Albino Tiger Barb Care Guide
The albino tiger barb is a selectively bred form of Puntigrus tetrazona, an active shoaling cyprinid prone to fin-nipping.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The albino tiger barb is a selectively bred form of Puntigrus tetrazona, described by Bleeker in 1855. Wikipedia notes that albino and gold forms result from recessive albino and xanthic genes. The wild form displays a silver to brownish-yellow body with four vertical black stripes and red fins. Care matches that of the wild form.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Puntigrus
- Scientific name: Puntigrus tetrazona var. Albino
- Described by: Bleeker, 1855 (parent species)
Habitat
Wikipedia records the wild species as native to southeastern Sumatra, Indonesia, across the Kampar, Siak, Indragiri, Batanghari, Musi, Tulangbawang and Way Sekampung basins, with introductions elsewhere in Asia. It inhabits clear or turbid shallow waters in moderately flowing streams.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (about 26 gal)
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 5-18 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-7 years
Wikipedia reports preferred conditions of pH 6.0-7.5, hardness 5-19 dGH and temperatures of about 25-27.8 °C, with an average lifespan of around 7 years.
Diet
Wikipedia describes the species as omnivorous and a relatively greedy feeder, accepting flakes, crisps and live foods. In the aquarium an omnivorous diet is offered around twice daily.
Compatibility
Wikipedia notes that tiger barbs are active shoaling fish best kept in groups of six or more; in numbers below five they are often aggressive and are known fin-nippers. They should not be combined with slow, peaceful or long-finned species, and pair well with fast-moving fish such as danios and catfish.
Breeding
Wikipedia reports the species is an egg-scatterer that reaches maturity at 2-3 cm. Spawning occurs in the early morning in clumps of plants, with an average of around 300 adhesive, negatively buoyant eggs per spawn; parents will consume unfertilised eggs afterwards.
Albino Tiger Barb Breeding Guide
Overview
The albino tiger barb is a selectively bred colour morph of Puntigrus tetrazona, not a separate species; its breeding biology is identical to the wild tiger barb. As Wikipedia notes, albino, gold and green tiger barbs are colour morphs achieved through selective breeding rather than hybrids. It is an egg-scattering free spawner that provides no parental care.
Sexing
Females are larger with rounder bellies, while males are smaller, slimmer and more intensely coloured. In the wild form males show a bright red nose and a red line above the dorsal fin; in albinos the pattern is paler, so body shape and a fuller belly in females are the most reliable cues. The species reaches sexual maturity at roughly 2 to 3 cm total length, around six to seven weeks of age.
Conditioning
Condition the adults on small live, frozen and quality dried foods until the females are clearly gravid. Well-fed females can spawn at roughly two-week intervals.
Breeding Setup
Use a separate, dimly lit spawning tank with mature water. Protect the eggs with mesh, plastic grass matting or glass marbles on the base, or with fine-leaved plants such as Taxiphyllum species or spawning mops. Add an air-powered sponge filter or air stone. Keep the pH slightly acidic to neutral and the temperature toward the upper end of the range, about 24 to 26 °C.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Introduce a gravid female with one or two males; spawning usually follows the next morning, typically in clumps of plants in the early morning. A mature female may release several hundred eggs, with around 300 per spawn typical and up to about 500 recorded. The adhesive eggs average about 1.18 mm in diameter. Once finished the adults eat any eggs they find, so remove them immediately.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in roughly 24 to 48 hours and the fry are free-swimming about 24 hours later. Feed infusoria-grade food for the first few days, then progress to microworm, Artemia nauplii and similar small foods.
Common Challenges
The parents are determined egg-eaters, so timing of removal is critical. Note that breeding two albinos together fixes the albino trait; this is a recessive colour selection within the species and involves no genetic modification.