No, you didn’t just do that!!

[Gershom]

I have some small red tiger motaguense and tiger barbs. Both species are about 1.5 inches or so, but the barbs are bulkier.

Mostly they ignore each other, but twice in the last 2 weeks I have seen an interesting interaction. The barbs are VERY quick (tails shaped almost like tuna), and a barb will suddenly dart in and bite the RTM for no apparent reason.

The motaguense pauses, as if amazed, then darts back to retaliate. Followed by a minute of persistent chasing to reinforce the idea of its dominance.

Maybe the barb just got bored, or something…

 

[tlindsey]

I have some small red tiger motaguense and tiger barbs. Both species are about 1.5 inches or so, but the barbs are bulkier.

Mostly they ignore each other, but twice in the last 2 weeks I have seen an interesting interaction. The barbs are VERY quick (tails shaped almost like tuna), and a barb will suddenly dart in and bite the RTM for no apparent reason.

The motaguense pauses, as if amazed, then darts back to retaliate. Followed by a minute of persistent chasing to reinforce the idea of its dominance.

Maybe the barb just got bored, or something…

Hopefully they don't harm each other.

 

[danotaylor]

Barbs are classic fin nippers

 

[Deadeye]

Sounds like classic tiger barbs to me. They probably see the striped cichlid and are treating it like one of them. It may be a fair fight now, but those barbs will be easy food for the mota as it grows.