Fishes have been one of the most beautiful creatures of the world known for their beautiful charming look.Small fishes have been used for decorative purposes due to their unique beautiful appearance and size.They are available in all sizes and shapes and they add to the beauty of the water.While looking for the fishes, we will have to go through a “Tiger Barb” which is known for the black colored tiger like stripes on its body.
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What is “Tiger Barb”:
Tiger Barb is one of the most beautiful species of fish known for its charming look and its tiger like look.The black colored stripes on the body of the fish gives it a tiger like look due to which it is named as “Tiger Barb”.It is also known as Sumatra Barb.It is used as a schooling fish and also for decorative purposes in aquariums.
History and Origin of “Tiger Barb”:
When we look back to the history of “Tigger Barb” we will come to know that they are native to Borneo and Malaysia including Sarawak and Kalimantan.They are also non as non native because they are also found in other countries such as Singapore, Australia, United States and Columbia etc.They are found in fresh water mainly in rivers lined with trees and also in tributaries filled with rocks, sand where they could find insects to eat.
Appearance:
It is small sized fish having black stripes over its orange yellow body which are similar to the stripes of a tiger and this is the reason behind the name “Tiger Barb”.They have a red face and fins.They are used all over the world for decorative purposes due to their small size and attractive look.
Size:
It has a very small size of about two to three inches.The adult “T. Barb” may grow up to 3.9 inches long.Due to its small iconic size, it is one of the most beautiful fish used for decorative purposes in aquariums.
Weight:
Being small in size these fishes have a weight which is almost negligible.A 2 to 3 inches “T. Barb” may have a weight of about 0.1 kg or 100 gram.
Color:
“T. Barb” has a number of color variations and each color shade has its own grace such as black, orange, golden, yellow, etc and each color has its own distinct features.
pH for survival:
“T. Barb” usually require a pH of about 6.5 to 8 for their survival which means that they cannot survive in the water having pH above 9 and that having pH below 6.5.
Temperature for survival:
“T. Barb” usually survives in tropical temperatures.They may survive under a temperature in between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 27 degrees Celsius.So, they may die in much colder or hotter environments.
Nature:
“T. Barb” usually has an aggressive nature.It may nip fins to other native fishes.They should be kept in school that is at least five members strong otherwise they may bully other fishes by nipping at their fins.
Food:
“T. Barb” feed on plants and animal matter which means that they are omnivores.They feed mostly on plant material such as phytoplankton.They also like to eat animal material such as crustaceans, aquatic insects and worms, etc.
Environment for living:
“T Barb” requires a specific freshwater environment for its survival.They could survive in a slightly acidic (With pH value in between 6.5 to 8)aquatic environment with a temperature in between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.Any change in the temperature of water badly affects the fish.
For example:
If the temperature of the water falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the fish may stop eating.
Breeding:
A “T Barb” usually breeds at the age of about six weeks when it is almost one inch long and it lays a number of eggs after a mate.A pregnant “T Barb” may lay about 200 to 500 transparent yellowish eggs at a time which are immediately fertilized by the male “Tiger Barb”.
Life span:
A healthy “T Barb” may have an average life span of about seven years.
Health of a Tiger Barb:
If we study the health of a “T Barb”, then we will come to know that it is a quite healthy species of fishes and does not have any specific disease.But it may also have some common diseases like other freshwater bodies have.Ich is one of the most common and highly contagious disease suffered by the freshwater bodies.During this condition the body if the animal is covered by the white dots.It is caused due to poor water conditions.
“T Barb” may also face several other diseases such as undue stress due to extreme temperature and pH conditions of water.
Other barb species:
Barbs are the most beautiful, colorful active fish species that add to the beauty of the aquarium in spite of Tiger barbs the barbs may also have some other fish categories such as:
Conclusions:
From the above discussion we conclude that “Tiger Barb” is one of the most famous species of fishes used for decorative purposes in aquariums.It requires quite specific water environment for its survival.A minor change in the temperature and pH of water may result in several health issues for the fish as the fish may stop eating under decreased temperature.It could be one of the best decorative fishes to be kept at aquariums.In case you wanna have a “T Barb” it’s better for you to have a complete information about the fish’s habits it’s survival environment, temperature and pH range of water etc. and this article could prove quite helpful for you in this case.