Some fish are famous for displaying specific characteristics and when it comes to Tiger Barbs, there’s no difference.
They are lively and can have different colors, depending on the kind. However, playfulness still seems to be their most notorious characteristic.
Albino, Green, Black stripe, and so many other kinds make these fish a great addition to pretty much any aquarium.
Count four tiger-like black vertical stripes and you probably got yourself a Tiger Barb.
Also, their red-edged fins and reddish face, which add even more color to the fish, make them even more colorful and distinguished.
Maximum Size the Tiger barbs can grow
Native from the Borneo, Indonesia, and Sumatra region, these lovely fish can reach 13 centimeters when found in nature (Yes, this is true!).
However, should you keep your Tiger Barbs in captivity, don’t expect them to get bigger than 7-10 centimeters long and 3-4 centimeters wide.
Read this source from Wikipedia for the maximum size of a tiger barbs can grow
And from my personal experience, the tiger barbs in my tank is usually smaller, around 5-8 centimeters are quite common.
Behaviour of Tiger barbs
The distinguished features of these fish make them unique and, for that matter, so does their behavior.
Tiger Barbs are extremely lively and they enjoy swimming around the central portions of tanks.
There is a large range of fish that should be more than glad to share an aquarium with these fish.
Molly, Pictus, Plecos, Swordtails, and even Red Tailed Sharks, to name a few, are some of the best companions for Tiger Barbs.
Regarding their behavior, it’s important to notice that Tiger Barbs aren’t among the most peaceful fish.
It’s true they aren’t on the list of the most aggressive pet fish, but they do display a certain level of aggressiveness.
Such behavior is clearly displayed through the nipping of other fishes’ fins.
Despite the apparent aggressiveness of this behavior, commonly Tiger Barbs nip on other fishes’ fins with playful intent, rather than to do others any harm.
Tiger Barbs normally only display their more extreme behavior normally when they are under a considerable level of stress.
If you want to see a stressed-out Tiger Barb, let it share a tank with other males of seemingly the same size.
Having to fight for the role of the alpha male is one of the circumstances that stress Tiger Barbs the most.
Should they face such a situation, you’ll probably notice a more aggressive fin-nipping and even the killing of smaller fish.
When it comes to feeding, Tiger Barbs are natural gobblers, which means you should feed them food that easily scatters, so you can guarantee all of them are grabbing a bite.
Their mating habits are quite unique as well and Tiger Barbs frequently perform a mating dance around the aquarium in which the male chases the female.
Then, it will probably be a good idea to separate the mating couple from the rest of the school as they also commonly eat eggs and fry.
Read: The eggs of Tiger barbs
Lastly, Tiger Barbs are easy fish to tend to and a solid option for beginner aquarists.
Their hardiness level makes things easy and the fact that they eat pretty much anything makes them a good choice for any aquarium.
