T-Barb (Puntigrus partipentazona) Care Guide
A peaceful barb closely related to the Tiger Barb but with incomplete vertical bars that form a T-shape.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Puntigrus partipentazona is a species in the family Cyprinidae. A peaceful barb closely related to the Tiger Barb but with incomplete vertical bars that form a T-shape. Less aggressive than its Tiger cousin, making it a better choice for community tanks with slower, long-finned fish.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Puntigrus
- Scientific name: Puntigrus partipentazona
- Other names: Spanner Barb
- Origin: Southeast Asia, Borneo, Thailand
Habitat
Native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo, where it inhabits forest streams and peat-swamp tributaries. A close relative of the tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) distinguished by an incomplete fourth vertical bar; an active shoaling cyprinid that may nip fins when kept in small numbers.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
- Temperature: 23-27 °C
- pH: 5.5-7
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Adult size: 4-5 cm
- Lifespan: 3-6 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 6
- Difficulty: beginner
Diet
Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Neon Tetra, Corydoras, Harlequin Rasbora, Cherry Barb
- Avoid with: Large Aggressive Fish
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: egg-scatterer
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
T-Barb Breeding Guide (Puntigrus partipentazona)
Overview
The T-Barb (Puntigrus partipentazona) belongs to the genus Puntigrus, established for the former Puntius tetrazona group, and is closely related to the true Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona). Both share four black bars on a pale body and black pigment on at least the basal half of the dorsal fin; P. partipentazona is native to Indochina while P. tetrazona is native to Borneo.
Sexing
Adult males are slightly smaller and slimmer than females and show a more intense colour pattern.
Common Challenges
Captive spawning of this species is documented as unrecorded, and specific conditioning, breeding-tank and fry-rearing details are not available for it from the reviewed source. As a result, no reliable spawning protocol can be stated here.