|

Tiger Barb

Bycentrevilleaquarium
Tiber Barb GIF

October and Fall are o-fish-aly here and at Centreville Aquarium we’re celebrating an incredible fish, the Tiger Barb.  Puntigris Tetrazona, also known as the Tiger or Sumatra Barb, are one of the most popular members of the extensive Barb family.  Originating throughout Indonesia, Tiger Barbs are a hardy fish. While they can also be found in other areas in Asia, it’s difficult to tell what the species natural habitat is vs locations they’ve been introduced to.  Tiger Barbs have been in the aquarium hobby for over thirty years.  In that time, they’ve been selectively bred to bring out their best traits and even a few variants such as the Albino, Platinum, and Green Tiger Barbs.

Tiger Barbs are known for nipping fins, keep them in schools of five or more to prevent this from happening.

Tiger Barbs thrive on Tetra’s Tropical Flakes and treats of frozen Hikari Blood Worms

Tiger Barbs are well known for the black stripes that inspire their name, their red tip fins, and the incredible energy they add to any tank.  Growing to a maximum size of 3-4 inches, Tiger Barbs often seem like the perfect beginner fish.  The cool pattern and energetic personality, as well as how affordable they are make them hard to resist for the new fish keeper but there is one thing to keep in mind.  Tiger Barbs are notorious fin nippers when not kept in a proper school.  That is why here, at Centreville Aquarium, we encourage new fish keepers to purchase Tiger Barbs in a good school of 5 or more to minimize aggression towards other fish. 

Beyond the nipping Tiger Barbs are the perfect starter fish.  Very hardy and easy to care for, Tiger Barbs are easily housed with fish like Silver Dollar, Giant Danio, large bodied Gourami, various Sharks and many types of Catfish. With an Aqueon Aquarium kit, some Estes gravel, and a fun decoration or two, Tiger Barbs will b  a great addition to any household!     

Similar Posts

  • Ram Cichlid

    Bycentrevilleaquarium

    November’s fish of the month is a classic, well respected species – The Ram Cichlid. First described in 1948, “Mikrogeophagus ramirezi” is named after Manuel Ramirez, one of the first importers and collectors of the species. The species is naturally found in the soft, warm, and acidic water of the llanos savannahs of Venezuela and…

  • Blue Tang

    Bycentrevilleaquarium

    September is here and that brings Blue Tangs (Paracanthus hippatus). The Blue Tang goes by many names, Hippo Tang, Yellowtail Blue Tang, Regal Tang, Pallet Surgeonfish and most recently, Dory. Yes, this fish is a celebrity. Centreville Aquarium’s resident Blue Tang elicits squeals of recognition as visiting kids find Dory. Disney’s writers must have been…

  • |

    Anemone

    Bycentrevilleaquarium

    Anemones are a saltwater invertebrate found in oceans across the world, from the Artic to the East Coastal Regions bordering our very own state. Anemones are essentially one giant polyp attached to a foot, known as a pedal disk, which the anemone uses to keep itself attached to a rock, hard substrate or even sand….

  • |

    Fish of the Month!

    Bycentrevilleaquarium

    The Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a tropical marine reef fish from the Pacific and Indian oceans. While the clownfish has been widely available for many decades it became a Celebrity after the release of the Disney movie, Finding Nemo in 2003.  Since reaching Celebrity status the Clownfish has become the preeminent saltwater fish to keep…

  • Angelfish

    Bycentrevilleaquarium

         November is fin-ally here and with it is the Angelfish, our fish of the month here at Centreville Aquarium. Angelfish are endemic to the Amazon River basin, inhabiting waterways mainly filled by dense vegetation. There are three different species of the freshwater Angelfish: Pterophyllum scalare, Pterophyllum altum, and Pterophyllum leopoldi. P. scalare is the…