Tiger Barb (Puntigrus tetrazona)

In the aquarium hobby, Tiger Barbs, Puntigrus tetrazona, are very popular. In addition to being easy to care for, they are also very active and relatively hardy. Bettas, gouramis, angelfish, and species with long, flowing fins should not be kept with these Barbs. Nevertheless, they work well with many fast-moving fish, such as Danios, Platys, and most catfish.

Providing there is enough space, the clown loach makes a good tankmate for these Barbs. The clown loach will school with the Tiger barbs and behave similarly to them. These Barbs will spend most of their time chasing each other if they are in large enough groups and will leave other fish alone.

An aquarium with soft, slightly acidic water is ideal for Tiger Barbs, but they can tolerate a wide range of water conditions. Ideally, these Barbs should have an aquarium setup that includes a large open swimming area and plenty of live or artificial plants. The tank's temperature does not matter; you can even keep these Barbs without a heater. To complete the setup, you should provide good lighting and a fine substrate.

A Tiger Barb's body is yellow-orange with four black vertical stripes, hence its name. The species also exhibits red-edged fins and a red face, which add more colour to it. Various colour variations have been created over the years, including green, red, black, and albinos. Additionally, there is a long-finned version of the Tiger Barb.

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Feeding

In the home aquarium, the Tiger Barb will readily accept most good quality dried foods such as granules, flakes and sinking pellets. These modern food products have been developed to provide all adequate nutrition to maintain your fish's health and dietary requirements.

Providing additional foodstuffs such as live, frozen, and freeze-dried meals such as bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex once or twice a week will provide additional benefits to your fish's health and well-being but is not a must for this fish.

It should be noted that bloodworms should only be given as an occasional treat and should not be used as the staple diet as they are difficult for fish to digest and can potentially cause blockages.

This fish is an omnivore in the wild, meaning it will consume some vegetable matter. Although most modern fish foods take this into account and include them in their products, you can still supplement your fish's diet with blanched vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and zucchini. Ensure you do not overfeed your fish and remove any leftovers the following day.