Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona)

The Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is the classic striped schooler: four jet-black bands over a golden orange body with red-edged fins. It is hardy, always in motion, and full of personality, an easy fish to keep as long as you respect its semi-aggressive, fin-nipping streak by keeping a proper school. Build the rest of the tank from our freshwater livestock.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 20 gallons minimum for a school. Longer tanks beat taller ones, these are fast lap swimmers.
• Water: 74 to 80°F, pH 6.0 to 7.5, soft to moderately hard. Tiger Barbs are very adaptable and forgiving of beginner mistakes once the tank is cycled.
• School size: 8 or more is the magic number. In big groups they chase and spar with each other and mostly ignore tank mates. In groups of 5 or fewer, that energy turns into fin nipping.
• Setup: open swimming space down the middle with plants and hardscape around the edges. Moderate flow keeps them busy.
• Feeding: enthusiastic omnivores. Quality flakes or small pellets as a staple, with frozen or live treats like bloodworms and brine shrimp a few times a week.

Specifications

Compatibility

Pick tank mates that are fast, short-finned, and confident. Great picks include the Odessa Barb, Dwarf MacCulloch's Rainbow, larger danios, and armored bottom dwellers like corydoras and bristlenose plecos. Avoid slow or long-finned fish: bettas, angelfish, gouramis, and fancy guppies will get their fins shredded. Dwarf shrimp are also on the menu, so keep them out of a barb tank.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Xtreme Community Crave Krill/Spirulina Flakes, a krill-first staple they attack at every feeding
• Xtreme Krill Flakes to boost those orange and red tones
• Hardy live plants like anubias and java fern that shrug off barb energy
• More staples and treats in our nutrition collection

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop Tiger Barbs from nipping fins?
Keep more of them. A school of 8 to 12 keeps the chasing and pecking order inside the group. Nipping problems almost always trace back to a group that is too small, or to slow, long-finned tank mates that should not be in a barb tank in the first place.

Can Tiger Barbs live with angelfish or a betta?
No. Trailing fins are an irresistible target, and it usually ends with a stressed, ragged showpiece fish. Stick with fast, short-finned companions.

Are green and albino Tiger Barbs the same fish?
Yes, they are color morphs of the same species and school together happily. A mixed group of regular, green, and albino tigers looks fantastic.

How many can I keep in a 20 gallon tank?
A school of 8 to 10 Tiger Barbs works well in a standard 20 long with weekly water changes. Go bigger on the tank before going bigger on the school.