Barbs/schooling

[snakeskinner]

hello all, I have 5 tiger barbs in my 36 and I've been eyeing the fancy tigers (green tigers) and the albino/gold tiger barbs. My question is this: I bought the 5 normal tiger barbs all together and they school beautifully. If I get some of the greens or albino's, will they school along with the tigers? Do they need to be about the same size? I got my tigers very young so I'd have plenty of time to watch them grow as well as them being much smaller than the other tankmates to help keep them in line from being pests. So far so good, they only battle for food. thanks, KYle

[SayersWeb]

They will all school together. The regular Tigers mixed with the albino/golds make a lovely school.

I've mixed smaller with larger without trouble. I do have a medium albino/gold who's tail gets picked at (by the other barbs me thinks) no matter which tank I put it in. :confused:

[snakeskinner]

thanks. I also had an LFS employee tell me today that the Rosy barbs will school with the tigers. Is this also true even when they reach their 4" max size? I would think a fish almost twice the size would want to be by itself or with it's own kind. I like the Rosy barbs but I ruled them out due to their size and needing numbers to be happy but if I can get one or two and they'll school with the tigers ok, I might reconsider. thanks, Kyle

[ScottoMacD]

Originally posted by snakeskinner
thanks. I also had an LFS employee tell me today that the Rosy barbs will school with the tigers. Is this also true even when they reach their 4" max size? I would think a fish almost twice the size would want to be by itself or with it's own kind. I like the Rosy barbs but I ruled them out due to their size and needing numbers to be happy but if I can get one or two and they'll school with the tigers ok, I might reconsider. thanks, Kyle

I have both. For quite a while. They have never schooled together. In fact they tend to avoid each other because the rosey's school with the arulius and spanner barbs. That school tends to bowl over the tiger school if it doesn't move fast enough.

This may just be my fish though.

[Carmen H]

I have 4 green tigers, 2 albino, 2 striped tigers and they all school together and don't bother any tank mates. they stay with each other and chase each other. I have yo yo loaches and dinios and gouramis in the 45 gallon tank. No problems.

[snakeskinner]

I think I'm gonna get a couple green and a couple albino's but stay away from the rosy's due to the size. thanks all! Kyle

[sunnygirl]

aren't green tigers dye injected?:shake:

[aquabillpers]

Sunnygirl,

Green tiger barbs are not injected with a dye. They are another color variety.

Glassfish are injected with a dye. Since this seems to shorten the life of the fish, many aquarists do not buy them and some express their negative opinions to the store manager.

Bill