Tiger Barb
Puntigrus tetrazona
Cyprinidae
About
The tiger barb is a stocky, boldly striped cyprinid from the streams and floodplains of Sumatra and Borneo, almost always sold as commercially bred stock today. Endlessly active and boisterous, it is one of the hobby's most notorious fin-nippers, so it demands careful stocking. Kept in too small a group it turns its energy on tankmates, harassing slow or long-finned fish; kept in a large, busy shoal that aggression is spread among its own kind and the fish shine as a lively mid-water display.
Care
Keep in an active shoal of at least 8 (ideally 8-12) in a long, roomy tank to disperse its notorious fin-nipping. Avoid slow, timid or long-finned tankmates such as bettas, angelfish and guppies.
Diet
Non-selective omnivore; feed varied dry foods with frozen or live meaty foods and some vegetable matter, scattered so the whole shoal feeds.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (76)
Possible with care (150)
Avoid (45)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Full tank-mates guide with reasons →Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Colour and patternA hint only · from about 6 months, and only on a settled fish
In rainbowfish, killifish and several barbs the male carries the colour — deeper and more saturated, intensifying further when he displays.
- Extended finsA hint only · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.
Also in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Tiger Barb need?
- A Tiger Barb needs an aquarium of at least 90 litres (23.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 80 cm (31.5 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Tiger Barb need?
- Tiger Barb does best at 20–28 °C (68–82.4 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 2–18 °dGH.
- What group size does a Tiger Barb need?
- Tiger Barb is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Tiger Barb suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Tiger Barb is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.