Tiger Barb Seems Sick. Please Help.

[mobiusnu]

Three days ago I bought a new green Tiger Barb. It looked healthy at the store, but since I've brought it home, it just hides nose-down (almost completely vertical) in the back corner of my tank.

It comes up to the surface to eat, but then goes back to its corner.

Any ideas about what might be wrong?

 

[Quartermain]

Yes, Tiger Barbs and Green Barbs do sometimes swim vertically. I have five Tigers in a 20gal and have witnessed this behavior on several occasions, ussually after feeding. It seems to be perfectly normal so I would not be too concerned about it. However the fact that your Barb goes into hiding may indeed be a sign that it is stressed. Barbs are not known for being bashful.

 

[covert]

Im glad i read this thread, i have 4 barbs in my tank and i have noticed 2 of them are 'hovering' vertically. ive had them a week and this is the first time i have seen this happen. i was getting a little worried, but if its normal then i shant worry any more. thanks for the info.

 

[dicaela]

I've read in a few places that tiger barbs are schooling fish and should be kept in groups of 5-6 or more. If they are the only tiger barb in the tank, that might explain their behavior.

 

[fishisme]

i have two tin foil barbs and the smaller 1 eats but I have never seen it eat. should i be worried?

 

[Davidh]

Mine do the same, they hover like a spaceship, I guess it is too much New Age music! The female will hide when it has eggs, about 300 to 700 of them and they lay then 1 to 3 at a time and all over the place!