# Agressive Cherry Barb? Help!



## Afide (Mar 2, 2013)

*My Setups *

*Tanks :fish-in-bowl:-*

6 Gallon Fluval Edge (mine) (Fresh Water/Planted)


Inhabitants :fish5:-
Male Cherry Barb (aggressive?)
Dotted Catfish (not sure what kind)
2 Little guys (Bought them in Chinatown, he didn't speak english)

*DEAD*
Ghost Shrimp
Little guy

3 Galon Tetra (girlfriends) (Fresh Water)


Inhabitants :fish5:-
Green Neon Tetra

*Problem*
I went away on vacation for a week (friend looked after the tank), and when I got home I found the Ghost Shrimp dead on the bottom of the tank. He had no head, no tail, it was just the midsection. A few days later I came home and one of the little guys was dead, only his rear tail was nipped off. I think the Cherry Barb is doing it, hes a deep red, maybe hes getting alpha because he wants to mate? I'm new to aquariums, the pet store owner told me the barb would be fine with the shrimp etc.. obviously not. Should I move the Cherry Barb to the 3 gallon with the Tetra and have them there alone? Any veteran help is greatly appreciated.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Fish eat fish and shrimp!If you didn't witness the crime hard to say cherry barb is guilty.If you have test kit most of us would probably be more able to help if we knew your tank parameters(ammonia,nitrIte,and nitrAte).Those reading are important especially if your tank is fairly new.How long has your tank been set up and how often due you change water(and how much water do you change)?I have an edge and spec v that I think are really cool(my biggest tank is 180 gallons) but the little ones are just as much fun!


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## Afide (Mar 2, 2013)

I mean, the Cherry Barb has to be guilty I think. The catfish doesn't do much of anything, he just chills in the bottom of the tank hidden behind the plant all day. The little guys I don't think can do that much damage to each other, they don't even nip at each other. My girlfriend was attached to the shrimp lol, she named him Bubba. The 6 Gal has been up around a month and a half. The little 3 gallon we just got about a week ago. I'm going to grab some test kits this weekend. Is there any way to coerce the barb to be less aggressive? I want to get some more Ghost Shrimp but I don't want to just send them to slaughter lol


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

hello I have a pair of cherry barbs male and female and the red male has it own space in the tank if anything comes close to it the red one will chase it a way.i have lost a few guppies and I think he did it but I have not seem him kill any and it is all way at night when the light is out.i have a few orange swordtails that is small a little over 3 months old and nothing has ate them.I have not lost any in a few weeks now.i hope its a one time deal.if find any more I will put him in my other tank and see.good luck.


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## Littlejemjem (Mar 19, 2013)

Hi, you say one tank has been set up approx 6 weeks and the other about a week, did you do anything to cycle these tanks? Ie add an ammonia source to build up a bacterial colony to deal with the fish waste? If not it is most probable that the fish died because of poor water quality and other fish have just had a nibble on the body.
You need to get a test kit ASAP? In the mean time do a 50% water change on both tanks with dechlorinated water


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