Cherry Barb Bully...

[Aron_Dip]

Hi guys asking the question on behalf of my dad and his tank/fish (Fluval Edge) ..

Well its a new tank (Running with plants and shrimp for around 1/2 months before adding a few rummy nose and cherry barbs.. the problem is that one of the male cherry's has picked a corner and is running all the other fish and shrimp off from the corner.. they was all from the same shop and added at the same time and he has just started this the past few days..

He was with a female for a wile but he is bulling that one too now

any info guys will be a great help

 

[Nat N]

Hi,
First of all – I really hope that your dad’s Fluval Edge is the one of 46 litres, not 23. Both Rummy Noses and Cherry barbs ideally need more than 46 litres for a group of each – and your dad has both!
Bullying problems may be the result of a psychological stress to the fish from the crowded environment OR from insufficient numbers in each group. How many of each does he have? Ideally, each group should be at least 6, preferably more which pushes the balance in the tank to the limit, really....
A few solutions:
1) Increasing the number of Cherry barbs – but this depends on how many he has already got and on the fact that Fluval Edge cannot really take that many fish!
2) Sticking to either only Cherry barbs or to Rummy Noses and increasing the number of chosen fish.
3) An old trick of taking the offender out for a couple of hours, moving decor in the tank a little and then introducing the hooligan fish back – he will think he is in a completely new tank and there is a chance (not guaranteed!) that he will start to behave.
Honestly, I would stick to either Cherry barbs or Rummy noses only and increase the number of fish to about 9 – this will cater for their requirements in the long term at least partially. Bear in mind that ideally both of them need sufficiently long tanks to feel happy – 60 cm or so, which Fluval Edge cannot provide but it will be at least more or less acceptable (-ish).
P.S. Please, tell your dad that the crowded tanks at fish shop retailers are for sale only and fish should not be kept this way long term - they will simple suffer.
Edit: I based all of the above on the thought that your dad has a 46 litre Fluval.

 

[Aron_Dip]

Hi thanks for your help it is the 46 edge he only has 8 fish in total 4 of each kind is that too many for the 46 edge?? I have told him to try the trick with moving him out the tank for a few hours ect but too no help.. What would you suggest for the best? Take one of the group out and have only the one type?

Cheers


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[Nathaniel Whiteside]

Id suggest getting a minimum of a 2ft tank to house them fish.

 

[Aron_Dip]

Ok what fish would you suggest him getting?


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[Nat N]

Hi,
I would suggest sticking to the barbs – ironically, as he has the barb bully... The reason for that is that Rummy Noses need a longer tank more than the Cherry barbs. Increasing the numbers will hopefully take the bullying out of equation – or at least it will be “diluted” (another old trick). Getting more of the Cherry barbs, I would make sure that there are significantly more females. I would say, 3 males and 6 females will be about right. This should sort out all the psychological issues... Bear in mind that with all the good intent, sometimes there is an individual fish that will be a menace no matter what you do...
Rummy Noses really do need longer tanks (any “torpedo” shaped fish do, by the way).
Alternatively, if your dad would like to consider other species, Amber tetras are bright and small – he can have a good school of them in that tank (they do not need that much of swimming stretch either comparing to the Rummy Noses). Getting them means getting all the other fish back to the shop, though...