"Pure" tiger barbs

[alexv]

I can't seem to find the true tiger barbs (Capoeta Tetrazona) anymore.

This is how they should look like:



However it appears that all the stock got mixed with the "green" variety and some others which make some the black bands a bit greenish with a lot of dark "noise" on the yellow body between bands 2 and 3.

This is how all the barbs look like in the LFSs that I've seen so far:



Has anyone seen "pure" tiger barbs lately? Or are they all hybridized now?

[new2H2O]

have you checked petsmart Merivale...my friend just bought some and i recall nice solid stripes with no distortion.

[alexv]

Petsmart you say... I checked Superpet Merivale and SP Barrhaven, but haven't been to petsmart. Will check. Thanks.

[busdriver]

I have eight and only three look like the picture above.

Busdriver

[alexv]

Well, I went to PS Merivale and while they had some that could be considered "not too tainted" they didn't look very good overall. Most were still those weird hybrids. A few didn't have "black spots in wrong places" however they were quite pale overall.

I recall a couple years ago I bought some barbs from Aquarium Services in Kanata. Boy were they beautiful! Very "clean" and colorful. Unfortunately I had only one tank at the time and that gang just terrorized the whole community. Even though I bought 8, they still chased everything and everyone. So all the fish ended up swimming 2 cm from the surface just to avoid the barbs and poor shrimp never left caves. So I had to bring them back I miss them so much

Now, however, I have a dedicated tank for them and I want to try to beed them too. That's why I want a "thoroughbred" barbs but can't find any!   

[new2H2O]

sorry, it was worth a try though.

[Mettle]

We had some "XL" tiger barbs at SP Barrhaven a while ago that were really nice and clean in appearance... I think we're getting another shipment of smaller ones tomorrow. I'll try and let'cha know how they look.

[alexv]

I think we're getting another shipment of smaller ones tomorrow. I'll try and let'cha know how they look.

Oh, that would be dandy! I'll check them out tomorrow or on the weekend. I like SP Barrhaven overall and, frankly, I moved to Barrhaven mostly because of the store (but don't tell my wife about that. She still thinks that general shopping venues were the key But I think she starts to suspect something). 

[mseguin]

We get a little of both at BA every now and then, some good ones, some of that mix variety (althoguh they aren't techncially a hybrid since green tiger barbs are the same species, just differnet variety, like the albino ones). I remember reading an article in one of the magazines (think it was TFH) complaining about the general lack of size and quality of tiger barbs obtainable these days.

[new2H2O]

We get a little of both at BA every now and then,

Do let us know when you get some nise ones in...i'd be interested in some too.

[alexv]

Just picked up 8 tiger barbs from SP Barrhaven from their new shipment. I can't say I'm overly excited about the "purity" of them but I think I was able to select the best of what they had. They are still quite young, so I'm not sure what happens when they mature, but I'll hope for the best. At least my 4th tanks has some inhabitants