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Tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) — Cyprinidae

Tiger barb

Puntigrus tetrazona
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern

The Tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
7 cm
Water
Freshwater
Depth
0–? m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The tiger barb is a small cyprinid native to Sumatra and Borneo in Southeast Asia and bred worldwide for the aquarium trade. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a deep, silver-gold body with four conspicuous black vertical bars and reddish fins, from which it takes its name. It lives in schools in clear, flowing and still fresh water and feeds omnivorously on worms, small crustaceans and plant matter. The eggs are scattered freely. The species is very popular in the aquarium. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Tiger barb?

The Tiger barb has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Tiger barb live?

The Tiger barb lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Tiger barb get?

The Tiger barb grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Tiger barb dangerous to humans?

No, the Tiger barb is harmless to humans.

Is the Tiger barb edible?

The Tiger barb is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Tijgerbarbeel verified
English name
Tiger barb verified
Scientific name
Puntigrus tetrazona
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Partbelt barb; Sumatra barb; Tiger barb verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
7.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0 sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Puntigrus

More from the family Cyprinidae

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