HELP!! Fish eating fish!

[cidley69]

And I thought these kinds of fish were supposed to get along! 2 Zebra Danios have eaten the tail fin off of a Tiger Barb.

There are two each barbs and danios, and only one barb is missing parts of its tail fin.

Does anyone know why they are picking on this poor barb?

Does this mean these fish are not actually compatible?

If I feed them more food might they stop eating the barbs tail?

Any ideas would be helpfull.

Thanks!

[cidley69]

Its worse than i thought.

All 3 fish (2 Zebra Danios and 1 Tiger Barb) are totally hgarassing and nipping at the other Tiger BArb. I feed them, and the barb is so freaked out it won't even eat.

it is missing the see thru part of all its fins. What made the other fish turn on him/her?

[Big Red 265.]

I could be wrong but the one getting nipped probably has something like tail/fin rot. When I was a kid I lived up north in Ft. McMurray. The lfs had poor quality fish (lots of disease) there for my tanks had problems (being young and new to aquariums I thought this eas just normal). While I had problems in my tanks I saw a number of instences where a fish would get a disease like tail rot and the other fish (all tropicals like sward tails, mollys, platys) would pick at the sick fish untill it died. Thank god I don't have tanks like that anymore.

Try treating with Primafix

[cidley69]

Ya, that sounds like a fairly likely explanation. The fish is definately on its way out.

He sits in the corner shaking his little stub of a tail, won't eat even when food is practically on his face, and seems pretty freaked out. I think putting the lil guy out of its missery might be the nicest thing to do, rather than prolong the inevitable.

Will the lone barb be ok alone for a few days untilk i can get him a partner?

[cidley69]

Forgot a couple things:

First of all, thanks for giving me your opinion on the problem, much appreciated!

Second, is tail rot contagious? will the others get it too?

i am going to get some of that treatment you recommeneded tomorrow.

thanks again.

[wandj]

Tiger Barbs and Danios should be in groups of 6 or more to spread the aggression around amongst each other. I would put the sick barb in a hospital tank and treat. Then purchase 4 or more Tigers. Add them to the hospital tank when the sick one is fully recovered. It was there first so it will have the upper hand compared to the newly confused group. Then after all fish in the hospital tank look good and healthy, add to the main tank. I don't know how many tanks you have, but a better idea would be to keep the new additions separated as well, but I can't assume you have so many extra tanks around.

It would be a shame to condemn the sick Bard when it is not subjected to ideal social conditions pertaining to its species.