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 -
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 -
Celestial pearl danio
Rasboras & danios · 2.5 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Have long fins that get nipped
-
Aggressive and will eat the tiger barb
-
Need different temperatures
-
Aggressive
In the hobby
In stock now
Not in stock at any store we track.
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), Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram, Bronze corydoras.
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.