[TigerWithBarbs]

I've had this little guy hanging out in my nano shrimp tank for a few weeks now and he's slowly but surely growing into a more identifiable form. I have no idea where he came from as there are no other fish in this tank, nor have there ever been. I do keep tiger barbs and serpae tetras in my larger tank and some plants were transferred from there into the shrimp tank temporarily. Beyond that I got all of my plants from local hobbyists.

Initially, folks identified it as a platy but I find that hard to believe since it would be tough for a livebearer's offspring to survive transport. As its grown I'm increasingly thinking my tiger barbs laid eggs and I somehow got one of them into the shrimp tank.

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated

 

[Plinkploop]

Definitely looks like a tiger barb. Did you put any moss from the tank your tigers are in into your shrimp tank? Or any plants, really from the tiger tank.


Edit- read your post in full and definitely could be transferred on plants.

 

[TigerWithBarbs]

My best guess would be that it was on some hornwort that I moved into the shrimp tank when it was getting established. It was only in the nano tank for a few days. I took the hornwort from that little jungle-ish ball growing in the top right.

I don't see any other fry in the barb tank itself so I'd have to assume they ate the eggs or babies when they hatched?

 

[Plinkploop]

Yea, most definitely- barbs eat their own eggs and fry. Once it gets big enough to fend for itself I'd move it in with the rest of your barbs and keep it away from your shrimp.

 

[TigerWithBarbs]

Yea, most definitely- barbs eat their own eggs and fry. Once it gets big enough to fend for itself I'd move it in with the rest of your barbs and keep it away from your shrimp.

Great! The more the merrier. Thanks!

 

[GrampsGrunge]

Barbs like to spawn in shallow water, given there's no shallow water in your big tank, but your hornwort is near the top of the tank... And happy, well fed barbs will pretty much spawn when they feel like it, so congratulations you've got a new member for your community tank.