Tiger Barb care guide
Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) — minimum tank 75 L, temperature 22-28 °C, pH 6-7.5. Semi-aggressive middle-water species.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is an active, boldly striped cyprinid from southern Sumatra, known for its playful but persistent fin-nipping behaviour toward slow-moving tank mates. It is best displayed and best behaved in groups of six or more.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Puntigrus
- Scientific name: Puntigrus tetrazona
- Common synonyms: Sumatra Barb
Habitat
Native to moderately flowing forest streams in the Sumatran river basins of Kampar, Siak, Indragiri, Batanghari, Musi, Tulangbawang and Way Sekampung. Introduced populations are established in Singapore and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Water is typically slightly soft to moderately hard with neutral to slightly acidic pH.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 75 L (19.8 US gal)
- Adult size: 5-7 cm
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6-7.5
- GH: 2-15 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Lifespan: 5-7 years
- School size: ≥6 individuals
Diet
An omnivore that readily consumes prepared foods such as flake and pellets, supplemented with live and frozen foods (daphnia, bloodworms, brine shrimp). The species is also a willing algae grazer.
Compatibility
A semi-aggressive species best kept in groups of at least six, which redirects nipping behaviour within the group. Suitable companions are other robust active species such as Cherry Barb, Clown Loach, Rosy Barb and Denison Barb. Avoid keeping with long-finned slow species such as Betta, Angelfish and Guppy.
Breeding
An egg-scatterer. Females spawn several hundred eggs (commonly around 300, up to 500 per spawning) among plants. Sexual maturity is reached at roughly 6-7 weeks of age and around 2-3 cm body length. Remove the parents after spawning, as they readily consume their own eggs.
GloFish Tiger Barb Breeding Guide
Overview
The GloFish tiger barb is a genetically modified Puntigrus tetrazona carrying an inserted fluorescent-protein gene. As Wikipedia states, GloFish is the brand of genetically modified fluorescent fish, sold as tiger barbs in various fluorescent colours. The underlying biology is that of the tiger barb: an egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care.
Sexing
As in the wild tiger barb, females are larger with rounder bellies, while males are smaller, slimmer and more intensely coloured. The fluorescent transgene does not change sexual dimorphism, so body shape and a fuller belly in females remain the reliable cues. The species matures at about 2 to 3 cm total length, around six to seven weeks of age.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The reproductive process mirrors the wild fish. Conditioned, gravid females spawn the morning after pairing, scattering several hundred adhesive eggs in plants in the early morning, with around 300 per spawn typical. The parents eat their eggs once finished. The inserted fluorescence gene is heritable, so offspring of two GloFish typically fluoresce, but propagation remains legally controlled.
Egg & Fry Care
Where breeding is permitted, eggs hatch in about 24 to 48 hours and fry are free-swimming roughly 24 hours later, fed infusoria-grade food then microworm and Artemia nauplii, exactly as for the wild tiger barb.
Common Challenges
Beyond the species' usual egg predation by parents, the principal constraint is legal: GloFish are licensed, trademarked transgenic animals and unauthorised propagation can be unlawful. This guide describes the biology for reference only.
Green Tiger Barb Breeding Guide
Overview
The green tiger barb is a selectively bred dark-bodied colour morph of Puntigrus tetrazona, not a separate species. Wikipedia lists green tiger barbs among the colour morphs produced through selective breeding. Its breeding biology matches the wild tiger barb: an egg-scattering free spawner with no parental care.
Sexing
Females are larger with rounder bellies; males are smaller, slimmer and more intensely coloured, the wild form showing a red nose and a red line above the dorsal fin. The species reaches sexual maturity at about 2 to 3 cm total length, around six to seven weeks old.
Conditioning
Condition the adults on small live, frozen and quality dried foods until the females are clearly gravid. Well-conditioned 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, 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 among plants in the early morning. A mature female may release several hundred adhesive eggs, with around 300 per spawn typical and up to about 500 recorded; eggs average roughly 1.18 mm. The adults eat any eggs they find once finished, so remove them at once.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs hatch in about 24 to 48 hours and the fry become free-swimming roughly 24 hours later. Feed infusoria-grade food for the first few days, then move on to microworm, Artemia nauplii and similar foods.
Common Challenges
Egg predation by the parents is the main hurdle. The green colour is fixed through selective breeding within the species and is not a hybrid or genetically modified trait.
Breeding Tiger Barb
Overview
Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is an egg-scattering free spawner of intermediate breeding difficulty that exhibits no parental care. Fish reach sexual maturity at a body length of 2 to 3 cm or about six to seven weeks of age, and females can spawn at approximately two-week intervals.
Sexing
Adult males are smaller, slimmer and more intensely coloured, with a bright red nose and a distinct red line above the black on the dorsal fin. Females are larger with a rounder belly and a mainly black dorsal fin.
Conditioning the Breeders
Adults can be conditioned together before transfer to a separate spawning aquarium with mature water. Spawn one or two pairs once females appear gravid, or place six of each sex together.
Breeding Setup
- Dimly lit tank with mature water
- A mesh base, plastic grass matting, glass marbles or fine-leaved plants such as Taxiphyllum, or a spawning mop to keep eggs from the adults
- Slightly acidic to neutral pH
- Temperature towards the upper end of the 22-28 °C range
- An air-powered sponge filter or air stone for oxygenation
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning typically occurs in the early morning, the following morning after pairs are introduced. The fish scatter several hundred adhesive, negatively buoyant eggs in clumps of plants; around 300 eggs can be expected from a mature broodstock, and up to 500 eggs per female have been documented. Eggs average about 1.18 mm in diameter.
Egg & Fry Care
Once spawning finishes the adults will eat any eggs they can find and must be removed. The eggs hatch in 24-48 hours, with the fry swimming freely around 24 hours later. Offer infusoria-grade food when the fry first become free-swimming, then graduate to microworm and Artemia nauplii once they are large enough.
Common Challenges
Egg predation is immediate, so the egg-trap base and prompt removal of adults are essential. Slightly acidic, mature water at the warmer end of the range improves spawning success, and the small first-feeding fry need infusoria-grade food before larger live foods.