Tiger Barbs (Puntius Tetrazona)

General Information

Common Name: Tiger Barb
Taxonomy: Puntius Tetrazona

Tank Type: Community
Level of Care: Easy

Size: Up to 7cm (3 inches)

Type: Tropical Freshwater Fish

Behavior: Often semi-aggressive in numbers less than 5 and will nip fins of other fish.  In groups of 5 or more, they tend to chase each other and leave other fish alone.

Get Along With:
Clown Loaches – Loaches and Tigers school together.
Danios
Platys
Most Catfish

Not Recommended With:
Bettas
Gouramis
Angel Fish

Preferred Water Conditions:

pH Level: 6.0 – 8.0
Water Hardness: 5-19 dGH
Temperature: 68-79 F, 20-26 C
Avg. Lifespan: 6 Years

Males: Smaller, bright red nose, red line above the black on their dorsal fin.
Females: Larger, round belly, and a mainly black dorsal fin.

Comments

When I had a pair of Tiger Barbs in my 20 Gallon tank, they displayed a unique personality and were very entertaining to watch.  They are fast moving fish and keep things lively in the aquarium.  Unfortunately the two Tiger Barbs I had did not survive, most probably due to non-ideal water conditions in my brand new tank, but I would definitely look into getting more in the future.  If I do get some more, I will most probably purchase a school of 6 or more so that they can chase each other around instead of chasing and nipping at the other fish.