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This page will give a completely detailed profile of the selected
fish, from A to Z. The profiled fish will be chosen randomly by Badman,
and will come from the complete genre of tropical fish. New profiles
are added on a regular basis. If you would like to submit a profile
for the site please contact me. Don't forget to let us know you experiences
with this fish by filling out the
Puntius tetrazona
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Overview:
One of the most popular species we keep today. Through selective breeding
many different variations are on the market. They tend to nip fins so
it is best to keep them in groups of six or more.
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Quick stats:
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Listed tank sizes are the minimum
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| Size: |
Up to 3" (7cm) |
| Tank: |
24 inches |
| Strata: |
Bottom, middle |
| PH: |
6.5 to 7.5 |
| Hardness: |
Soft to medium. dH range: 3.0 - 10.0 |
| Temperature: |
68ºF to 78ºF (20-25°C) |
Classification
| Order: |
Cypriniformes |
| Suborder: |
Cyprinoidei |
| Family: |
Cyprinidae |
| Genera: |
Puntius |
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Common name
Tiger Barb, Sumatra Barb
Image gallery:
Additional
species photographs
Discuss:
Badmans'
Forum
Distribution
Borneo and Sumatra, also reported in Thailand.
General Body Form
Tall and stocky with a large Caudal Penducle. This barb has no Barbels.
Males are slimmer with brighter colors.
Coloration
There are many different variations of the Tiger Barb available today.
They range from the Albino to the Green, I will describe the "original"
and in my opinion the prettiest, here. Counting the eye stripe there
are four wide Black-Blue bands running across the body The third band
starts at the Black base of the Dorsal fin and extends down to the start
of the Anal fin. The Dorsal and Anal fins are a bright Red-Orange and
the rest of the fins are a paler shade of Red. The rest of the body
is a Brown-Orange color and the Back is almost like an Olive Green.
The scales viewed under the right light have an iridescent Gold or Brass
look to them. Beautiful!
Maintenance
The only drawback to these fish is their tendency to nip the fins of
fish in the tank, especially angels. Single specimens tend to be aggressive
and should not be kept. Tiger Barbs should be kept in a school of at
least six fish. The tank should be sparsely planted with plenty of open
space for swimming with a sandy bottom for digging. Feeding is not a
problem as they will accept all types of food including flake and frozen,
don't overfeed as they are ravenous eaters and will eat all you give
them. They prefer a temperature of between 73º and 82ºF and a pH of
6 to 7.5 with soft to hard water.
Biotope
Bottom areas of slow moving and calm waters on Sumatra and its' other
locals.
Breeding
Male tiger Barbs are slimmer and more colorful than the females. They
breed similar to other Barb species. The breeding tank should have a
thin layer or no substrate and a few leafy plants and be as large as
possible. Condition the spawners with the best food possible for a few
days before transferring them to the breeding tank. They usually will
spawn the morning after being introduced to the tank, a partial water
change can also induce spawning. The female is the more active partner
and will lead in the courtship. After chasing and false matings the
pair will spawn in the plants, with the partners coming alongside each
other and the male twisting around the female. The eggs are scattered
among the plants and they can be quite large in number. Tigers, like
most Barbs are spawn eaters and should be removed from the tank right
after mating. The transparent eggs will hatch in about 24 hours at a
temperature of 75º and the small young must be fed the finest of food
like Brine shrimp Nauplii, once a little growth has taken place they
are fairly easy to raise.
Buy now from
That Pet Place
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Tiger Barb
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Click photo to buy
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From That Pet Place
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Normal
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Albino
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Green
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Black
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