Tiger barb care
Puntigrus tetrazona · Sumatra and Borneo
Tiger barbs are active, bold fish that need a group of six or more in a 29 gallon or larger tank; in a big group they chase each other, in a small one they nip everyone else.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 74 to 80 °F (23 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 3 in
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 7 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep tiger barbs
Tiger barbs are active, bold fish that need a group of six or more in a 29 gallon or larger tank; in a big group they chase each other, in a small one they nip everyone else. Give them fast-moving tankmates and keep them away from long-finned fish.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen foods, blanched vegetables. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Tiger barb tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
3 in · 20+ gal · 75–84 °F
Emerald corydoras
3 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Celebes rainbowfish
3 in · 29+ gal · 68–82 °F
Peacock gudgeon
3 in · 15+ gal · 72–79 °F
Bamboo shrimp
3 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
DrawingRabbit snail
3 in · 20+ gal · 76–84 °F
Bolivian ram
3.2 in · 29+ gal · 72–80 °F
Peppered corydoras
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 64–77 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: tiger barbs need 74 to 80 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Guppy: Tiger barbs nip long fins like those of guppies.
Betta: Tiger barbs nip long fins like those of bettas.
Angelfish: Tiger barbs nip long fins like those of angelfish.
Discus: No shared temperature: tiger barbs need 74 to 80 °F, discus 82 to 88 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
What a tiger barb tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon tiger barb tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon tiger barb tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro 100W
Tiger barbs need 74 to 80 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding tiger barbs.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 74 to 80 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 29 gallon tank · Heaters for a 29 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common tiger barb problems
- Fin nipping: bettas, angelfish, gouramis and fancy guppies are targets.
- Fighting in a small group: add more tiger barbs rather than fewer.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Puntigrus tetrazona. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Tiger barb Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emerald corydoras NonstickRon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celebes rainbowfish Brent Tibbatts, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock gudgeon Dirk Godlinski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bamboo shrimp Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bolivian ram HenryC88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peppered corydoras Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rosy barb Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Denison barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Odessa barb Anandarajkumar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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