Edit Puntigrus tetrazona
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Name
Scientific name
Puntigrus tetrazona
Described by
Authority Bleeker, Year 1855
Family
Cyprinidae
Summary
The tiger barb, Puntigrus tetrazona, is a small cyprinid probably endemic to central and southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Among the most ubiqui…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
60mm, standard length
Tank size
Minimum length 80 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm
Water
Temperature and pH
Temperature 20–26°C, pH 5–8
Hardness
1–20dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Territorial
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Community-safe
Where it lives
Countries
Indonesia
Supporting text
Etymology
Puntigrus: formed from part of the generic name Puntius and tigrus, a word created to sound like the Latin word tigris, meaning 'tiger', in allusion to the bar…
Distribution
Probably endemic to central and southern Sumatra, with records from Borneo corresponding to congeners. Additional records exist from the Indragiri, Batang Hari…
Habitat
Unconfirmed, but Bornean congeners display a preference for forest streams and tributaries containing relatively clear water and substrates of sand and rocks/p…
Aquarium size
Base dimensions of 80 ∗ 30 cm31 ∗ 12 in or equivalent should be the smallest considered.
Maintenance
Choice of décor is not especially critical though it tends to show better colouration in a well-decorated set-up. The addition of floating or overhanging veget…
Water conditions
Temperature: 20 – 26 °C68 – 79 °F pH: 5.0 – 8.0; commercial strains tend to be adaptable, but acidic to neutral conditions are recommended for wild stock. Hard…
Diet
Probably an omnivore feeding primarily on aquatic invertebrates, as well as smaller amounts of plant material and organic detritus in nature. In the aquarium i…
Behaviour and compatibility
This species is notoriously aggressive with a reputation for biting the fins of other fishes, although this behaviour only seems to be pronounced when insuffic…
Sexual dimorphism
Adult males tend to be smaller, slimmer, and possess a more intense colour pattern than females.
Reproduction
Like most small cyprinids Puntigrus spp. are egg-scattering free spawners exhibiting no parental care. When in good condition they will spawn often, and in a m…
Notes
P. tetrazona is traditionally considered to be among the most ubiquitous species available in the aquarium trade. Wild examples are rarely traded, however, and…
References
References
11 on this profile