TankBud

Fiveband tiger barb

Puntigrus partipentazona

Also known as Partipentazona barb, Siam tiger barb

FreshwaterFish

Fiveband tiger barb (Puntigrus partipentazona)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.2 in
5.5 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Southeast Thailand, Cambodia and Malaya

Overview

The fiveband tiger barb is a lively, mostly peaceful schooling barb for an active community tank. It is simple to keep.

Did you know

The fiveband tiger barb was long confused with the common tiger barb, until it was recognized as its own mainland species. One of its dark bars breaks up, where the tiger barb wears a complete one.

Caring for the fiveband tiger barb

Keep fiveband tiger barbs in a group of at least eight to ten. A tank of 29 gal (110 L) gives a school the swimming room it needs to settle. A good-sized school spreads out their natural fin nipping, so it stays play among themselves rather than harassment of neighbors.

Give them a well-planted tank with driftwood, roots and some leaf litter, and a gentle current. A darker substrate shows off their stripes. Keep the water warm, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Feed a varied diet of flake, small pellets and frozen foods, with the odd bit of vegetable matter. Fiveband tiger barbs are lively middle-water swimmers, too boisterous for slow, long-finned tank mates such as bettas or angelfish. Pair them with other quick, sturdy community fish.

Fiveband tiger barbs scatter their eggs, and breeding them is of moderate difficulty. Condition them in a group and give them fine-leaved plants or a spawning mop. Remove the adults after spawning, since they eat their own eggs.

Good to know

Puntigrus partipentazona belongs to the carp family, Cyprinidae, and is the mainland's smaller counterpart to the common tiger barb. Its species name means partial five-bands.

In the wild

The fiveband tiger barb lives in forest streams and flooded pools from southeast Thailand through Cambodia and into Malaya. These waters run slightly soft and lightly stained with tannins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The fiveband tiger barb is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a fiveband tiger barb need?

A fiveband tiger barb needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a fiveband tiger barb need?

A fiveband tiger barb is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a fiveband tiger barb eat?

A fiveband tiger barb eats a varied diet of flake, small pellets and frozen foods. Give it the odd bit of vegetable matter too.

How big does a fiveband tiger barb get?

An adult fiveband tiger barb reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).

Does a fiveband tiger barb need a group?

Yes. A fiveband tiger barb is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a fiveband tiger barb breed?

Fiveband tiger barbs scatter their eggs, and breeding them is of moderate difficulty. Condition a group, offer fine-leaved plants or a spawning mop, and remove the adults after spawning, since they eat their eggs.

Related species