| The tiger barb or Barbus tetrazona are members of | | | | them fit, vigorous and colorful. |
| the family Cyprinidae commonly referred to as | | | | It is not difficult to distinguish between male and |
| Cyprinids. Their habitat extends through the Malay | | | | female tiger barbs. The males are typically more |
| Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. There are also | | | | colorful. Males tend to have more red on their fins |
| scattered populations in Cambodia. | | | | than females. The male's nose will turn red when it |
| Their name is purely descriptive. Tiger barbs have an | | | | enters into its breeding cycle. |
| orange body with vertical black striping. Tigers are | | | | Breeding Tiger Barbs |
| just one of over 70 species of barbs made | | | | Tiger barbs can be induced to spawn when provided |
| commercially available by the aquarium industry. | | | | with the right conditions. Tigers typically breed in |
| Selective breeding has produced a wide variety of | | | | early summer in the wild. Turn the aquarium |
| color variations. Color morphs are green, gold and | | | | thermostat up to 77 or 78 degrees. You want them |
| albino tiger barbs. The green tiger barb is highly | | | | in softer water such as bottled water or reverse |
| melanistic. Their body reflects green over the black | | | | osmosis filtered water. You will also want to increase |
| due to a tyndall effect. | | | | the waters acidity level to approximately pH 6.5. If |
| Thetiger barb has an even temperament and makes | | | | these conditions are not conducive to your other |
| for a good community fish. They are mid-level | | | | community dwellers simply use a breeding tank to |
| swimmers. Barbs do have a tendency to be fin | | | | create a controlled environment conducive to |
| nippers though. This behavior increases in bigger | | | | spawning. You will also want to increase their protein |
| groups. Avoid mixing them with large finned species | | | | intake by feeding them brine shrimp, bloodworms or |
| such as angelfish, bettas and fancy guppies. They are | | | | meat based frozen or freeze dried food. |
| a smaller fish. They only grow to about 2.5 inches | | | | Tiger barbs are egg layers. A trait common to egg |
| long as adults. You'll want to raise them with similar | | | | layers is that they will eat their eggs if given the |
| sized species to avoid waking up to one less fish in | | | | chance. This can be best avoided by placing a layer |
| your tank. | | | | of marbles over the breeding tank substrate. The |
| Barbs are a shoaling fish. Shoaling fish are community | | | | eggs will sink down in between the marbles and keep |
| dwellers. They instinctively travel in groups. Shoaling | | | | the eggs safely out of harms way. After the adults |
| fish are ill adapted to a life of solitude. It is | | | | have spawned they should be removed from the |
| recommended that you have at least four of any | | | | breeding tank. |
| shoaling fish in an aquarium. Six to eight is even | | | | The fry will hatch in about 36 hours. They will be free |
| better. | | | | swimming in 2-3 days. Once they are free swimming |
| Barbs thrive in soft, slightly acid water with a | | | | they can be fed infusoria or liquid fry food |
| temperature range between 68-77 °F. | | | | formulated for egg laying fish. Larger fry can be fed |
| They are omnivorous. They can live out their entire | | | | newly hatched brine shrimp. In about two weeks you |
| life fed nothing but common tropical fish flakes. But a | | | | will be able to change their diet to finely crushed fish |
| diet supplemented with pure protein will help keep | | | | flakes. |