Barbs · Puntigrus
Tiger barb
Puntigrus tetrazona · Sumatra and Borneo
Photo: Ingvar-fed, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
21–27 °C 70–81 °F
pH
6–7.5 neutral water
Adult size
7 cm 2.8 in
Swims
Mid-water mostly in open water
Keep together
6 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Gentle a steady gentle flow
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with moderate flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Have long fins that get nipped
-
Aggressive and will eat the tiger barb
-
Need a different pH and will eat the tiger barb
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
From keepers
Constantly chasing the betta.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Tiger barb get?
About 7 cm (2.8 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Tiger barb need?
21–27 °C (70–81 °F).
What pH does a Tiger barb need?
pH 6–7.5.
Does a Tiger barb need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 6.
Is the Tiger barb aggressive?
It can be. It is semi-aggressive, so choose tank mates carefully.
What does a Tiger barb eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Tiger barb come from?
Sumatra and Borneo.
What fish can live with a Tiger barb?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 21 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 27 | Estimate |
| pH min | 6 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 7 | Estimate |
| Flow | Moderate | Estimate |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 6 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Behaviour tags | fin_nipper | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 3 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 5 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.