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Hi All

I have two tinfoil barbs, roughly 6" in length, that continuously "nuzzle" each other. Anybody else observe similar tendencies with their tinfoils? Does anyone know if this is a mating ritual?

Thanks

Its pretty common mating behaviour in a lot of barbs, including all the regular aquarium species like tiger barbs etc. Often, being a male barb can be a bit of a sufferance, its often the females that bother them about the midbody, nuzzling and nipping, testing them for strength and suitability as mates. Sometimes it seems like barbs are subjects to scolds and W.A.G.S just like some humans, lol .To be henpecked is divine for a barb apparently.

Its quite normal for most barbs, but sometimes small males can get a bit more attention from the ladies than theyd like, so if the exertions of being beaten up by females to impress females are getting a bit much, you can try seperating them for a few weeks until they recover a little. Males can occasionally spar with each other, but this is rare compared to the battering they sometimes get from the females!As long as theyre not losing scales, ripping fins (barbs will sometimes persecute each other with fin nipping, particularly if one is ill ) or looking physically exhausted its not a problem. The males usually give out signals about whether they want to be bothered or not, sometimes by swimming at a 45 degree head down angle, it seems to communicate either the willingness to be bothered , or that the shows over, depending what mood theyre in, but as a human, I cant tell the difference. They seem to know what theyre doing though!

it sounds strange to me that tinfoils would mate at this small size while being kept with only two.
Adult tinfoils (if they are genuine b. schwanenfeldi) will reach up to 12", but even red tailed tinfoils (b. altus) will grow to 8".
I've kept a school of 7 adult red tailed tinfoils for almost 6 years now and apart from the occasional flirt, nothing has happened.
That is the second thing; all barbs feel much better in schools, so it would sound unnatural hat they expose mating behaviour when kept with only two ...

Anyway, it should be easy to spot; the male (usually the smaller one) should have white spots al around his mouth and up his stern to just before the dorsal fin. This "mating rash" shows you that he is sexually mature.

If this is not the case, they're just playing, whihc is much more likely for tinfoils in captivity.

My experiences with barbs are quite the opposite of Longhairedgit's;
usually the males chase the females, sometimes to exhaustion ...