not there. You could try make the cory fond of you, and get rid of the bully barb later. (barely helpful reply I think) __________________ My 200 gallon high tank

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04-22-2004, 01:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
fosteder Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rochester, New Hampshire Posts: 76	Hello, I recently purchased 7 Tiger barbs (4 normal, 3 golden), all around 1.5", the only other occupants of the tank (20 gal long) were a leopard Cory, 2", and an otocinclus cat. Four of the barbs have been in the tank since Sunday, while three of them were purchased on Tuesday. There were no sign of fin nipping until yesterday when one of the golden barbs, which is perhaps the largest barb in the tank, went after the Cory. I tried to arrange the tank in such a way that the Cory could hide from the barb in a rock cave (there are also plenty of plants to hide around), but the barb still seeks it out to nip at the dorsal fin. I DID do research before I purchased these fish. Everything I read said that if they were kept in groups, fin nipping was not an issue. So this leads me to a few questions for those who have real life experience. 1. Is this one fish just aggressive? 2. If I remove the one fish, will another rise to the dominant role and start nipping? 3. Is it just the golden barbs? (None of the others have looked twice) 4. Is it because the Cory is the only other noticeable type of fish in the tank? 5. Is it just a territorial thing that will diminish later on? The lady at the store said I could return them if nipping was an issue. I love how they look and how lively they are, but I have had the Cory for over 7 years and am rather attached to it, more so than the Barbs. Any suggestions?

04-22-2004, 07:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
fosteder Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rochester, New Hampshire Posts: 76	Thanks for the response corigan! I haven't decided what to do yet. I won't do anything drastic. I agree the watch and see approach is the best for right now too.

04-23-2004, 01:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
fosteder Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rochester, New Hampshire Posts: 76	Well, last night I took the offending barb and the other two golden barbs back to the store. They were picking on the cory non-stop, even in his "cave". I bought/traded for two more plain tigers, 2 more leopard cories, and 2 cherry barbs (I may get more later if these work out). After I added them to the tank I watched them for a good long while. And they seem to get along great. Maybe when I get a larger tank in the future I will be able to get some more golden tigers. They are beautiful fish. Thank you all for your help.

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