Puntigrus tetrazona
Tiger barbs originate from Asia, in Sumatra and Borneo particularly, and come in attractive colour morphs including green and albino. They grow to around 5cm (2 inches) and live in hierarchical groups, with semi-aggressive individuals forming a pecking order. This gives them their reputation of being prolific fin-nippers, but if kept in shoals of six or more, this can generally be avoided, as they will largely keep to themselves and not bother your other tank inhabitants. However, it may be best to keep them away from bettas, guppies and other elaborate fish to avoid temptation! Conversely, tiger barbs can happily be grouped with clown loach (Chromobotia macracanthus), both species mimicking one another to form a large group. If kept correctly in relatively large groups, these highly active and attractive fish make entertaining tank inhabitants, and earn themselves Fish of the Week.
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Tagged in: Fish of the Week Archive - Freshwater