Longfin Barbs (Puntius tetrazona) 4cm
Something we don’t see here in Australia very often at all
The Longfin Tiger Barb is a morph of the very popular Tiger Barb which is an easy fish to care for and can be fun to watch as it swims at high speed in schools of six or more. It is not, however, an ideal fish for a community tank as it does nip any fish with flowing fins and can be mildly aggressive.
The Tiger Barb comes from Borneo and Malaysia, including Sarawak and Kalimantan. They can also be found on the island of Sumatra and in Thailand and Cambodia. In their native habitat, these fish inhabit quiet, tree-lined creeks and tributaries lined with sand, rocks, and thick vegetation where they can find insects, algae, invertebrates, and detritus from plants. They prefer clear, highly-oxygenated water.
This colourful barb is frequently chosen for a community tank, but they are not an ideal choice for all aquariums. When kept singly or in groups of 2-3, Tiger Barbs will terrorise almost any fish that is unfortunate enough to reside in the same tank—especially any with long, flowing fins. Yet if they are kept in groups of a half dozen or more, they will usually keep their quarreling to themselves.
Regardless of the numbers kept, it is never advisable to keep Tigers in the same tank with docile, slow-moving, or long-finned fish such as angels or bettas. For a striking display, set up a species-specific tank with a half dozen of each color variation, complemented by live plants. Alternatively, pair the Tiger Barb with fast-moving tankmates such as danios, platys, loaches or catfish.
Accepting of virtually any food, Tiger Barbs should be given a variety of foods to maintain a healthy immune system. Include quality flake food as well as live and frozen fish foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and beef heart.
- Species – Puntius tetrazona ( Longfin)
- Common Name – Longfin Tiger Barb
- Origin – Borneo and Malaysia, including Sarawak and Kalimantan. They can also be found on the island of Sumatra and in Thailand and Cambodia.
- Diet – Omnivore
- PH Range – 6.5 – 7
- Temperature – Tropical 20-26°c
- Breed Type – egg layer
- Current Size – approximately 3-4cm (Grows to approximately 7cm)
- Sex – Un-sexed
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