Barbs Violently Fighting..

Sefu · 01-25-2005, 10:00 PM

2 Green Tiger barbs.

Lip Locking barbs, furiously pushing at each other, what is the meaning of this?

They meet on the left side of my tank, swim in circles, then BAM, they are at each other's lips and they are fighting.. this is very interesting... They push against each other, and the one who is able to push the most gets a nip at the stomach, this goes on for a while, and than they stop to chase around some other fish, and they are at again..

Swim in circles, lip lock, push, bit. Repeat..

I just notice this happening today, what could they be doing? it is rather entertaining to watch, but i hope they don't kill each other..

Explanation? Thanks!

MB75 · 01-26-2005, 02:38 AM

Barbs are schooling fish. This means that they should be kept in groups of at least 6-8 individuals of the same species to make them comfortable. Then they will usually not tease so much the other fish but concentrate on their own. And as there are at least 6-8 of them, they can socialize all together, and there is a good chance to be both males and females so they can exhibit some spawning behaviour too, and not just the two fighting with each other in lack of others.

Mudd · 01-26-2005, 05:32 AM

i have 4 green barbs in my tank and ive seen all 4 of them do this at the same time ...they will create almost like a star pinwheel type shape al nipping at each other ... they will do it for a few minutes .. swim off around the tank and then come back and do it some more ... its rather natural i would say as none of them have any signs of injuries or anything ... it may be just how they play ... or it could be an aspect of showing domination .. or breeding ... i wouldnt really worry about it though if you dont see signs of trauma on the bodies ...

Sefu · 01-26-2005, 08:11 AM

I somehow forgot to include:

I currently have 10 Barbs

4 Albino
3 Regular
3 Green

2 of them are fighting, other ones just watch.. hehe :P

Mari · 01-26-2005, 08:25 AM

I had this problem with my barbs at the beginning. In the beginning I had 3 full grown barbs and two smaller ones. Two of the larger felt they needed to establish who the dominant one was and thus fought constantly. I did not know what I could do about it, and so this became a terrible situation in which one of the fish lost, and got picked on by the rest of the group...basically being eaten. I separated him, helped him recuperate, and gave him to a friend. I then bought another small one, so as to not have a dominance problem. I just thought I'd share my story...I hope this isn't the case with yours.

**Cichlid Man** · 01-26-2005, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sefu @ Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:00 am

2 Green Tiger barbs.

Lip Locking barbs, furiously pushing at each other, what is the meaning of this?

They meet on the left side of my tank, swim in circles, then BAM, they are at each other's lips and they are fighting.. this is very interesting... They push against each other, and the one who is able to push the most gets a nip at the stomach, this goes on for a while, and than they stop to chase around some other fish, and they are at again..

Swim in circles, lip lock, push, bit. Repeat..

I just notice this happening today, what could they be doing? it is rather entertaining to watch, but i hope they don't kill each other..

Explanation? Thanks!

Don't worry about it, they'll soon sort themselves out, with so many barbs in with them they'll soon forget about each other.

MB75 · 01-26-2005, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sefu @ Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:11 pm

I somehow forgot to include:

I currently have 10 Barbs

4 Albino
3 Regular
3 Green

2 of them are fighting, other ones just watch.. hehe :P

Ok then they are probably just trying to find the pecking order...

Sefu · 01-26-2005, 03:52 PM

Can someone please explain the

"Pecking order"

Thanks for all your replies, you guys are the greatest...

**Cichlid Man** · 01-27-2005, 10:51 AM

"Pecking order" basically means the rank order which the fish naturaly organize themselves.
I.E. Usually the larger or more aggressive fish are dominant over the weaker and more recessive ones, and if there are two evenly matched fish E.G. your two green tiger barbs, they will fight until the dominant fish is established. Once a fish submisses, it it usually left alone by the other fish unless they are a threat to the dominant fishes fry, personal space etc.

hugeshoes · 01-27-2005, 07:10 PM

My Tiger Barbs do that too. I wouldn't worry too much about it, I haven't seen any damage come of it.

01-25-2005, 10:00 PM	#1
Sefu Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7	Barbs Violently Fighting.. 2 Green Tiger barbs. Lip Locking barbs, furiously pushing at each other, what is the meaning of this? They meet on the left side of my tank, swim in circles, then BAM, they are at each other's lips and they are fighting.. this is very interesting... They push against each other, and the one who is able to push the most gets a nip at the stomach, this goes on for a while, and than they stop to chase around some other fish, and they are at again.. Swim in circles, lip lock, push, bit. Repeat.. I just notice this happening today, what could they be doing? it is rather entertaining to watch, but i hope they don't kill each other.. Explanation? Thanks!

01-26-2005, 02:38 AM	#2
MB75 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 77	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. Barbs are schooling fish. This means that they should be kept in groups of at least 6-8 individuals of the same species to make them comfortable. Then they will usually not tease so much the other fish but concentrate on their own. And as there are at least 6-8 of them, they can socialize all together, and there is a good chance to be both males and females so they can exhibit some spawning behaviour too, and not just the two fighting with each other in lack of others.

01-26-2005, 05:32 AM	#3
Mudd Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 20	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. i have 4 green barbs in my tank and ive seen all 4 of them do this at the same time ...they will create almost like a star pinwheel type shape al nipping at each other ... they will do it for a few minutes .. swim off around the tank and then come back and do it some more ... its rather natural i would say as none of them have any signs of injuries or anything ... it may be just how they play ... or it could be an aspect of showing domination .. or breeding ... i wouldnt really worry about it though if you dont see signs of trauma on the bodies ...

01-26-2005, 08:11 AM	#4
Sefu Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. I somehow forgot to include: I currently have 10 Barbs 4 Albino 3 Regular 3 Green 2 of them are fighting, other ones just watch.. hehe :P

01-26-2005, 08:25 AM	#5
Mari Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Des Plaines, Illinois Age: 23 Posts: 83	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. I had this problem with my barbs at the beginning. In the beginning I had 3 full grown barbs and two smaller ones. Two of the larger felt they needed to establish who the dominant one was and thus fought constantly. I did not know what I could do about it, and so this became a terrible situation in which one of the fish lost, and got picked on by the rest of the group...basically being eaten. I separated him, helped him recuperate, and gave him to a friend. I then bought another small one, so as to not have a dominance problem. I just thought I'd share my story...I hope this isn't the case with yours.

Members currently in the Chat:0
	Users In Chat Room: There are several users in chat now! Don't Be Shy - click here and come on in!

01-26-2005, 03:52 PM	#8
Sefu Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. Can someone please explain the "Pecking order" Thanks for all your replies, you guys are the greatest...

01-27-2005, 10:51 AM	#9
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	Re: Barbs Violently Fighting.. "Pecking order" basically means the rank order which the fish naturaly organize themselves. I.E. Usually the larger or more aggressive fish are dominant over the weaker and more recessive ones, and if there are two evenly matched fish E.G. your two green tiger barbs, they will fight until the dominant fish is established. Once a fish submisses, it it usually left alone by the other fish unless they are a threat to the dominant fishes fry, personal space etc. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

01-27-2005, 07:10 PM	#10
hugeshoes Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 10	My Tiger Barbs do that too. I wouldn't worry too much about it, I haven't seen any damage come of it.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
tiger barbs	blitzkrieg	General Freshwater	2	02-02-2006 04:35 AM
tinfoil barbs in a pond???	yukalaeli87	General Freshwater	4	01-25-2006 03:04 AM
Cherry Barbs	Stix87	General Freshwater	5	08-10-2005 11:37 AM
Northern VA Free Fish, barbs and cories	euRasian32	Want To Sell	0	07-15-2005 10:15 AM
sick barbs???	irishclover1978	Beginner Freshwater	3	03-23-2005 06:01 PM