Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Extreme_One on June 22, 2015, 12:40:41 PM

Title: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Extreme_One on June 22, 2015, 12:40:41 PM

So I have started my community tank with a little shoal of six standard Tiger Barbs and have fallen in love with them.

They are such fun and great looking.

I'm determined to get another six in future and was wondering if it would be recommended to stay with the standard variety or whether I could get a shoal of Green Tiger barbs next time.

I'm wondering if there are potential problems with the two groups not mixing and whether there are any potential issues if they do decide to breed.

Any thoughts?

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Sue on June 22, 2015, 01:46:41 PM

The barbs themselves should mix together fine. They are the same species and that seems to be all that matters to them. You will have squabbling when new ones are introduced, whatever the colour, as a new pecking order will have to be sorted out. And the bigger the shoal, the less likely they are to pick on any other fish in the tank. I've seen 10 recommended as the minimum for tiger barbs to keep their aggression within the group.

In theory, a mixed group could cause problems with breeding as the resulting fry will be a mix if the parents are of different types. But it is far more likely that any eggs would be eaten before they get as far as hatching, and even if any survived long enough to hatch, the fry wouldn't last long. For deliberate breeding, a tank with something on the bottom, eg mesh, marbles or grass matting, to protect the eggs is recommended.

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Extreme_One on June 22, 2015, 02:04:06 PM

Thank you Sue.

I think a mixed shoal of 12; 6 green and 6 standard could be really interesting.

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Fiona on June 22, 2015, 03:36:12 PM

Green tigers are amazing fish and are on my want list, mind you that would mean getting yet another tank and I kind of think that 5 is more than enough, :) Maybe.... ;D

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Extreme_One on June 22, 2015, 04:16:20 PM

Well if you have the room ... why not? :)  :cheers:

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Chris on June 22, 2015, 05:37:28 PM

I have kept a mixture of Standard, Green and Golden Tigers together in the same tank with no great impact.
As Sue stated, they squabble at first then settle down.
In my experience, the Golden Tigers appear to be the least aggressive of the three types.

Title: Re: Mixing Tiger Barb varieties
Post by: Extreme_One on June 22, 2015, 06:22:09 PM

Thanks for the feedback.

I haven't seen Golden, my LFS stocks Green and Blue as well as the standard variety.